KaZaA Suspends Downloads

Yahoo

[copyfight]

Wednesday January 16, 7:26 pm Eastern Time

KaZaA Suspends Downloads AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2002--KaZaA BV is voluntarily and temporarily suspending downloads of the KaZaA Media Desktop software from its Web site pending the decision of the Dutch court on January 31, 2002. For more information visit www.kazaa.com. About KaZaA KaZaA (www.kazaa.com) offers a portfolio of software and products enabling the digital media revolution of instant access to files anytime, anywhere, all based on its leading peer-to-peer media platform from FastTrack.

[copyfight]

We're writing a law review article with a dealine of tomorrow on Napster, KaZaA and FastTrack. Tonight, Yahoo reported that KaZaA was taking down their system until January 31 court date. However, News Wire made Yahoo pull the story and there is no news on the KaZaA site. Any Freepers know what is going on? Thanks!

[copyfight]

any help on this issue would be very helpful. It is really strange how conservative, such as myself, are led by the low hanging fruit to discuss. But if Freepers really had any concept about what the RIAA and others are doing to limit your online freedoms, I would guess half of the posts would concern the future liberties of our children. But these concepts just aren't as sexy as Condit, the pardons, and pretzels. One thing is for sure, I think there is an inverse relation to the quantity of posts and the long term historical importance of the issue.

[Peace4EarthNow]

Aw, don't tell me KaZaA is going to bite the dust too!

Well, I'm downloading songs from Morpheus right now, so hopefully that one will stick around.

[monkeyshine]

Bear Share is still around.

[Cinnamon Girl]

No! No! No!

[spycatcher]

In "The Future of Ideas" Lawrence Lessig explains why ham-handed efforts to increase copyright protection are a threat to freedom and prosperity.

[cincinnati_Steve]

Well, I'm downloading songs from Morpheus right now, so hopefully that one will stick around.

Morpheus is the same thing as KaZaA, is the same thing as Grok (I think...I know there's another one!). The muzak and movie folks will never be able to stop file sharing, no matter how hard they try, or whatever the penalties they have the money to get into law. $15 for a CD is ridiculous...I'll never pay that. I probably would go for $10, but that is still pretty steep.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Kazaa and their spyware can stuff it. I use audiogalaxy.

[copyfight]

Okay - that's helpful. I agree they can't stop them, UNLESS they cow the people who provide the programs and the architecture. That is why this is a watershed event.

[mlo]

But these concepts just aren't as sexy as Condit, the pardons, and pretzels.

You forgot the cheese.

But seriously, there have been many many posts here about copyright issues and the whole Napster thing.

I would just suggest that you try to make your points a little clearer.

[Beep]

I use Morpheus! Just started. I think it's safe for the time being. (I hope!!)

[copyfight]

Aw, don't tell me KaZaA is going to bite the dust too! I don't know if it is true. That is why we're seeking info from the public. But this is the kind of thing that gets whispered, people react, company denies, and then it all collapses. We're in the "company denies" part right now. Any info you have would be great.

[copyfight]

No! No! No! Do you know something we don't?

[weikel]

At my school everything is blocked except for GNucleusLan I have most of the stuff I want now already( for legal purposes I have not downloaded any copyrighted material ... really).

[copyfight]

From what I understand, Morpheus, while under the gun, had not decided to pull the plug. But has KaZaA?

[copyfight]

Lessig is an intellectual guru on this stuff. I read that article and it is very persuasive. But that doesn't mean that the minority of thinkers will effect law or public opinion over here. But Lessig has been a very good soldier. Everyone should read the article you posted, plus all of the other thoughts by doing a google search for Lessig - copyright.

[weikel]

I thought they were exactly the same( they sure looked identical).

[BostonGuy]

The last I heard, Kazaa was ignoring a court order to shut down their network. There was an informative discussion about it last month here on Slashdot. The way I read that news clip, they are removing the ability to download their software, which would theoretically mean no new users (although there are mirrors everywhere). In fact, I just checked and they have indeed removed the download links from Kazaa.com. I'm using the client right now though, so it looks like the network is up for the time being...

[copyfight]

Sorry, I'm just not sure how boring the nuances of copyright law can be to non-lawyers. It is a big deal to those who are close to it, but this is such a complicated subject that I think is so important to Internet users, I never know where to start. But your comment is really well taken. I don't even know where to begin. I would say there are two big areas concering your future rights: the right to fair use of copyright material without paying first for a license, and the right of artists to have more control over there work in defiance of the recording industry monopoly.

First, I would suggest reading anything on Lessig at http://www.google.com/search?q=riaa+lessig+copyright+ then I would check out one of the best articles on the subject, believe it or not, by Courtney Love: http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/06/14/love/print.html I hope that helps.

[cincinnati_Steve]

Yeah, I've watched the "domains" that come up on my uploads. There's been a new one lately, but I can't remember what it is. I've been on Morpheus about a year, but don't really like it...it makes my machine crash. But I still share 3000 or so files.