Same here, serifiot.

:-(((((

handstand, February 20, 2007; 4:29 PM

According to industry rumors, Universal (France) intends to shut down online shop systems and
concentrate on downloads only.

coma, February 20, 2007; 5:05 PM

Ouch!... I didn't want to hear that!... Are they intending to stop producing actual cd's as well?

serifiot, February 20, 2007; 6:48 PM

It is not the first time that I have the impression, Coma has some insight into the business
branch.

There are some other labels which have started distributing some albums from "digital
stores", exclusively. Only recently, I was glad to find "Three the Hard Way" reissued, but,
alas, you won't get a CD, but only some mp3-files when you put the album in your basket.
Mon dieu!

As for Universal France, you can't overlook the e-compil banners on their website. Let's hope
that they continue to sell their soundtracks via Amazon etc and do not stop producing them
entirely.

Christian.Quatremain, February 21, 2007; 10:49 AM

Lighten up and face the facts, folks....today's digital technology and the accessibility of the internet, and the fact that many people have computers with disc burning drives (or stand-alone recorders) simply means that we all have to live with the facts that physical purchasing of CD's (and eventually, probably DVD's) will disappear entirely. I can completely understand why many online shops (such as the one being discussed here) are closing up for sales of CD purchases and going towards downloads ONLY.

As long as the download quality, combined with however the buyer goes about burning their own disc from the downloads, will produce the same quality as purchase of a physical disc....there is NOTHING wrong with that. This is simply modern progression, coupled with the fact that downloads WILL continue whether they're authorized or not...the companies are simply going over to this more and more to make this form of music buying more acceptable.

In response to an earlier thread (which I think seems to have been deleted by now for some reason), Yes....I do downloads whenever possible. I hardly buy CD's any more for a number of reasons, including the ease and convenience of downloading to do my own CD.

kriegerg69, February 21, 2007; 2:57 PM

So you are telling me that a cd-r with downloaded info is as good as a factory-produced cd? To that I say, BOLOGNA ! Many cd players cannot even READ cd-rs as well as cds....both my car player and dvd player will attest to that !!......If this is the FUTURE then I will stay stuck FIRMLY IN THE PAST !!

powley, February 23, 2007; 8:24 PM

...then you and your BIG MOUTH need to UPGRADE your car and home equipment to ones which WILL play CD-R. You obviously have older players which won't play recorded discs. I have a 15 year-old Pioneer magazine type player and it has NO problem with CD-R discs.

Good luck when they eventually STOP making factory-pressed CD's. People said the same thing you did about vinyl LP's and even VHS....and look where those dopes are now.

Dope....

kriegerg69, February 24, 2007; 1:32 AM

Sorry but if you think a cd-r will last as long as a factory made cd you are very naive....the sound of a down-loaded cd-r will NEVER sound better than a factory one....the industry is simply trying to cut costs (which is really what it's all about, not sonic improvement) so..go ahead and download...see how long your precious music lasts ! Incidentally, my 30 year old LPs still sound as good as when I bought them (and some sound much better than the later cds)...so your argument is futile...you are a simple-minded sheep following what the industry dishes out....

powley, February 24, 2007; 2:25 PM

Where are those dopes?...

krie... relax!

powley is just expressing their opinion.

I know that older cd players have problems with CD-RW's but not CD-R's.

In any case, I don't remember anyone complaining about VHS tapes which are now basically worthless.

'Vinyl' in general, is another story which still has many (millions) of devoted and passionate followers and which can be very costly.

Even though I immediately became so impressed and attached to compact discs when they first came out and which I still am, lately I have begun purchasing some vinyl which I thought I would never do again once these small silver wonders were introduced.
Now I just need a good turntable in place of the ancient one I have in order to truly enjoy these new vinyl acquisitions as well as the other ones in my music collection which haven't been played for years.

Downloading music I guess would be 'okay' as long as the sound quality is fine if not comparable (or better?) to the sound quality of cd's and surely a way, or the way of the future, but it is still cold and soulless... brutally lacking spirit!... and yes, I do like to consider myself progressive but I personally dislike when certain pleasures are being manipulated and reduced to nothing.

serifiot, February 24, 2007; 2:30 PM