First, if you beleive that the record industry will continue to let people take music off the internet, you are sadly mistaken. When this theft starts to hit their pockets, they will place controls on the net that will make people buy music in MP3 form. It may cost less, but they will find a way to monitor this way of sales. <P>Second, the artist would have HUGE TAX consequences if consumers just sent them money. Uncle Sam will find a way to get his cut.<P>Lastly, who do you know that would pay for a product after they bought it, and nobody knew they bought it? Nobody! You are lying to yourself if you think that 99.9% of the people who take music of the net, will then send monies the the artist for the music they just downloaded.<P>Peace<P>Pseudonym-less Wendell