Napster may be dead but is file-sharing alive and well?

I'm a zone alarm/ad-aware/Kazaa lite user. It's simple to use, but it doesn't yet have the support Audiogalaxy used to. Alot of my searches still turn up blanks.

I used to use Audiogalaxy - but for me Soulseek (www.slsk.org) is the one. Plenty of complete albums at high bitrates, and lots of new music.

Inkipak,
Liked your homepage alot. I found it fast, slick and very easy to use. A winning combination that not too many have managed using Flash.
Roy

Cheers Roy,
It's always good to get some nice feedback!
Brandnew is really just an outlet for my creative bits and pieces, as and when they happen.
...If anyone up there is listening, I wouldn't mind having a go at the Naim site next time round...

My son uses Kazaa Lite; I was using LimeWire for a while. My son claims that KL has much faster downloads than LW; it definitely has more diversity of songs. My only concern is if KL still has some hidden scumware. I loaded a trial version of PestPatrol to see if it's as sensitive to that as it claims.

Also, the RIAA are monitoring the Gnutella-using file sharing networks for activity from the larger ISPs and other sites. They're starting to hit the universities to ban any file-sharing activities. They're hammering on one ISP in particular to get the name of one individual; it's an ongoing court case.

They still have practically no jurisdiction outside the US however.

Cheers

Keith.

All the horrible teenagers that invade my house use Kazaa continually, so don't try to phone me.
malcolm

I miss Napster a lot. It was the only way I got to hear many unavailable episodes of Round The Horne and also the Philip Glass Tribute Simpsons Closing Credits. I've been tiptoeing round Kazaa Lite - even downloaded it, but was too scared to install. My computer is well antivirused, but I confess to only using the default XP firewall [ZoneAlarm Pro network configuration defeated me]. If I were to install KL, what nasties by way of incoming files should I look out for, & what precautions should I take? Would quarantining any incoming files then virus checking them be enough, or are there baddies that I should know about?

nervous throb

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Originally posted by throbnorth:
I miss Napster a lot. It was the only way I got to hear many unavailable episodes of Round The Horne and also the Philip Glass Tribute Simpsons Closing Credits. I've been tiptoeing round Kazaa Lite - even downloaded it, but was too scared to install. My computer is well antivirused, but I confess to only using the default XP firewall [ZoneAlarm Pro network configuration defeated me]. If I were to install KL, what nasties by way of incoming files should I look out for, & what precautions should I take? Would quarantining any incoming files then virus checking them be enough, or are there baddies that I should know about?

nervous throb

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Its not as much the viruses, but spyware (I like the recently-coined term "scumware" better) that often comes along with freebie software. Regular Kazaa is full of that stuff, and in fact will not work if some of the spyware is prevented from being installed.

Kazaa Lite is supposed to be free of that crap; I'm not entirely sure. There are a couple of routes:

1) Software such as Norton Internet Security monitors all software-initiated internet connections from the computer. You can determine what software components can and cannot access the internet. And if a heretofore unknown piece of software tries to connect, Norton will alert you. So if some spyware tries to upload information about you, Norton will intercept it and ask you to allow it or prevent it from doing so.

Or so they claim.

2) There are more and more instances of software out there that claim to intercept installations of spyware. One that I'm playing with is called PestPatrol. Among other things, it's supposed to alert you if any spyware comes up during an install. It can also scan your computer for spyware; this includes cookies for websites which PestPatrol's developers have indicated as spy sites (an example is DoubleClick, which gathers marketing data as you visit cross-referenced websites). It will also check your registry for the same. Only the registered version ($) can remove the spyware for you.

Cheers

Keith.

A buddy of mine runs WinMX servers - he rates it. I've not dabbled much at all in the MP3 phenomonom. Perhaps later when I get broadband, at least for test-driving new music.

Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

Thanks for that, Keith. Assuming KL isn't spyware [and I've mooched around online and haven't found any mention that it might be], I'm more concerned with what happens when you accept incoming files, & allow others to share yours.

Napster would only handle mp3's and was quite strict about the folder which others could see. KL I think allows all filetypes, so what I want to know is whether it's possible to restrict it to only dealing with mp3's or filetypes that you select, and if the general security of your system is OK when others are sharing your files?

throb

But is is possible to block anything that isn't an MP3?

throb

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Originally posted by Keith Mattox:
[RIAA] still have practically no jurisdiction outside the US however.

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Except perhaps moral jurisdiction. If you don't pay for commercially released music, you're stealing from the writers and performers and their families, as well as the record labels, distributors, etc.

Nothing to do with music just a little something to keep both his mind and cheque book busy. http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,56322,00.html

RIP http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/23/28126.html

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Originally posted by fred simon:

quote:

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Originally posted by Keith Mattox:
[RIAA] still have practically no jurisdiction outside the US however.

