Napster: The Rebirth

[TB4000]

Anyone been to the website lately? I signed up so I could see what was going on with them and they still have a decent selection of music files, only it costs 99 cents to download a song. I may not actually patronize them as of yet, but on the flip side don't feel like getting subpeonaed this early in my life....save that for when I do something Enron-like.

[mr. x]

a few months from now, "napster, the re-death"

[Faithless]

With Windows Media Player 10, I can get to Napster.

I don't see any real difference between Napster and iTunes when it comes to music selection. :frown:

[bluemonq]

allofmp3 rocks napster. and msn music. and if it's music that appeals to a wider audience, it rocks itunes too. a penny per megabyte. http://www.allofmp3.com/ , click on the "english" mode link at the top-left. and when they get paypal payments running again, it's safe; just open a new paypal account, link your checking account, toss in $5, and unlink your account. if someone steals it, you've lost at most $5.

[Bishop]

Why do you all pay? You can use LimeWire and download everything for free....and the best part? It's totally legal and burnable since it's a P2P based sight with endorsements! There hasn't been many songs that I couldn't find using this program. It's just like Napster was in the old days.

Oh, and it's virus safe, I've been using LimeWire for 2 years and have never recieved an infected file.

[bluemonq]

i'd like to see you tell the riaa that downloading, say the beatles, without paying, is legal...

[SunWuKong]

Why do you all pay? You can use LimeWire and download everything for free....and the best part? It's totally legal and burnable since it's a P2P based sight with endorsements! There hasn't been many songs that I couldn't find using this program. It's just like Napster was in the old days.

Oh, and it's virus safe, I've been using LimeWire for 2 years and have never recieved an infected file.


i just quickly browsed through LimeWire's website. they don't seem to address the legality of downloading songs with their app. they seem to try to avoid it just like all the other P2P networks before they gained popularity.

What is LimeWire?
The Fastest File Sharing Program on the Planet
LimeWire is a file sharing program running on the Gnutella Network. It is open standard software running on an open protocol, free for the public to use. LimeWire allows you to share any file such as.mp3s, .avis, jpgs, tiffs, etc. Limewire is written in Java, and will run on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Sun, and other computing platforms. Publish your original content to the world without setting up a website!

original content? right... :tongue:

the good thing though is that they are using Gnutella and are big proponents of open source. i like that.

[Faithless]

Limewire Q&A through Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/personal_technology/9819535.htm?1c)
Q: My daughter recently asked if she could download and use LimeWire. After reading the information on that Web site, I thought that it would be safe to use. I know that downloading music is illegal, but LimeWire says it is legal. However, I have recently been told that people using LimeWire are being sued. What I should do?

- eog8516@comcast.net

A: The assurances LimeWire gives on its Web site about being free of spyware and adware is certainly encouraging. So is its advice on how to avoid downloading viruses, assuming that LimeWire users read the warning.

Generally, though, it is wise to remember that file-sharing networks are not good for a PC's health.

In discussing the legality of music downloads, LimeWire may be doing some fancy footwork to maintain that what it does is kosher.

LimeWire can argue that it is doing nothing illegal because it does not, a la the old Napster, operate a Web site to facilitate the exchange of music and other files.

Rather, LimeWire only provides the software that allows people to share files directly - in the same way that other generations supposedly exchanged tapes or 45-r.p.m. records.

But that does not put your daughter beyond the reach of the law.

As part of a peer-to-peer network, she will have to keep an inventory of music files available on her PC so others can access it. Under the code of ethics adhered to by file sharers, she cannot just take files.

Maintaining a large collection of files for others to download, however, could make her the target of a music industry lawsuit.

[Kris]

put up your firewalls/block bad ip addresses and use programs that are more safe. something like mirc. kazaa, bittorrrent, etc. leaves your ip address open for others to see. too risky.

[Bishop]

The limewire program allows you to prevent other members from uploading from your computer. So from the last sentence of ChottoMatte's post, if you don't allow users to upload from your PC does that prevent you from being tagged by the music industry bosses?

[bluemonq]

even then, not necessarily. what i imagine sooner or later will happen is that riaa teams will share mp3s, with rule, "you can look, but you can't touch!" of course, people will dl, and they'll collect their ips. they're still working out the kinks in it, but it *will* happen.

[Faithless]

I have a feeling that after installing Napter from my Windows Media Player 10 link, that the mp3's, that I garnered, from various personal web pages, aren't working as a result. :frown:

There goes over 30 different Beastie Boys tunes.

[SunWuKong]

The limewire program allows you to prevent other members from uploading from your computer. So from the last sentence of ChottoMatte's post, if you don't allow users to upload from your PC does that prevent you from being tagged by the music industry bosses?

it makes you much less of a target for the RIAA to go after. however, it is still illegal because the basic concept is that you did not pay money to the recording studio for that music you downloaded.