Last week there was news that Apple planned to drop its flat pricing structure and allow prices to rise and fall from the current $0.99-per-song system. Apple has thus far had no comment on the matter. How did people react?

The Daily News quoted NPD's Russ Crupnick. "For those consumers who want a current track, $1.29 [a random figure] or even higher could still be a good value."

From a CMJ article: "The CMJ staff agrees that as long as new Jessica Simpson tracks are $1.49 while downloads of old Sebadoh records are 79 cents, we're cool."

CD Freaks predicted a "mixed reaction should iTunes offer flexible pricing." People buying older songs will have an advantage over those buying more expensive hits.

Not suprisngly, p2pnet started its article on the topic with the line, "Apple's Steve Jobs may raise the cost of his already grossly over-priced digital music downloads." Later it called 20 cents an appropriate price and warned that a price hike could send "even the Apple faithful" for P2P networks.

The Inquirer deadpanned that variable pricing already exists -- 99 cents is a lot cheaper than 99 pence.