ZOINK! Smells like Bacon!

The torrent server OINK got taken down today. It is difficult to see the media trying to cover this story. Their language and and spin put the truth on its head. They make out like this guy was charging subscriptions to access pre-released albums and movies. Here are some of the facts as I know them to be.

1. This was a free site and a community of users, not a pay site.
2. None of the copyright materials were ever on his website. They were spread out amongst the users of the site.
3. Although this site did help people access popular music, the site also had very rare and obscure things that you would never be able to find anywhere else. Library archives of public domain music. All the completed works of all the great composers a few clicks away. An amazing resource that would make any library jealous.

One day in the future libraries will embrace torrenting. Imagine accessing any text from any author? Any music? Any Score? Any painting? I am torn between my willingness to support the livelihood of professional content producers and my desire to have access to all the information. Sadly, the police are keeping me from having access to my public domain music scores in the interests of SONY BMG and EMI and TIMEWARNER. I don't like being a conspiracy nut but it seems to me like the American ruling class would rather keep people away from all that information.