CNET launches free music downloads

CNET, who bought MP3.com last year, have launched a new free music download service allowing users to search and download what it says are thousands of songs contributed by independent and unsigned artists.
That is basically the same thing the original MP3.com did.

The service is based on CNet’s download site and is available at: http://music.download.com/.

The music download service will be separate from the MP3.com Web site, which CNET said it will relaunch soon as a music-information site.

Now, I actually like CNet’s websites and services, they’re a very good source of information (News.com, ZDNet) and downloads (Download.com).
But the step they took when they bought MP3.com was a very stupid one. It had and still has no meaning or goal.

They buy a website, shut it down, then relaunch another website that does exactly the same thing but under another name, thereby losing the brand and followers of the first service, and then they plan to relaunch the original website as something totally different.
I don’t see where all of this is going and what strategy these people are following.

MP3.com was obviously dead internet meat with no real value. (with all due respect to the artists who used to upload their stuff there).
It’s just that, as a Business, MP3.com sucked.
So, why in God’s name CNet thought it was smart to buy it is beyond my brain’s capabilities of understanding.
Maybe they wanted the cool domain name?!