The Pew Foundation's Internet and American Life Project released a report yesterday that concludes: "The RIAA law suits against online music file sharers appear to have had a devastating impact on the number of those engaging in Internet peer-to-peer music sharing."

This is good news, not least because it indicates that people can be shifted over to the increasing number of legitimate downloading services, which means that creators and distributors of music will make more money, which means that we will all get the benefit of more music.

Why the pro-downloaders think this whole matter is a zero sum game of music fans versus the RIAA is a mystery. The real dilemma is how music fans can pool their money to support the producers, and the best way to do this is through property rights and markets.