FAQ
Can I listen a title without opening an account on Altermuzik?
No, because access to the catalogue is part of the environment and we need to open an account to validate the votes, the tastes, and create the community. I remind the subscription is free and last 2 minutes.
Why should I open a Weed account in addition to the ATMz account?
Weed is the company that manages the automatic and equitable rights distribution of downloaded titles. The system is centralised and based in USA. Besides in opening a Weed account, you received 5$ free to buy your first titles on Altermuzik (or Weed). With the ATMz account you have access to our catalogue and to your personalised environment, with your blog, you email, your picture or avatar…etc.
Frequently Asked Questions – What is a Weed file and how does it work? – How do I play a Weed file? – How do I buy a Weed file? – How do I submit songs to Weed? – What is the Weed Media Activator, exactly? – How do I get a new Weed account? – I already have the Weed software installed. Why am I being asked to install it again? – Do you support the Mac?
What is a Weed file and how does it work?
You can play a Weed file up to three times for free on any PC. After three free plays, you’re asked to pay for the file. You can use any current Windows Media-compatible player software to play the file (version 7.1 or later for the Windows Media Player itself.). You’ll need a free Weed account to purchase files.
Once you purchase a Weed file, you’re free to play it all you want on up to three PCs. You can also burn the file to CD and play it on your stereo system, or transfer it to a Windows Media-compatible portable device.
Best of all, you can share Weed files with anyone you like, as long as the files remain in their original form as Windows Media files. And if someone you share a file with purchases that file, you’ll earn a payment for helping to distribute.
How do I play a Weed file?
When you find a Weed file on a Web site, double-click on it. If you have a Windows-Media compatible music player installed on your computer, it will begin to play your Weed file automatically. Weed files can be played on recent versions of Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, MusicMatch Jukebox, and Winamp 5.08.
How do I buy a Weed file?
First, find a Weed file and click to play it with any Windows Media-compatible player. When you play the file, you will first see a dialog box with information about your free plays and an option to buy the song. Click on Buy.
Next, we ask you to log in to your Weed account. If you don’t already have an account, click the “sign up” button to be taken to a Web page to create your account. It’s free and quick, and we load up new accounts with $5 to get you started.
Once your account is set up, continue on to purchase the files you like. Be sure to deposit more funds into your Weed account so that you can always quickly purchase the songs you love.
How do I submit songs to Weed?
Either here since we are Weed ICP or feel free to consult the Provider’s Page and find yourself an Independent Content Provider (ICP) who will help you through the process. The Provider’s role is to set-up a rightsholder account for you, verify rights, and then work with you to promote your Weed files (if you’d like).
We currently “Weedify” files free of charge. For a detailed description of how the process works, please read our content submission overview.
What is the Weed Media Activator, exactly?
The Weed Media Activator is a component that must be installed on to your computer to allow you to purchase Weed files through the dialog window that appears when you first play a Weed file. The Weed Media Activator, v.3 doesn’t act like a stand-alone piece of software (like the old Weed Media Activator v.2 did), but instead integrates with your Web browser.
How do I get a new Weed account?
On the Weedshare.com home page, click on “Sign Up”. You’ll be directed to a form where you can create a user name and password for your new Weed account. It’s free and quick, and we load up new accounts with $5 to get you started.
I already have the Weed software installed. Why am I being asked to install it again?
We recently upgraded to version 3 of the Weed system. To purchase Weed files, you must install the new Weed Media Activator v.3, even if you already have the old version of the Weed software.
Do you support the Mac?
Support for the Macintosh has been a priority for us since the beginning and we have worked hard to develop it. Unfortunately, Microsoft seems unlikely to update Windows Media Player for Mac, and this remains a key missing piece of the solution. The new Intel-powered Macs should be able to work with Weed files when running Windows. We realize this isn’t really a satisfactory solution, and are investigating other technologies that might eventually enable us to support the Mac natively. We can’t currently give any estimate as to when this might happen. If you have access to a Windows PC (or an Intel Mac running Windows), you can use it to purchase Weed files and burn them to CDs, which can then be imported into iTunes on your Mac.
Weed Fundamentals – What are the system requirements for Weed? – How much do Weed files cost? – How big are Weed files? – Do I have to be online to listen to a Weed file? – What is PayPal? – What is Weedshare?
What are the system requirements for Weed?
- For a Windows PC: Windows 98 or later.
