Now that we have set up Winamp, we're ready to go and get some MP3's! There are basically two ways of obtaining MP3 files: "rip" them from a CD or download them from someone else. I'm first going to explain how to download them from someone else because it is easier to do than ripping tracks from your own CDs and, if you're luck enough to have a cable or faster internet connection, will take less time.

There is this special program that I use to download my MP3 files from and it's called Napster. Napster is actually not just a program; it connects you to millions of other people who are willing to share their MP3 files with you. When you run Napster, it logs you onto a server, and connects you to millions of other people also running Napster. Once connected, all the MP3 files that you choose to share with others on your computer is available to those millions of users, and the same thing goes for those same millions of users. By having this method of sharing MP3 files, Napster allows you to access millions and millions of MP3 files. (As of this writing, Napster is under heavy fire from many groups of authorities stating that it is used by many people as a tool for copyright infringement; therefore, I can't guarantee that Napster will still be around when you read this, but I hope that it will never disappear because it is just such a good program for us "regular" music listeners.)

Currently, the newest version of Napster is version 2.0 Beta 5 and it can be downloaded directly by clicking on this link. You can also visit Napster's web site to find more information about it or download a newer version of it than linked to above. Again, to install Napster, simply just run the installation file that you just downloaded, and basically just keep clicking the "Next" button. When the installation has been finished, Napster will open itself up and will register you as a user on the Napster network. It's a good idea to keep your Internet connection open during this step. If the registration process does not complete for any reason, simply just cancel it, and re-run Napster to restart registration because their servers can sometimes get pretty flaky.

On to: Getting the Files