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Also the andromeda script is handy when using a web interface to search+listen to your music.(It's at http://www.turnstyle.com/andromeda/ )

Problems with Streamsicle, as of the last time I used it:
No transcoding, so good luck streaming any high-bitrate mp3's.
No easy way to password protect the server, although it is
doable, just not elegantly. This should be a standard, gui
feature in any mp3 server. If you don't mind paying a little
for a more elegant solution, try Andromeda; I think the site's
www.turnstyle.com

Also, if part of the point is simply to save non-image file types into a seemingly unlimited Flickr storage space, what happens if you simply change the file extension to something like filename.pdf.jpg and upload that? Does Flickr actually validate file contents?

GNUMP3d is a perl based streaming server which allows you to share a music/video/multimedia archive across a LAN.

Whilst it's designed on Linux machines and only sporadically tested under Windows it should do the job you want - point it at a directory with your media files in it, then fire up a browser to choose your songs / stream away.

Failing that Andromedia should do a good job if you have PHP on your Windows version of Apache. Their personal edition is cheap, and I think there's a free version somebody wrote designed to mirror it - but I've spoken to the author and he's a good guy so I'm happy to recommend it.

I'd say that the large majority of people who purchase Andromeda are well aware of "free (as in beer)" alternatives -- we all use Google, right? ;)

They still choose Andromeda because they just like it better, because it's so easy to set up and maintain, and for good support and documentation, and so on.

fwiw, Andromeda has also been around since about 1999.

I'd say that the large majority of people who purchase Andromeda are well aware of "free (as in beer)" alternatives -- we all use Google, right? ;)

They still choose Andromeda because they just like it better, because it's so easy to set up and maintain, and for good support and documentation, and so on.

fwiw, Andromeda has also been around since about 1999.

I leave the screen down, and use other PCs to remote control it (you can use XP's Remote Desktop, VNC, PC Anywhere, etc.).

That way, when I click play in the remote window, it plays out the stereo.

I use it with Andromeda (PHP/ASP software I coded) as well as Internet radio and Rhapsody (the music service).

Personally, I'm more into "on-demand" playback rather than "broadcast" -- that's why I built Andromeda -- it turns your folders and files of MP3s (OGGs too) into a complete browsable/streaming site (needs PHP or ASP)...

Well, quoting from your/EFF's document, it says: "Figuring out what is popular can be accomplished through a mix of anonymously monitoring what people are sharing"

That sounds like monitoring to me.

To follow one typical line, how can you "anonymously monitor what people are sharing" but also detect attempts to "game" the system?

btw, I'm not sure if you've seen my suggestion: DRUMS, imho, it's the most loical next step forward.

I use Zina, which is an OpenSource clone of Andromeda. Then, I use an old tablet PC and a web browser in kiosk mode.

I don't know Peercast (which seems oriented toward "radio" type uses), but I can comment about my app, Andromeda.

Essentially, the question is: you've got your collection of files, now what?

As for Andromeda, it turns your collection into a browsable, streaming Web site (mostly used with MP3s, though you can use it with OGG, Real, etc.)

(You need a PHP or ASP capable Web server)

It's more of an "on-demand" approach (rather than "radio") -- you decide what you want to play. And since it's Web based, you don't have to bother toting physical stuff around or installing special client apps -- it all happens over the network (Internet or LAN).

When it comes to personal collections, those are generally kept to private use, but "sharable" works (ie, Creative Commons, or if you're the author) can be put on public sites.

In other words, it's not about YAMP, it's about what you do with what you've got.

In case anyone is wondering about an example of software that is "open source," but not "free," a good example would be Andromeda, a streaming MP3 script that sits on top of Apache. It costs $35, but the author emails you the source code (the whole thing is a complex PHP script). However, you are not given permission to redistribute the code, as you are with Free software.

It's not easy -- you have to stoop to doing stuff like adding gratuitous links to your Slashdot posts.

This isn't going to be a popular sentiment here, but I'd say that the GPL and P2P generally make it tougher to make a living.

It's not easy -- you have to stoop to doing stuff like adding gratuitous links to your Slashdot posts.

This isn't going to be a popular sentiment here, but I'd say that the GPL and P2P generally make it tougher to make a living.

For example, I keep an old box wired to my stereo and I can use any other box to control it via Remote Desktop (same thing should work with XP's built-in Terminal Server, VNC, PCanywhere, etc.)

SO, on my Wi-Fi laptop, I open a remote desktop window, and when I click play, it plays out my stereo. The cool thing is that it works with any audio source. Same trick should work with TV cards etc.

And, fwiw, I make a Web-app for PHP or ASP (Andromeda) for playing MP3s, OGGs, etc over the Web.

Basically, you need .m3u (audio/x-mpegurl) mapped to a player that can handle Ogg, most often Winamp.

