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An internet-based system for
distributing music in the digital mp3 format, now defunct. Napster was the first
large-scale tool for helping owners of digital encoded music to share their
collections with other users of the network, simply by publishing a
list of the files on their computer and allowing anyone else using the
software to download the music to their own pc. The simplicity of the
software and the openness of the network attracted millions of users, not
all of whom had a deeply entrenched respect for copyright law; the
music industry responded accordingly, eventually forcing the network to
close in early 2002. Napster's troubles began in April 2000, when Metallica,
a rock band, collected the names of 3000,000 users it claimed were illegally
distributing its copyright music and forced Napster to remove them from the
system. napster subsequently proved an easy target for the music industry's
lawyers, who forced the shutting down of the company's servers and thus put
an end to the company that popularised the idea of internet files sharing.
Napster seemed on the brink of rescue when it was bought by
bertelsmann, a German media company, in late 2000, with the hope of
developing a secure music distribution network that served the music
industry rather than fought against it. But the depth of feeling against the
company led to rejection by the major music labels, which turned down all
offers of cash generated by a proposed Napster subscription scheme. The
music industry is still struggling to agree on standards and technologies
for protecting the copyright of its music, most of which have proved to be
impossible to protect from crackers and pirates and have been
resolutely ignored by the music-buying public. Meanwhile, Napster's
better-designed and technically unassailable file- sharing descendants go
from strength to strength, with hundreds of million of users creating a much
bigger problem for the music industry than the network that inspired them
ever did.
Perhaps out of spite at its continuing inability to control digital
piracy, the music industry sued Bertelsmann for damages of $17 billion in
February 2003, arguing that its efforts to prolong napster's life resulted
in an extra year's loss of revenue. Such arguments are unpopular with
defenders of Napster-like systems, who say that these revenue losses are
imaginary, based on a spurious assumption that people would buy the music if
they could not get it for free.
Napster's assets and intellectual property were sold to Roxio, a
software company, in November 2002. Its new owner planned to relaunch the
site at least in mid-2003, although it seems unlikely to appear in its
original guise. |
