Download icon in Music vanishes

July 4, 2006 2:28 AM

I noticed that the download icon in Mefi Music vanished when I logged out. Is this intentional (to cut down bandwidth demands)?

The dl links go to a straightforward .mp3 files, though, so I'm assuming that you could link to one of those (on your blog, say) and a non-member could download a song by clicking on the link. But would that be wrong?
posted by nanojath to Etiquette/Policy at 2:28 AM (10 comments total)

And I'm truly sorry if this has been asked and sorted in one of the prior Music related Metatalk posts. I scanned them but there are really a lot of comments. I'm curious because I'd like to link songs I post for some things I don't have online otherwise, but I don't want to go contrary to the desire sort of implied by the download icon not being visible for non-logged-in members.
posted by nanojath at 2:31 AM on July 4, 2006

I think that would be wrong. Send em' to the page for the song, they can listen to the flash version. If they really really want a download, they can pony up $5 to join and waddle up to the buffet.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:36 AM on July 4, 2006

If this a bug, it should be policy. If it's policy, good on you, Matt. Perhaps there should be a note on each song's page when you're logged out, though?
posted by Plutor at 5:06 AM on July 4, 2006

It is intentional to cut down on bandwidth. I would say don't make links to the mp3, as I'm not a perpetual free host here, and the flash player means people only download as much as they want to hear. I'd say link to the entry with the flash player, or upload your song to Odeo if you're looking for unlimited free hosting for life.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 6:38 AM on July 4, 2006

I'd say link to the entry with the flash player, or upload your song to Odeo if you're looking for unlimited free hosting for life.

Absolutely. That Music hosts mp3 files should be considered a necessity, a side-effect of the site existing—it's a community thing, not a hosting service.
posted by cortex at 7:46 AM on July 4, 2006

agree. my audio files are also hosted on my server. i've sent some non-members here to listen, but if they want the mp3 they grab it on my dime. this is as it should be.
posted by quonsar at 7:57 AM on July 4, 2006

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't trying to suggest, by the way, that downloads should be free to all... but I was tempted by the easy factor of that download link (and I'm glad I logged out to check whether the download capability was disabled).

I'll do what I've been putting off and sort out my own MP3 hosting. I think it might be worthwhile to put a note on the song upload form, though, that states you should not publish the MP3 direct links (presuming there isn't some technical jiggery pokery that prevents the non-logged-in from downloading from those links) as it isn't obvious - if you stay logged in you wouldn't necessarily know that the link unavailable to those not logged in.

One other little thing, in the process of experimenting I noticed that when I logged out, I defaulted back to the ask metafilter home page. I presume some artifact of code recycling, no big deal.
posted by nanojath at 9:35 AM on July 4, 2006

Oops, sorry. Hopefully my three friends who grabbed the mp3 link are made up for by the 12 sockpuppet stable I maintain.
posted by Eideteker at 10:05 AM on July 4, 2006

You gotta apply that categorical imperative, Eideteker... (Hmm... what if everybody bought twelve accounts for which Matt had to provide three MP3 downloads... that's $60 per member... downloads cost some fraction of a cent... Mr. Kant says you're morally okay!)
posted by nanojath at 10:31 AM on July 4, 2006

You have taken my joke and applied it to its logical extreme. I applaud you, sir, as I applaud anyone who can work the categorical imperative into their daily parlance.
posted by Eideteker at 11:16 AM on July 4, 2006