Now they are trying to shut-down Napster!

[mgordon99]

http://rock.yahoo.com/rock/music_news/sonicnet/story.html?s=n/sonicnet/rock/news/20000614/20000614004

"The lawsuit is to tell [Napster] to stop downloading copyrighted material without express permission,"

Don't they get it? Napster ISN'T DOING the downloading.

[Warthog]

The recording companies should all sue US!!! We are the people who are making the music available to others "illegally". We simply use the software, Napster, to do it. But Napster is not providing the music. These people just don't understand.

Napster - Live long and prosper!! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[narayan]

There is a program called "metallicster" that is like napster, but does not use servers. I have it for a "backup" http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

[NeilTrain]

Fear Not fellow Napster Users!!

Though it is possible to shut down napster, a second generation Napster is near completion, it will be released by an anonymous developer and will be completely freeware and will be UNSTOPABLE! heres how:

The current napster uses a central server (which belongs to napster) and all the indexes are stored there, the new system has two parts, server software, and client software, anybody with a connection can start there own napster server. All the servers log on to IRC and share eachothers indexes, thus making one hell of a huge network of users. It will be impossible to shut down because if one server gets shut down, just log on to another one, they are all connected, so it doesnt matter. plus the fact that the servers will be on computers owned by people from all over (including over seas, immune to US laws) there will be no way to stop anyone.

Long live Napster!

[chipbgt]

how exactly does napster work? Do it just allow a straight connection between the two users or does the file make a pit stop on one of there servers first?

Either way, you cannot deny the fact that napster has helped facilitate the illegal distribution of copyrighted material. Whether or not this was the original goal the makers of this product have a obligation to make a responsible product. Its like cigarette companies saying they didnt know there product was harmful.

In a side note, I heard this weekend that if an owner of a copyright does not fight to protect its copyright when it may be in question, then that owner can lose the copyright.