- Version 7.1 of Windows Media Player, or more recent. Earlier versions of Windows Media Player will automatically attempt to update themselves when they encounter a Weed file. Current versions of the RealOne Player and MusicMatch Jukebox also work.
- A PayPal e-mail address. You can begin using Weed without providing a PayPal address, but you will need a valid PayPal address to deposit and withdraw funds.
- A broadband Internet connection is recommended.
How much do Weed files cost?
The artists decide how much to charge for their Weed files. Prices generally range from 50 cents to four dollars per title. Most are about a dollar.
How big are Weed files?
Anywhere from 3-10 megabytes, but usually more like 4-6 megabytes. They’re essentially the same sizes as MP3 files. Weed video files will be larger depending on the length of the video.
Do I have to be online to listen to a Weed file?
When you play a Weed file for each of your 3 free plays, Weed will go out to the Internet to acquire the appropriate license. So yes, during the free plays you’ll need to be online. You will also need to be online to purchase the files. Once you own a Weed file you don’t need to be online to play.
What is PayPal?
PayPal enables anyone with an e-mail address to securely, conveniently, and cost-effectively send and receive payments online. Once you sign up for PayPal, you can send money to anyone with an e-mail address using the money from your PayPal balance or another funding option of your choice, such as a credit card. Recipients are notified by e-mail that they have received a payment.
With more than 25 million registered users, and growing by an average of 28,000 accounts a day, the PayPal service is presently available in five currencies and 38 countries.
It’s easy to sign up for a PayPal account.
What is Weedshare?
Weedshare refers to our global community of Weed users and any online groups or activities that involve our users. The Weedshare community includes a Yahoo! Group, where Weed artists and users promote new Weed songs and share ideas. Distributors have also created their own Weedshare WebRing—a central location for people to find many different sites offering Weed files. And of course, our Web site address is www.weedshare.com because it’s all about our users.
How Weed Works – Where does the money go when I buy a Weed file? – How does the three-generation payment system work? – Which portable devices can play Weed files? – Can I put Weed files on my iPod? – Can I burn Weed files to a CD? – Do video files work in Weed? – Can I share my Weed files over P2P applications like KaZaA and Morpheus?
Where does the money go when I buy a Weed file?
When you buy a file, money is shared with a few different people: the artist or rightsholder, the people who helped share the file, and the Weed service.
Specifically, the artist always receives 50% of each sale, and the rest goes to those who helped distribute the file. You get 20%, the person who shared the file with you gets 10%, and the person who shared the file with that person gets 5% of the sale price. Weed receives the final 15% for service and software maintenance costs.
How does the three-generation payment system work?
Let’s say 100 people purchase a song by an artist called Allegro, from your Web site, MySpace page or blog. The song is priced at $1.00.
Immediately 50 cents from each transaction is credited to Allegro’s account, and 15 cents of each transaction goes to Weed as a processing fee. The remaining 35 cents is paid to the people who help distribute the file, 20% goes to you for selling the file, 10% goes to the person you bought it from, and 5% goes to person one level further back in the chain. So after 100 sales, that’s $50 to Allegro, $15 to Weed, and $20 to you.
Which portable devices can play Weed files?
Most of the portable music players that support Windows Media Audio (.wma) files can play Weed files. This includes many players made by Creative Labs, iRiver, Rio, and RCA. Weed files work with an iPod if they are first purchased, then converted to MP3 format. For a full list of the 100+ portable music players that support Weed files, visit the Devices page on the Microsoft Web site.
Can I put Weed files on my iPod?
Yes. Once you purchase Weed files, you are free to convert them to MP3 files for easy transfer to your iPod. First burn the files to CD as audio, then rip them back to your music library as MP3 files. Programs like Windows Media Player can rip CD audio for you. Weed files may not be burned to CD or converted to other formats until they are purchased.
Can I burn Weed files to a CD?
Yes, once you purchase Weed files, they can be burned to CD for playback in your home stereo, car stereo, or portable CD player. Unpurchased Weed files can be burned to CD as data for playback in someone else’s computer. Visit the CD burning page for more information.
Do video files work in Weed?
Yes! If a file can be played in Windows Media Player, it can be Weedified. Weed is great for music videos.
Can I share my Weed files over P2P applications like KaZaA and Morpheus?
Yes, freely and legally. Simply place your Weed files in your P2P shared folder, and open it up to those programs. Heck, you may even make some money without doing much of anything.
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