MP3 has been "dead" to me ever since the non patent encumbered formats started becoming popular. Mind you, I've been using Linux as my primary desktop OS since

MP3 has been "dead" to me ever since the non patent encumbered formats started becoming popular. Mind you, I've been using Linux as my primary desktop OS since the mid 90s... So I have a vested interest in open formats. These days, all my music is in a lossless format anyway. Especially now that my phone has enough storage space for it. Anyhow. I'd say that if anything... The patents expiring way the heck sooner would have been healthy for the format.