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I wasn't familiar with Gator.com's little spyware gems, and initially had them confused with thirty4 interactive, the makers of Napigator. Thought maybe Napigator had been spying on my P2P habits all this time, or something. Unfortunate similarity in names and logos.

Like I said, I haven't used it in a while so I don't know how good the servers are anymore. Anyone interested should look at Napigator for some more info.

well, most servers on www.napigator.com are from italy / eastern europe.

check them:

http://www.napigator.com/servers/

the thing is, when it comes to mp3 sharing, nothing beats the napster protocol.
I had tried gnutella, but with gnutella you can just see the file size, not the
kbps and audio length, and you end up downloading a bunch of crap.
With napster you always see the real deal before you decide to dload it. Gotta
love it. Shame there are almost no server in USA these days (wonder why ;-).

cheers

I'd say so:

http://www.napigator.com/servers/

I like the subversion that Napigator offers since it still uses the Napster program for its main interface. Windoze users, take note! (If you haven't already!). It rocks.

For Linux users, I've had great success with Gnapster which uses many of the same Musiccity servers. Free music for everyone!
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Perhaps this is just a ploy by Napster to throw off the RIAA. Because Napster is implementing all of these blocks on its own servers - the Napster network - people are flocking to the other networks. Hmm, imagine that. Perhaps I should keep my mouth shut about this before the whole world finds out, then.

1st Law Of Networking: Loose ends are bad, termination is good.

If you want to be nearly immune to RIAA lawsuits, set up a private OpenNap server and use Napigator to tap into it. No copyrighted information is flowing over your server (except perhaps trademarks such as BILLY JOEL® and *NSYNC® but those aren't the same as copyrights anyway).
All your hallucinogen are belong to us.

It is a lot cleaner than the older versions!

Get it for OpenNap servers! :)

I don't doubt Napster would still spend considerable time in court, but at $5.00-$1.67x50,000,000users, I'm sure they will be able to work something out.

You're assuming 50 million people will decide to pay Napster, instead of just using one of the many alternatives.

I don't think this assumption is warranted. I'll be surprised if more than 1% pay, and I'll be shocked into incredulous silence with my mouth hanging open if more than 10% pay.

-

The reason the RIAA has been able to go after Napster, is because of the centralized root servers. Why not just move those servers out of the RIAA's reach?

They already have.

clients besides the official one, and older napster official clients, will no longer work

on the official servers. But there are other Napster-compatible directory servers that run OpenNap.

1. Under legal pressure, Napster implements subscription fees, anti-RIAA-copying measures, etc., etc.
2. All the users say "Damn, Napster sucks now."
3. The few clueful users who know about using a Napster client with Napigator and OpenNAP tell their friends about it, and the word spreads quickly.
4. The RIAA tries to sue, but realizes that since all the technologies they're trying to control are open-source, stopping every service provider is a nearby impossible demand.
5. The RIAA is crushed under the weight of its litigation staff, and ceases to be. The end.

You just cant connect to their servers.

Instead of learning a new program, you really only have to get Napigator at www.napigator.com, which does run on Win 9X and NT. It fires up Napster program and you will be able to connect to any of the OpenNap servers, as well as a whole slew of others.

I agree with the original poster that the OpenNap ones are the best. They even have more volume than Napster's servers.

On the contrary. Napigator is a nifty little freeware tool that lets the Napster client program use other Napster servers. The OpenNap network is huge and not going anywhere anytime soon...

Yes, and Napigator works, too. The only thing is, when Napster's official servers close down, the OpenNap servers may experience their own "Napster flood" effect. I've already been unable to connect to some of the more popular opennap servers from time to time because of user limits.
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I have been on various OpenNap servers out there, and they are WORTHLESS, because it's only running on a SINGLE MACHINE, therefore only a few thousands users can be logged at once. That's not enough : the chance you'll find the song you're looking for is exactly ZERO PERCENT. Unless you're a Britney Spears fan.

Wrong. OpenNap servers can be linked together to form a network with shared file and user databases. This is what the OpenNap and MyNapster networks are. The numbers are already pretty damn big, and believe me, once Napster goes subscription-only the user base on these free networks will rocket far higher.

Note that if you're using the original Napster Inc. client for Windows, you can switch between networks with Napigator.

Remember that Napster has thousands of machines connected together, and even though they do have islands, you still search across a user database of hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

See above.

