Inconvenient

For the past year or so I have been enjoying the very inexpensive, quasi-legal and deliciously DRM-free service of allofmp3.com and their imusic purchasing and download application alltunes. But our friends at the RIAA and government have been putting the screws to my Russian friends and figured out that if they can't kill the company, then make it impossible for them to get money. As of a month or two ago Visa and Mastercard pulled processing from Allofmp3. The two choices left were Diners Club (with its fun fun $95 fee per year, no THANK you) or a card called JRF which is available to residents of, like five states. Things were looking dark, and just when I had located a stash of Polish punk music I wanted.

But wait! There is an answer! An overcomplicated and confusing answer. First, go to xrost.biz and sign up for an account. xrost is a kind of cashless receipt generating system in use in Europe in place of cash. Whatever, it's not important. Next, you will need to go to clickandbuy.com and register a credit card with them. Once you've set up the account, go back to xrost, fund their weird cashless card with money from clickandbuy.com You will get a serial number and a pin. Surf back to allofmp3 and give them the serial number and pin and Blammo! You're back in business. Fire up alltunes and your balance will show up there. Now, wasn't that simple? Well, no. But it works. Enjoy!