Spotify's new user agreement 5-4-12. Did they sellout?

     Now just to clarify for those who don't know what spotify is. Spotify is a digital music streaming program that was made in Sweden. This program allows you to stream music either through your PC or your phone without the hassle of downloading each and every song. The program is provided by either a premium service in which you pay monthly or until recently a free service that has become extremely limited. In its infant days, the program was solely created to combat piracy and provide free music that it legally had the rights to stream.

   

    The program, if anyone has used it, is an extremely user friendly and no hassle music program. Over the last month I have noticed that it has changed gradually. The programs advertisements have become more of a nuisance then before. At times these advertisements block almost a third of the screen if you have it maximized and even the play lists or action buttons. Granted that I am using the free service so it is bound to have its amount of advertisements which are fine.

     Today though, things have changed drastically. To those who have read the User Agreement that was posted today, have probably noticed it as well.

The Spotify Service can be accessed as an ad-supported free-to-the-user service, having no monthly cap on listening hours or a cap on number of plays of a unique track, during the first 6 months following creation of your Spotify account and thereafter a cap of 10 listening hours per month and a cap of 5 plays per unique track (the “Free Service”)

     So as you can see, after your initial 6 months are done, you are now forced to either limit your playtime severely or upgrade to a premium service. It is sad to see Spotify grow so big and outside of its own roots, especially the roots and ideals that has made the program what it is today.

----My 2 cents----
   
     In my honest opinion, companies will always change and adapt to the market that they are distributing to. It is just good marketing. . . but what I cannot stand is when a company goes against the foundation that created it. Whats it too say down the line that more changes wont be made if such a company can go against the core beliefs that made it. Then again, I don't know the future and cannot say what will happen for this company or its users. I could just be ranting as usual, or maybe... this was just a bit of  Food for Thought :)

"Company cultures are like country cultures. Never try to change one. Try, instead, to work with what you've got. "
Peter Drucker

Feel free to write back, comment, and post how you feel about this topic. Criticism is welcome!