To say it's based on "trading" seems like mostly a semantic distinction. This is basically peer to peer sharing using the mail and tangible things (CDs) instead of intangible things (MP3s).

Perhaps it's factually different enough that a court wouldn't apply the Napster reasoning, but in practice it's more or less the same thing.

You might as well just illegally fileshare if you're going to do this. It's cheaper, and when you hear something you really like, you can take the money you save and go buy the artist's disc.

But something tells me that La La won't be around for very long. CDs' esteem seems to be diminishing by the day.

I have been a member for a few months, and I like it, but there are a few things to be aware of:

You can set your profile to "cover art only," which means that people won't send you CDs without the cover art. However, their definition of cover art is the booklet only, not the tray card. Most people send the tray card (I've only gotten one CD without it), but they don't have to.

In addition, if someone does send you a CD with no art when they're not supposed to, it still counts on your account; they just get a warning from lala about it.

Third, their official policy regarding non-jewel case packaging (digipaks, cardboard folders, etc.) is that they shouldn't be traded with artwork at all, since a digipak won't fit in the lala mailer. I haven't had this come up yet, but I imagine it's possible to work something out with other members is it does come up. Still, more and more CDs are coming out in alternative forms of packaging, and it's kind of a bummer that they're just dismissing them like that.

Oh, and for all you press/radio folks: you're not supposed to trade CDs marked as promos.

But yeah, I've gotten some great CDs for super-cheap, and I think it's a cool thing overall.

until then the internet is full of free music. until the RIAA come to get you, get all you can. he with the most Gigabytes wins. And i've got a good lead.

I just like real CDs, and I like packaging. If I really like an album I want to have it on CD or vinyl, not just my hard drive. This is a way for me to do that, and as a plus it is legal and ethical.

I'm as anti-RIAA as anyone, but you just sound like a nutjob.

I'm not a musician, and I STILL want string you up by your nuts. Whether you be troll or no, fuck you, crusty.