The main problem with Ogg as a "general public" format (as opposed to a "private collection" format) is that the general public still isn't ogg'ed -- but that matters less with a private collection.

It's been out for about 4-5 years, and has received good reviews.

I've coded ASP and PHP versions, and it works on Windows, Unix, and Mac OS X boxes.

Basically, you just drag in the one script file, and it turns your folders of MP3s into a complete streaming site -- whenever you add new files, the site is always automatically up-to-date.

You can use it over your LAN, or (bandwidth permitting) over the Internet.

It's been out for about 4-5 years, and has received good reviews.

I've coded ASP and PHP versions, and it works on Windows, Unix, and Mac OS X boxes.

Basically, you just drag in the one script file, and it turns your folders of MP3s into a complete streaming site -- whenever you add new files, the site is always automatically up-to-date.

You can use it over your LAN, or (bandwidth permitting) over the Internet.

Truthfully, now, isn't that a bit silly?

Next, you have to think about how this system would actually track what people download, in order to divide up any money collected. Do you really want to ask for even more monitoring software added to your ISP on behalf of the govenernment / entertainment industry? (I don't)

They claim that it would render all transfers anonymous, but even if it did (yeah, right) then there would be no way to identify cheats like bots that artificalially increase someone's popularity.

I could go on, but I'll stop there -- the EFF VCL isn't the answer.

IMHO, my suggestion is DRUMS.

Uh, when did I ever say anthing about any "natural right" theory?

"are you a gun-shooting redneck from montana? a retard? or a mpaa/riaa stooge?"

Charming. In any case, here's who I am. Ok, now it's your turn.

Sure I'm a geek -- but I don't tape my glasses anymore, now they're metal.

In any case, I sit working at my computer all day, and I can play whatever I want, whenever I want, from wherever I have high-speed access (including wi-fi).

At home, I keep an old PC wired to my stereo, and remote-desktop it so I can control my stereo via my wi-fi laptop.

Geeky, sure. Apologies for that? No way.

Just tried, but it's locked.

fwiw, have you seen my personal page? That page links off to stuff that I've written, and stuff that took time to prepare (as opposed to a simple post), and so it's really a better way to get a sense for where I stand...

Actually, if you had bothered to read about DRUMS you would see that I'm not selling anything -- it's simply a suggestion for one possible positive step forward.

Good, yet more tools to make it even harder for authors to make a living?

Imagine a post-RIAA world, do you still think it's perfectly cool to copy their stuff and give nothing in return?

fwiw, I've been putting some work into what I think can be a new approach to the file-sharing situation, I call it DRUMS.

CDBaby , a good service, with good music, run by good people.

A little while ago, I happened to whip up a best of CDBaby site (selections based on their editor picks, and here presented via my PHP/ASP app Andromeda).

Sweet lord, anything but that! I repent! I REPENT!

Look, Weaselmancer, you're the one who misread my post, and made the mistake of thinking that I was calling another post bullshit. Nope, I simply noted that there was plenty of bullshit from both sides, and pointed over to what I think may be a helpful soultion.

But if you insist, we can keep going back and forth, if that's really what you think will help to improve the situation.

In other words, you're unwilling to answer?

So again, which part of his post is bullshit?

I didn't say that his post was bullshit, I said that there are plenty of bullshit arguments coming from both sides, and there are.

The real question is what constitutes a practical step forward, and to that end, I've proposed DRUMS.

Plenty of bullshit argument from both sides.

I've been working on an idea that I think can be a step forward for both sides...

Spot on, man!

fwiw, I've stared to try and come up with something new. And here's who I am.

Blah.

Spot on, man!

fwiw, I've stared to try and come up with something new. And here's who I am.

Blah.

Give me a break. here's who I am and here's what Lessig has to say.

This Slashdot story freaked me out for a sec! My Andromeda lives on... ;)

Sheesh, even though I make streaming software, I still fall for this (and every) April Fools Day gag. If you're interested in streaming, you might want to check out my app, Andromeda.

Also perhaps of interest to Slashdot readers, check this out from Larry Lessig's blog

A quote from his new book, "Free Culture":

• "I have begun a large process at home of ripping all of my and my wife's CDs, and storing them in one archive. Then, using Apple's iTunes, or a wonderful program called Andromeda, we can build different play lists of our music: Bach, Baroque, Love Songs, Love Songs of Significant Others -- the potential is endless."

Also perhaps of interest to Slashdot readers, check this out from Larry Lessig's blog

A quote from his new book, "Free Culture":

• "I have begun a large process at home of ripping all of my and my wife's CDs, and storing them in one archive. Then, using Apple's iTunes, or a wonderful program called Andromeda, we can build different play lists of our music: Bach, Baroque, Love Songs, Love Songs of Significant Others -- the potential is endless."

First, I make Andromeda, so thanks for suggesting it.

It so happens that I just put up new reviews and overview pages.

