As much as I like the convenience of the internet, I'm sad to see brick and mortar retailers go. I usually try to buy my music at an independent store, and I've been noticing that their inventory seems to be getting smaller and their prices getting higher. Even the big box retailers such as Best Buy only carry a fraction of the number of CD's and DVD's they used to.
Even more sad, IMO, is the loss of book stores; around here, there seems to be only one major book retailer left. So much for going and browsing in the bookstore.
People seem to love the convenience of electronic media (and lack of "clutter"), but there's nothing like holding an actual book or record (a CD will "do") in your hands.
I had a "discussion" on another board with an individual who was complaining that a special Record Store Day release wasn't available in a digital format for download. His position was that he never listens to vinyl anymore, it takes up room, and even if he were to rip it to an mp3 he'd be left with a "vinyl artifact"
that he didn't want or need. He was basically asking for someone to do a rip and send him a copy, and trying to justify it by blaming the artist because it wasn't available digitally to begin with.
I told him that he obviously missed the whole point of Record Store Day, and that while I both have the equipment and know how to rip vinyl to mp3, no way in hell would I send him a copy, since it's both against the rules of the board to ask for copies of official releases, and it's because of people like him that indie stores are in trouble to begin with. The nerve of that guy.