My problem with having the service pay based is that I would be paying $X a month to download MP3s, yet sharing 40, 50, or 300 mp3s to others. So let me get this straight: I share my mp3s for free, but in order for someone to download mine, or me to download theirs that they put up free I pay Napster $10 for the service of a search engine.

I forsee the usage of Napigator in my future

As much as I love (and use) the opennap servers, they are not a viable alternative to commercial napster. The servers have limited load, for one, and the (commercial) Napster users DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. A friend of mine was recently banned by Metallica because she had a song titled "Metallica-Sucks.MP3"
She didn't know what to do, because her IP dosn't change, and she couldn't get around the block. I asked her if she tried Napigator or any of the alternatives. Her response? "What? You mean that there's more than just napster?"
She's just a typical college student. If the average student dosn't know about the options, who does?
No, the typical Slashdotter dosn't count on this one.
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Now that Napster has sold out, everyone ought to get Napigator and go onto all the other Napster-compatible servers that exist. They won't have any censorship, and we'll probably all have to switch anyway when BMG decides the best way to try and give us a good corporate screwing....

Tim

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"Unlike Napster, which is becoming subscription-based, Scour, which has succumbed to legal pressures, and Gnutella, which suffers from scalability issues, BitHive relies on no central servers or corporations to run."

Neither does Napster. With Napigator, users can connect to OpenNap directory servers and share their files without needing some big corporation's help (unless you count VA Linux's SourceForge, which hosts the OpenNap website). And this To demonstrate the legitimacy of OpenNap, simply make a Linux kernel tarball available on one of the servers, and run an OpenNap segment on your local network to ease the bandwidth problem. With that kind of cred[?], RIAA won't be able to touch it.

And now, a few comments on this "revolutionary" file sharing idea. Napster (the program) was originally written because Napster (the person) was annoyed with having to manually go into IRC channels with offer bots running in them and then manually picking files to download and keeping track of it. Napster was, in fact, designed to be a more convenient version of an offer bot network. Does anyone see the irony of going back to IRC?

As for the comments that Napster is in danger of being extinct, take a look at Napigator's server listing page. There are at least 10 different networks, all of which are pretty large. Though they cannot yet be compared in size to the Napster network, they will explode the second that Napster is taken down.

--

And now, a few comments on this "revolutionary" file sharing idea. Napster (the program) was originally written because Napster (the person) was annoyed with having to manually go into IRC channels with offer bots running in them and then manually picking files to download and keeping track of it. Napster was, in fact, designed to be a more convenient version of an offer bot network. Does anyone see the irony of going back to IRC?

As for the comments that Napster is in danger of being extinct, take a look at Napigator's server listing page. There are at least 10 different networks, all of which are pretty large. Though they cannot yet be compared in size to the Napster network, they will explode the second that Napster is taken down.

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Every user on the Napster Network connects to the same central server. However, there are other central servers that run the Napster protocol (and allow formats other than MPEG Layer 3 Audio; use it for mirroring the Linux kernel tarballs?), and you can run your own on a nix box or winbox. The lawyers may shut the lawyers shut the Napster Network down, but the success of one big red H shows that the game of whack-a-mole is a surprisingly weak form of resistance. Resistance is futile.

infoAnarchy reports on the many, many alternatives to Scour & Napster, be it distributed or centralized. It uses the K5 site engine, meaning anyone can submit stories and moderate submissions.

In our Resources section, you can get an overview of the many available file sharing tools. Here's the ones I would recommend:

• One of the best alternative feature-wise is Filetopia (its userbase is relatively small).
• And for MP3s, Songspy is quite powerful.
• If you like Napster, get Napigator. It allows you to connect to OpenNap servers where any file type can be shared (and which are not concerned by any changes in Napster's business model).
• A good alternative to the Windows Napster client is FileNavigator.
• Recently reborn: CuteMX, has a lot of features but requires IE.
• Somewhat closer to Gnutella, with distributed servers: DirectConnect
• Distributed, anonymous, encrypted: Blocks

But again, please come visit us at iA to find out about the best new tools. We know our stuff.

File sharing will never die.

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If the free(beer) Napster Network goes away, there are always other Napster-compatible networks running free(speech) server software and client software.

You mean like OpenNap and all the other servers out there that use the napster protocol? Napster was REed yonks ago, and the servers have been around a while to. for a list, check out Napigator

So what if they have a subscription service, even if they keep around their free service. When is the last time you used a server actually run by napster anyway? Frankly, I find the selection on non-napster owned servers to be better anway, and they are often just less clogged up.