And the Andromeda home page itself is http://www.turnstyle.com/andromeda.

fwiw, I've been working on Andromeda since 1999...

Andromeda

From my own experience, I've been working on my MP3 juke/server software Andromeda since about 1999. A few years later some guy came up with a GPL'd app Zina (Zina is not Andromeda, which he describes: "It is similar to Andromeda, but released under the GNU General Public License"). And, in turn, I've seen others with forked versions of Zina.

So, I've certainly seen OS projects following a proprietary work, BUT I've also seen proprietary projects that follow other proprietary projects too.

Most ideas are part of a flow, and I don't think that I would characterize OS as any more or less derivative than proprietary work -- except when it comes to the endless GPL forking.

IMHO, the main problem with OS is that the coders aren't getting paid.

Please do some research before making conclusions!"

Are you kidding me? The EFF doesn't cheer on filesharing? What do you think their "File Sharing: It's Music to our Ears" campaign is all about?

I've done my research, how about you?

If you take offense at the notion that the EFF supports infringement, you should spend your membership money elsewhere.

Sweet lord help us if this winds up as yet another word-play argument. I mean, jeez, were we all given a limited and fixed set of words and meanings, never to change?

In any case, the fact reamains that "the unauthorized duplication of copyrighted material" remains illegal.

All the dreamy talk of solutions takes great care to avoid dealing with the very ugly practical problems...

1) Will artists have a choice about whether to particiapte in the government-controlled art system?

2) Will the government-controlled art system exclude works that it deems offensive?

3) Do you want a government-controlled art system keeping track of how you use the Internet.

The list goes on and on, but the point is: before you decide that you like some alternative, first get to know the practical details, and only then decide.

I've written some more about here.

You might like my software, Andromeda. It comes in PHP and ASP versions. It's not free (I did try that, but it didn't work). If interested, come take a look.

How many people will have to have their Internet use watched in order to generate a meaningful sample?

If the sampling is truly anonymous, how can it prevent cheating?

Will 'offensive' works be excluded? If they are, what is the impact on Free-Speech?

Will such bureaucratic governmental (or quasi-governmental) control over the arts really be an improvement?

I've written some about "compulsory licensing" here.

So... my g/f Amy, not at all a techie, secretly learned how to set up and use Andromeda, emailed my friends for suggested listening, and surprised me on my birthday with a fully set up music site. It was totally amazing!

She even set up a fake Hotmail address so she could write me with tech support questions. Sneaky.

...compression increases entropy. Listen to this wav file of a Windows BMP file, and the corresponding wav file for the GIF version. The former has definite periods of high and low tones, but the latter sounds like white noise!

...compression increases entropy. Listen to this wav file of a Windows BMP file, and the corresponding wav file for the GIF version. The former has definite periods of high and low tones, but the latter sounds like white noise!

Lots of people use my app Andromeda on home-bound servers so that they can play their collection from work. Also handy is dynamic-IP to pseudo domamin service like DynDNS.

But generally because of bandwidth considerations, most want to keep their sites private anyway.

I do indeed care about this sort of stuff because of my app Andromeda. In my case, I'm trying to make a living off something that can be P2P'd, just like music.

So when I see the RIAA suing people for copying their work, as opposed to suing the P2P technology itself, it seems a lot more reasonable to me.

People want you to think this is only about music, but it's about everything digital.

When I built Andromeda, I quite specifically set out to make something that would be fair and reasobale.

But your assertion that P2P users are my customers is just wrong. People that are increasingly of the opinion that music should be free simply don't make good customers! ;)

While they are not on a P2P system, much of my music is online and available to me and to anyone who guesses my IP address and the magical mystery port number of the day. No authentication in place. If someone is going to "steal" music simply because I have made it easy for myself to access my music from a friend's house or work, is it any different than leaving a binder of CDs (copies or originals) on my car seat with a door unlocked?"

The important distinction is that when it comes to serving tunes from off your own server, you most likely don't want to provide access to everybody.

You've probably got limited bandwidth, and don't want to waste it all on a bunch of people you don't know, and so you have a natural incentive to keep your collection to yourself.

fwiw, it's for people like you that I made Andromeda, and I think you raise an important question: what is reasonable. Unfortunately, all the foolish arguments that try to represent unlimited Kazaa downloading as 'Fair Use' prevent a more interesting and worthwhile exploration of what really is reasonable.

In your case, assuming that you bought and rippped your own music, the RIAA isn't going to complain if you listen to it over the network. The next question is what if you let a friend listen.

Also, as you mention, what if somebody stumbles onto your site. But again, you don't publish your IP and you change your ports, and so your collection isn't any threat.

If you're interested, check out the site, and feel free to send me an email and ask questions.

A number of users have suggested that I charge for custom work, but when I ask them if they would ever pay for cutom work, the answer is always no.