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How do I explain Napster?!

44 replies

Zoologydragon · 06/05/2023 22:20

Ok, I'm mid thirties and DP of many years is knock, knock knocking on 50's door. Tonight, whilst watching Bgt, Mr Blobby came on. Cue much hilarity about me being our DD's age whilst he was being a teenage renegade when
Mr Blobby was number one.

Somehow this turned into "the olden days"

I am prime Napster for music age. He has no clue at all what Napster was!

How do you even explain napster to someone who doesn't know life before YouTube in terms of music??

OP posts:
PieonaBarm · 06/05/2023 22:31

Old school iTunes?

thenightsky · 06/05/2023 22:32

Your DP is messing with you if he says he's doesn't know about Napster. I'm 64 and remember it WELL!

blueshoes · 06/05/2023 22:37

Ask ChatGPT

Interested in this thread?

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Cherryblossoms85 · 06/05/2023 22:39

That doesn't make much sense. He'd know Napster.

Zoologydragon · 06/05/2023 22:42

Honestly, he is a technophobe. He has no clue at all what I am talking about 😂 I feel like i'm explaining a cassette player my DD.

His timeline is: cassette; recording from the radio to cassette; CD; Our music subs (that I taught him)

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 06/05/2023 22:43

I mean you could explain it with words in the language he speaks? ‘Napster was a type of music streaming service.’ Or you could teach him to google? Or watch The Social Network and just fast forward through all the Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield parts and stop on Justin Timberlake?

SinnerBoy · 07/05/2023 05:02

I've no idea what Napster is. Or didn't, until I read the preceding post!

I'm 53.

runningonberocca · 07/05/2023 08:22

I’m in my 40s, not technophobic and have never heard of Napster

SheikYerboutiii · 07/05/2023 08:29

Well it wasn’t a music streaming service so I’m sure that wouldn’t help explaining it like that, it was a peer to peer file sharing network. However the concept surely isn’t hard to understand? He might be a technophobe but can surely understand “it was a place people shared illegal music downloads, and lots of porn”. Does it need to be any more in-depth than that?

ChristmasFluff · 07/05/2023 08:36

Napster was like being able to go into someone's house, see a CD you liked and them letting you copy it (or see an LP you liked and be able to tape it, depending on age!). But on a grand scale.

SinnerBoy · 07/05/2023 08:37

Oh.

dudsville · 07/05/2023 08:40

I never used napster and had forgotten about it's existence, this thread reminds me why! If you brought this up in conversation I'm sure i would be like your oh.

Ceebeegee · 07/05/2023 08:41

"An early version I iTunes " is probably a sufficient explanation .
I'm 36 and never used napster. I only really heard about it when the site was taken down.

dizzygirl1 · 07/05/2023 08:42

runningonberocca · 07/05/2023 08:22

I’m in my 40s, not technophobic and have never heard of Napster

Me too!

JoanThursday · 07/05/2023 08:43

ChristmasFluff · 07/05/2023 08:36

Napster was like being able to go into someone's house, see a CD you liked and them letting you copy it (or see an LP you liked and be able to tape it, depending on age!). But on a grand scale.

That's a good way to explain it. Had totally forgotten about napster ... and how long it could take to download music!

JoanThursday · 07/05/2023 08:48

dizzygirl1 · 07/05/2023 08:42

Me too!

To be fair, it wasn't around for long - a couple of years maybe before it had to fold for legal reasons.

Custardbanana · 07/05/2023 08:50

It's the original PirateBay. A file sharing network over the web.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 07/05/2023 08:52

I'm 52. I used Napster.
It was a peer file sharing platform.
Like iTunes but less professional, less shiny, less legal and free.

cocksstrideintheevening · 07/05/2023 08:58

Never heard of it. Mid 40s

Kanaloa · 07/05/2023 09:01

SheikYerboutiii · 07/05/2023 08:29

Well it wasn’t a music streaming service so I’m sure that wouldn’t help explaining it like that, it was a peer to peer file sharing network. However the concept surely isn’t hard to understand? He might be a technophobe but can surely understand “it was a place people shared illegal music downloads, and lots of porn”. Does it need to be any more in-depth than that?

File sharing network used mostly for sharing music. Like a music streaming service.

BertieBotts · 07/05/2023 09:02

Doesn't he ever download anything, even an email attachment or clip art?

thebestbirtheraccordingtoDD · 07/05/2023 09:06

I'm
49 and a huge music listener. Never heard of it

MaisieDaisyMay · 07/05/2023 09:08

thenightsky · 06/05/2023 22:32

Your DP is messing with you if he says he's doesn't know about Napster. I'm 64 and remember it WELL!

I'm 53 & have no idea what it is.

MaisieDaisyMay · 07/05/2023 09:09

Cherryblossoms85 · 06/05/2023 22:39

That doesn't make much sense. He'd know Napster.

Why?

I don't and I'm 54 (I forgot my recent birthday in my previous post)

MaisieDaisyMay · 07/05/2023 09:11

Kanaloa · 06/05/2023 22:43

I mean you could explain it with words in the language he speaks? ‘Napster was a type of music streaming service.’ Or you could teach him to google? Or watch The Social Network and just fast forward through all the Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield parts and stop on Justin Timberlake?

Sorry, I know I could Google, but I'd prefer a 'real person' answer. Was it like Spotify?