We salute them for this change although we think it is years late in coming. However, they have yet to backoff their selfish and illegal practices which endanger the fair use rights of every single American.

It endangers fair use because they have trampled on the basic tennants of fair use - the right to first sale, the right of limited copying (sampling), the right to use copyrighted materials with different media. These are rights previously defined by the courts, but the RIAA campaign, with its well healed lobbying efforts, have put laws on the books which will take years of court challenges to straighten out.

And of course the RIAA still continues to sue innocent individuals using the unconstitutional DMCA subpeona powers. Slowly the courts are revoking their ability to misuse the law for the gain of their single industry. Let us hope that all the courts continue to see how the rights of the populace are being abused.

And let us continue to boycott the RIAA until they give up these loathsome tatics and return to sensible business ethics.

And, oh yes, let us also point out, since I have your attention if you have read this far, that while CD sales are down we should note that CD release are down even further and that while these sales have fallen, the industry profits which form the basis of payback to the performers is at an all time high.

So what is the economic justification for their continued actions? My guess is just the need to save face against an angry public. -Murrel Rhodes