So how do you do this, you ask? Just head right over to a server list (such as napigator's), find yourself an opennap server, load it up in gnapster and go on with your bad self. No fuss, no muss, no bother.

So somebody tell me again why napster's decision to have a subscription service matter? Do you really need to pay money per month to be able to download the newest Back Street Boy's single?

I guess I'll just have to use napigator more often.
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I don't think the "new Napster" is going to be Gnutella or Scour et al. I find the Napster method of file transfer to be much more usable than the alternatives. I think the OpenNap project will be where people end up going. There's a list of opennap servers here. If the numbers can be believed, some of these servers have populations rivaling the Napster servers themselves. Personally, I'm going to begin preparing myself for Napster's demise or transmogrification by getting myself an opennap client and trying out some of the other servers.

The Napster architecture, while introducing a single point of failure (at least from a legal standpoint)

Napster's centralized server is not a centralized point of failure thanks to OpenNap.

The OpenNap project and the Napigator server list demonstrate that the Napster servers are anything but a single centralized point of failure. To shut down Napster, the RIAA has to shut down the Napster, OpenNap, MyNapster, PowerNap, etc. networks.

Methinks I ought to use that damn preview button. Not only did I leave that link dangling, I linked the wrong fsking site..

Precisely. If I pay, I'm going to pay for a service. And, the design of Napster puts the gist of the service in the hands of the client. I'm not going to pay Napster for sharing my music.

It's been proven by all the OpenNap servers out there (www.napigator.com) the cost of running these big databases of what-files-are-where is fairly low.

Simply put, this will be another tax from the RIAA, just like the taxes on CDR's, DAT's and everything else. Noone wants to line their pockets further.

.. there is always Napigator, the napster server browser. Hell, I haven't used the regular Napster network in close to 3 months.. way to much teenie bopper crap. =)

Check out the OpenNAP network in particular -- the service is fast, and the audio is good.


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CitizenC

Just use Napigator. Very useful for the great unwashed. I use the BitchX Opennap server myself, but apparently others are more popular.

My god this was bitter! the sad part is that is true. It appears that the 'music underground' won't go away with napster though... there are a ton on clones out there already like napigator.

No it doesn't, it gets it's ads directly from here not through any crappy aureate dll's.. Besides Napigator isn't needed for TekNap, it has it's own server input.

PsycoticHamster
aka. Trilobyte on OpenNap

Shutting down the central server really doesn't matter .. I'm connected to OpenNap right now and there's over 3TB of mp3s here. Windows users will want to use napigator to change their Napster default server.

• Download a list of servers from a central location. What happens when that server list gets shut down?
  
• Select a single server from that list. How does the user know which is the "best" server out there?
  

One of the great advantages of Napster (and Gnutella) is that you're accessing a single, common community. With dozens of alternate napster networks cropping up, that community is going to be splintered into many different ones. And people will have to search, possibly, many of the different servers before they find one that's got what they're loking for.

Wouldn't a better approach be some kind of client that combines the best of Napster and Gnutella? Connects to a list of servers, downloads a list of alternative server-list-servers (in case the current server list gets shut down), and talks to one of those servers? Then that one server could farm the request out to the other servers it knows about. Sort of like gnutella at the core, napster at the leaves.

Is there any effort in place now that will bring all these alternatives into a seamless whole, either like I suggest above or in some other way? Or a Napigator-like interface that will search multiple servers at once for me?

Though I'm a fan of peer-to-peer file distribution, I'm getting pretty fed up with Napster. I think the WSJ article is right on. They're acting like a bunch of corporate bastards. I think the best thing that can happen for the file sharing community is the downfall of Napster. Users that once used the Napster servers would just jump ship to OpenNap or Gnutella, where there wouldn't be any stupid restrictions placed on them (like only trading MP3 files). Napster is now the AOL of file sharing, with hordes of idiot users sitting there isolated on one of those servers. Napster will try hard to lead them around by the nose and control them. So, paradoxically, right now I think Napster is the worst thing for open file sharing. And since if you read this far down you're down on a Slashdot forum you're probably no AOLer, here is where you should go if you are now a Napster user:

http://www.mynapster.com/

http://www.beam.to/suxxx

Both websites have programs that (still!) search multiple sites simultaneously, both support resuming broken downloads (and it works, unlike Napster!), neither will ban you for downloading a no-no band, and they won't jerk you around.

