I’m not hungover this morning, but I am still drunk. Perhaps that’s what is going on over at QTrax; they’re all still drunk on the Internet – too much Internet. I’ve scoured said Internet for news, even blogs, about users’ experiences with QTrax and have found very little – other than a few varying forms of “It’s still not up.”
The faithful tech-followers over at Ars Technica tried the service reporting,
Signup and installation of the client for “the world’s first free and legal P2P music download network” went without a hitch. Qtrax is only available in the US for now, and then only on Windows (a Mac client is on its way) at its re-re-relaunch. After getting the company’s client up and running, we were surprised by what appears to be yet another false start. Everything in the store works—artist banners are plugged into the main storefront, searching for artists returns respectable results, and advertising is alive and well—but clicking to preview or download a track simply does nothing. The store reported over 6,000 users online during our testing, but we aren’t sure if any of them are having better luck than we are.
One of my readers said simply, “they’re up and running now,” but it was anonymous so I couldn’t ask for details, or confirm that they weren’t a QTrax plant (which they’ve been known to do).
When it comes to the Internet and Music, there is no greater authority/asshole than Jasper of Webvomit and since he has a PC, enjoys music and fucks butts, it’s best if I just let him tell you about his QTrax Experience.
I have a PC. I have no idea what QTrax is, even though you’ve been whining about it for months. Music downloads? Wait…lemme live blog this.
Ah, “free and legal P2P music download network.” Brilliant.
What bit rate are they distributing their music in? It doesn’t say.
Uh…I have to register and download a Qtrax player? Do Not Want.
And waiting for them to “upload tracks from their record label partners” sounds like they’re not going to have what I’m looking for anyway.
Ok, lemme check my favorite private-tracker bit torrent site. Oh yeah, all that stuff is here — in every format imaginable. FLAC through 192kbps. Wow, they even have Ratatat’s new album already. Does QTrax have that? Hey, two MGMT albums from when they were still in college and called “The Management! Vinyl-only rips from my favorite bands — and that’s all on the front page! Unbelievable!
At this point if anyone wants me to switch from using bit torrent, legal or not, they’re going to have to come over my house and blow me while I download Depeche Mode’s discography…and finish me off during “Personal Jesus”.
But what do I know? I wouldn’t be caught dead using iTunes either.
June 19, 2008 at 6:20 pm |
i’ve been having some pretty big issues using the beta. first off, hardly any of the artists on the EMI and UMG rosters actually have music available, even the ones they’re promoting (try accessing music from Rick Ross or the Counting Crows).
Hmm. Let’s try finding music from UMG artists. Any Beck? nope. Eminem and 50 Cent? Nada. Jack Johnson, The Killers, Maroon 5 and Snoop? Sorry, out of luck.
OK, how about EMI. Any Coldplay? Dang! Maybe Radiohead, or the Stones, or even the Beach Boys? No…???? What about the Spice Girls…?!? NOTHING? All “coming soon”? What is going on over there? Can this gang shoot straight?
October 15, 2008 at 8:24 pm |
I would check out qtrax again ,millions of songs now available universal and emi still only majors although lots of indie labels( very limited sony and warner) site has share playlist feature and all kinds of linksthey are trying to have licensing for every track thats ever been digitalized thats everything on bit torrent or gutnella sites ,they started qtrax at the same time as napster but shut down voluntarily to avoid lawsuit. They have plugged at this for 7 years and are very close to having full major label support for legal p2p , and jasper the times of illegal file sharing sites are numbered especially from europe but in the U.S. too ,I.S.PS will soon be blocking users in europe with in 1 year U.S. to follow soon after