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Except perhaps moral jurisdiction. If you don't pay for commercially released music, you're stealing from the writers and performers and their families, as well as the record labels, distributors, etc.

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true, in theory and often in Practice. But access to new music one of the strugles of a music fan, it's depressing to pay 20€ for a CD and not like and not be able to get your money back.

Peter

[This message was edited by Peter Stockwell on SATURDAY 16 November 2002 at 06:03.]

Do you get exactly what you pay for? http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4529298.htm

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Originally posted by Peter Stockwell:

quote:

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Originally posted by fred simon:

quote:

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Originally posted by Keith Mattox:
[RIAA] still have practically no jurisdiction outside the US however.

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Except perhaps moral jurisdiction. If you don't pay for commercially released music, you're stealing from the writers and performers and their families, as well as the record labels, distributors, etc.

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true, in theory and often in Practice. But access to new music one of the strugles of a music fan, it's depressing to pay 20€ for a CD and not like and not be able to get your money back.

Peter

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Hi, Peter. I have no problem with tasting before buying, 30-60 second samples of each track or something like that.

I agree that there are a lot of people ripping off whole CDs, but not all of us are like that.

I use Kazaa to get unreleased remixes of stuff impossible to acyaully get unless you are a DJ. e.g. John Selway's remix of Emerge.

Try and find a copy of "Public Image" by the Revolting Cocks in a shop. Can't.

If I really like a tune, I will buy it on vinyl or CD, to get the real music. Recently I have bought Nelly, Moby, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Andrew WK, Pink, Akufen, Arovane, Phillip Glass, Tiga on the strength of downloaded files.

I am getting broadband next week,so will enjoy even more opportunities to discover new things.

DS

OTD - Motorbike - Sheep on Drugs

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Originally posted by fred simon:

Hi, Peter. I have no problem with tasting before buying, 30-60 second samples of each track or something like that.

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Fred, that works sometimes but there's a CD that I've been trying to listen to at a Store listening post, it's called Gnawa blues. It's a disc of north African music, but the tunes take a while to develop at 30-60 seconds doen't seem to be enough to convince me. And what about an artist like Keith Jarrett, he may not be able to tell you enough in 30-60 seconds. I do agree with your moral point, tho'.

Peter

I came across this a few days ago and think it shows new thinking in the area of sharing music via the net. I like the idea of attempting to keep the development aims and process open to the users rather like ideas of opensource code now under development.

Will this last in the real world - not too sure.

A short quote from the homepage, read this and the other information and then see what you think.

"MusicBrainz is a community music metadatabase that attempts to create a comprehensive music encyclopedia. Automatic Audio CD and digital audio track identification using community supplied and maintained data is the first goal of MusicBrainz."

http://www.musicbrainz.org/index.html

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Originally posted by Peter Stockwell:

quote:

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Originally posted by fred simon:

Hi, Peter. I have no problem with tasting before buying, 30-60 second samples of each track or something like that.

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Fred, that works sometimes but there's a CD that I've been trying to listen to at a Store listening post, it's called Gnawa blues. It's a disc of north African music, but the tunes take a while to develop at 30-60 seconds doen't seem to be enough to convince me. And what about an artist like Keith Jarrett, he may not be able to tell you enough in 30-60 seconds. I do agree with your moral point, tho'.

Peter

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Good point, Peter. In those cases, maybe longer samples, say, half or even three quarters of a ten minute track, would tell you enough without giving the music away completely.

Fred & Peter,
Is it possible to listen to music via the net by connecting to a station that plays your favourite artist or style of music? I know this may not be hi-fi quality but it may give you a chance to decide if you like something prior to purchase. The question of player’s royalties is causing a fair bit if discussion in the USA at this moment in time. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2481895.stm You don't even have to go to a store's listening post, it can all be done at home with a beer in your hand!

"Is it possible to listen to music via the net by connecting to a station that plays your favourite artist or style of music?"

Roy, I use iTunes radio to listen to many internet stations dedicated to the sort of sounds that I like (bass drive for D&B etc) They actually play a lot of new stuff and gives me a good idea of what I could buy.

I use streamripper X (freewae) to download the live streams (sorts it into individual mp3 tracks with artist and name) when i go to work and when I come back at night I download it onto my iPod for listening purposes. I keep what i like and delete the rest.

The streams worth getting are 128kb or higher. You will need a DSL or cable connection for this or a friendly network admin for best results.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Colin

WiredNews; Music Labels Streaming Is Swell
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,56419,00.html
WiredNews; Fox Exec Wants Help Ending Piracy http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,56435,00.html

What next another format to keep software & hardware people busy but what about the punters?
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/20021.html found via www.wirednews.com.