Question about sharing music over the internet

[Lacrimosa]

Frankly, I'm kind of computer-illiterate, so please help me if you can:

Let's say I have a CD & I wanted to share one of its numbers with the rest of you. Is there any way I could do it; if so, how? I know how to download and burn & I've got iTunes, but I was wondering if there was a way to pass music to another person over the internet; like as a file of some sort.

Thanks so much for your time.

[willcowskitz]

You'd probably want webspace to upload the track (as in the file containing music) to, so anyone can then download it from there. Or you can join Janice's AIM gang, AIM has a file transfer feature. But if you want it to be globally available at any time you need a web or ftp-server to hold it.

[Lacrimosa]

You'd probably want webspace to upload the track (as in the file containing music) to, so anyone can then download it from there. Or you can join Janice's AIM gang, AIM has a file transfer feature. But if you want it to be globally available at any time you need a web or ftp-server to hold it.

Hokey-dokey. I kind of needed my Chinese dictionary to read that, but at least I understood parts...I think.
  Let me tell me what I tried to do (it didn't work), and maybe you could point out to me where I went wrong & guide me through my mistakes. I opened up my iTunes, selected the track I wanted to share, and then I dragged it into a folder in my computer. The track was transformed into a file with two green half-notes on it called a '.mp3 audio file'. So then I went on the internet to my account at Ripway (which defines itself as a  'web hosting and file sharing service'), and finaly uploaded it there, just like I do whenever I want to upload a jpeg picture or something. The upload was 'successful', but unfortunately when I clicked on it all I got was a page filled with an infinite mess of computer jargon, like:
afljsg0 sgljg0 ^^^ 49494%^&7 4444 dkfkf
you know, that kind of thing.

So where did I go wrong?  

[willcowskitz]

Your images always work when you upload them? Can you access the folder via direct URL by a browser, without using any specific software that the Ripway or iTunes involves? I don't personally have any experience on iTunes, but there is a possibility that if, when you tried to "open" the file, the software you were using viewed it in ASCII form instead of binary. ASCII is a data "format" that handles text only thus its used for storing written information, and binary communicates with the computer using machine code rather than a setting of characters - this would explain the scramble you got as output. Check if the program you used has an option for the data transfer mode and if it has ASCII/binary and change it to binary and try uploading and viewing it again, or change software and webspace provider. If my other computer was up and networked I could hook you up with webspace for FTP/HTTP (File Transfer Protocol (the most common protocol used for transfering files over networks) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (https:// (the one your browser comprehends when you're browsing sites))), but until then you need to work on finding a good, free host (not easy) or figure out how to work that Ripway thingamabob.  

[Lacrimosa]

Your images always work when you upload them? Can you access the folder via direct URL by a browser, without using any specific software that the Ripway or iTunes involves? I don't personally have any experience on iTunes, but there is a possibility that if, when you tried to "open" the file, the software you were using viewed it in ASCII form instead of binary. ASCII is a data "format" that handles text only thus its used for storing written information, and binary communicates with the computer using machine code rather than a setting of characters - this would explain the scramble you got as output. Check if the program you used has an option for the data transfer mode and if it has ASCII/binary and change it to binary and try uploading and viewing it again, or change software and webspace provider. If my other computer was up and networked I could hook you up with webspace for FTP/HTTP (File Transfer Protocol (the most common protocol used for transfering files over networks) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (https:// (the one your browser comprehends when you're browsing sites))), but until then you need to work on finding a good, free host (not easy) or figure out how to work that Ripway thingamabob.  

*gropes for Chinese dictionary*
Well, ripway doesn't say anything about ASCII on its site. Curiously, I did notice that the file I uploaded (the one that when I open has a page of meaningless scramble) does in fact have a sign on it indicating that it is music (it has a speaker with soundwaves coming out of it).
As for iTunes, I can't find anything about data transfer mode. I did however find (I don't know if this is in any way related) that if I open iTunes and select a track, I can then go to File-export, and this lets me export the track into any file on my computer as either a 'Plain text', 'unicode text', or as 'XML' (what ever that means!).
  If I'm getting any closer please tell me, if not, I might as well give up. I'm just a retard :-/
  But hey, if there is some kind of EASY book you could recommend me with regards to the web in general and uploading and all that stuff, please tell me!

[willcowskitz]

Hmm I don't know other XML besides eXtended Markup Language (like more developed HTML), and I doubt this is what Ripway means (who knows?). I suggest you get webspace from geocities or such and start with it - the uploading application works in your browser as you log in (last time I checked which was years ago) and it has easily comprehensive instructions to follow. Or you could find out if you're lucky enough to get free webspace from your ISP (Internet Service Provider ). I wish I could help more than just guiding you to crappy free webspace providers that fill the visitor's screen with advertisements.