The Washington Post published an article this morning (registration required) on file sharing. Most of the article covers the regular crap, BitTorrent, Grokster, blah blah blah. But sprinkled within is a few tidbits on Time Trax, the which we all know makes software and hardware that allows users to record XM content, and now Sirius content, to MP3 on your desktop or direct to your iPod.

In the article, Elliott Frutkin, CEO of Time Trax is quoted as saying, "If it's so risky for me to try out new things or put new things on the market, you are really going to devastate people's willingness to innovate."

Many people have criticized Time Trax for creating a device that has only one purpose, and that's to steal and distribute content. I won't get into this debate here (but you're more than welcome to in the comments) because it's a neverending argument from both sides of the camp. One side feels file sharing (of regular content, or satellite radio content) is a natural evolution of an aging copyright system, others feel that stealing is stealing no matter what the circumstances - others are in the middle. And while Time Trax may have some legitimate uses, even Mr Frutkin is quick to admit that it can be used for illegal purposes.

"The first people who were playing with the technology TimeTrax is based on weren't people that I would have over for dinner with the family," said Frutkin, who does not condone stealing. "But that's the way things happen."

Interesting stuff to start your day. :)