I especially like MyNapster; if you need addresses for Napster servers, here they are:

208.184.216.177 to 208.184.216.220

At each address there are two servers; one on port 8888 and the other on port 7777.

The great thing about MyNapster is that you can be logged in on several servers simultaneously, and the users from all those servers can d/l from you (and you from them, of course). This might be a burden if you have a slow connection and a bunch of Brittney songs, but if you have cool rare shit that's hard to find, it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when a bunch of people have access to it. Oh, and by the way, unlike the unenlightened Napster servers, OpenNap servers communicate with each other, so searching one means searching them all--so if you use MyNapster, only log yourself in on one OpenNap server. If you do more you might get errors, because the system will wonder why you're logged in twice.

Not just OpenNap. There is also AlterNap, BOMBnap, DJNap, Doublehirc, EnergyBC, GimmickNap, IndustrialNap, Insomniac, ItalianNap, KinkyNap, MP3Boy, MyNapster, Nakednap, NedBelNap, OzIndexNapsterNetwork, PhrozenNap, PowerNap, ProcrastinatorNap, and PublicAccessUNIXSystemsNapsterServers. If you have any questions, i dont know, i just got all the names off Napigator (a great little util for win32 Napster).

Mark Duell

.. One is 'legit' - You can buy CD's online, plan your vacation, look at adds for furniture and cars.. The other is 'underground' - The more stuff like this happens, the larger the 'underground' web gets -Just take a look at napigator - If you are under 13, you may not legally visit this site, due to COPA.

The more ridiculous these laws get, the more people you drive over to the 'underground' web, and most dangerous of all -An assortment of rediculous laws, takes away respect for laws that do make sense. And more and more children are growing up in this world -If you were 12, would you stay away from napigator, because it is ILLEGAL?

I've got to say I lose respect for these laws and institutions by the day -I want to update my old vinyl collection to something that doesn't have scratches - Why can't I legally do this without spending a ton of cash to some corporation I've allready given a ton of cash to?
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Well, there's still hope. You can use Napigator to switch to one of the "open" Napster servers out there (sorry, its Windows only, although there is probably a way to change the Linux client's server as well, so check out the Napigator server list on the site). I for one plan on using these open servers alot in the coming days as my own peaceful protest/civil disobediance. Good luck Napster!

Windows users might find Napigator useful in the intertim. I do not know of a Mac/Linux/BSD alternative, though I suspect that on at least some of the open-source clones, one can manually enter a server that uses the Napster protocol. Here is a list of alternative servers.

yours,
john

Windows users might find Napigator useful in the intertim. I do not know of a Mac/Linux/BSD alternative, though I suspect that on at least some of the open-source clones, one can manually enter a server that uses the Napster protocol. Here is a list of alternative servers.

yours,
john

Make a real file sharing network.

Seriously, napster is... of marginal usability? I'll be frank. Napster's protocol is total crap. Its based around single unconnected servers. Now, not only is this not totally decentralized (==bad) but since the napservers arent connected, you dont have access to every file (Yes, there are multiple napservers. (Choose your server with napigator)).

What we really need is a protocol that uses/abuses MD5 (RFC or a less technical overview), so you _know_ your getting the same file. Its not too much to ask to send a couple more bytes just once to know your getting the right song. Way more favorable option than having to backup your file before resuming a download, listening to make sure its the exact same file, et al. Way better

In terms of other options, I'd have to recommend a couple of different things: first off, check out Gnutella which is far superior to napster. Open protocol, truly distributed network. Everything. Second off, I'm gonna throw in a plug for Pie in the Sky, what I'm doing for BitWrench, the company I'm working for. Pie in the Sky (PitS) is the mother of all mp3 programs. When it does come out (end of summer time frame), it will support searching across napster, gnutella, freenet and scour. It will also boast possibly the most intelligent Gnutella router seen, extended protocols for enhanced communication with other PitS servnets and more. Check it.

Alright, enough ranting. Matt

but they don't know about opennap. Even windoze users can participate using napigator. Problem solved. And if they do get smart enough to use that, there's always the ignore feature.

You don't even need to throw away your Napster client, if Napster the company goes under. Just cruise to Napigator and you can connect to the open servers at imperialfleet.com, culvernap and a bunch of places. Or if you use gnapster, you can automatically connect to these servers, which have nothing to do with the Napster company.
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