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RIAA Sues Audiogalaxy
Frizzled writes "The RIAA has struck again, this time filing suit against Audiogalaxy's "Satellite" file sharing program. (Nevermind that Satellite is loaded with spy-ware ... good riddance)." News.com has a story. The RIAA's press release links to their complaint.
I think that they would rather have the cash.
Its more that they don't understand either the technology (which is probably unstoppable), or their own customers.
In particular, the major music labels don't seem to understand that:
1) Some people will pay money anyway for CD's if they like them enough.
2) Alot more people would buy the music if they sold them directly over the internet.
I personally believe that their sales would rocket up even at the same profit margins if they just dropped the cost of producing and distributing the CD's from the price of an internet download. This might only be a few dollars cheaper than what you pay to a major music store for the CD.
So what I think is happening here is the equivalent of what happened to encyclopedia salesmen with encarta. They were so locked in to a large existing sales network with high production costs that they could not bring themselves to cannibalise their own networks to maintain sales. This nearly destroyed the companies (such as britannica) before they finally did a U turn. People were happy to buy an inferior (M$ Encarta - not that it was bad, just less information) product because it was so much cheaper, and almost as good.
The analogy here of technology hitting an established high premium sales network is pretty tight. And I believe that the outcome will be the same. Eventually the networks will recognise this, and sell music tracks online for alot less than they currently do. They will prosper under this arrangement, although much of their distribution network will have to die in the process.
For the record, I can see the same thing ultimately happening with video, and a similar process of technological change is occuring with cameras and film. Our home computers will take on all of these tasks. We will still shop, but for production tools (printers, cameras) and 'raw' materials (blank CD's, DVD's high quality paper). Companies that get on this bandwagon will do well (ask Kodak), and those that pretend it isn't happening will go towards the wall (ask britannica!).My 2c worthMichael
Claims background radio-band noise sounds too much like the new (insert popular shit band here) album. Claims damages worthy of galaxy submitting itself to RIAA Imperial Rule, wants cost of moon-sized battlestation covered.
3557KB? That's bigger than my Shakira MP3!
Yes...AudioGalaxy is out there stealing songs?
And Sears should be held responsiable for all illegal breaking&entering done with a craftsman hammer. And there has already been the Wincherster case. And Buck should be held liable for all knife crimes, and rap for all crimes of insanity, etc...
What's next - RIAA against Berkeley for creating FTP cause they found an FTP mp3 site? RIAA against DARPA for creating the Internet?
Sure, it's riddled with spyware, but every case the RIAA wins against services that could be used to share their songs, the more legal precedence they have to pull more of that bullshit in the future.
It doesn't matter how much spyware or other nasty stuff AudioGalaxy comes with, they are still on "our side" when it comes to the p2p issue as a whole. You'd better hope they win, though they probably won't.
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
Back to AudioGalaxy's FTP Search. It doesn't even need Satellite. However, it might be RIAA's next target, right after other FTP search sites.
This is almost funny. As soon as one file-sharing system goes down, another comes along. Will the RIAA simply continue to sue every file-sharing service? It's ludicrous, but this doesn't strike me as bad. Maybe it will give others time to figure out a new digital distribution system to supplant the old business model so fervently and pointlessly protected by the RIAA. Let them go down fighting for a hopelessly outdated system while others make progress establishing the new.
--Rick
--Rick "If it isn't broken, take it apart and find out why."
lol gotta love that quote.
I suppose this is as opposed to how a first year fine arts student could defeat cd copy protection with a felt tip pen.
RIAA's business model is starting to look at lot like rambus...
Simple - There is none.
[stupid lameness filter wants me to wait 20 seconds before posting]
Make even shorter URLs - 8LN.org
The reason most people download mp3s is because they only want a few songs from an entire album. (there are some exceptions where someone will get the whole album). The fact is, a lot of CDs produced only come with 5 or less "playable" songs. The rest just suck. (they're just there to fill in tracks). I remember when artists made CDs that you could play straight from the first to the last track. The RIAA should do more research on why people dont like CDs and make it worth spending $12-16.99 for it instead of blaming lost profits on the Internet
$cat
First time I read it I thought it said "RIAA sues the galaxy". Funny thing is, I didn't think it was strange.
And now that we have OpenAG - Open Audiogalaxy Satellite, all that's missing is an open server. Next
It's too bad... I like the program. I joined their "Gold" program for like $2.75 a month you get access to faster servers and better quality downloads. I've been happy with it. I always find what I want. A song pops into my head -- and 5 minutes later: I'm listening to it. I wish that all of these dying companies would open-source their code. Since they will be getting a new asshole from the RIAA and the US legal system anyway they might as well "leak" the source to the Net. That way a 1000 new networks could spring up in their place. The further we spread the RIAA the weaker they get! Muahahahahahahahaha!
Audiogalaxy, KazaaLite, aren't great compared to P2P Limewire. LimeWire and other true P2P (completely decentralized) software can't be regulated or banned. Not only that, but its getting better in terms of speed and reliability; also, its getting more users, and LimeWire's usually the place I go to find rare songs, like "Now You Suck," by the Yeastie Girls.
I still use KazaaLite in tandem with LimeWire, but LimeWire is becoming more and more my primary option. Not to mention, its RMS-friendly, since it uses the GNU GPL.
That of course doesn't justify the RIAA/MPAA's actions. Centralized services for distribution should not be held responsible for the content being distributed, not any more than ISP's should have to micro-monitor their users. File-sharing services can be used for many many purposes, most of which have nothing to do with sharing copyrighted works. Since the pattern seems to be like Wack-a-mole -- where RIAA/MPAA sue one file-sharing service, then another pops up -- perhaps eventually we'll get a SANE ruling from a judge who isn't paid for and owned by big money.
social sciences can never use experience to verify their statemen
Now knowing what is going to happen with Audiogalaxy ... (the tea leaves haven't been wrong yet) ...
Is there ANY software that cannot be sued into oblivion? I know that GNUtella is open source ... but couldn't that be sued as well?
The main reason that Napster got it so bad, was that the directory listings were centrallized. Audiogalaxy, KaZaA, and others changed this, so that there is no centrallized database, but the people who write the software are being sued ...
About the only way to be "judgement proof" in this day and age would to release software (with or without source) anonymously.
Would this be possible ... ???
Karma? Karma? I don't need no stinkin' karma.
or is the RIAA/MPAA winning these battles? They've knocked out everyone so far. Through hook, crook, or whatever, Napster, Kazza, etc. have fallen. How soon until they try to pursue Gnutella?
The best way to kill file-sharing -- along with the baby in the bathwater (i.e. VOIP, gaming, and other legit uses of broadband) -- would be if the MegaISPs (who don't have to play nice by sharing their lines) started capping and/or metering bandwidth at obscene overage rates to make serving anything extremely cost prohibitive.
For added "protection" they could also start blocking any traffic that doesn't look like "good consumer" behavior. e.g: "Dear Joe Suspect: Even though you paid our insane rates for the 1.4Gigs of bandwidth you used last week, we noticed that it was all encrypted. This simply won't do. Consider yourself on notice buster!"
Good thing wireless can't be monopolized...
--
Power to the Peaceful
Been pirating from the RIAA since I was but ten and three, And I don't think I've missed single MP3, Just this old hard drive's space to lose, Now, I don't blame them cause they've gone and sued, But the stupidest thing they ever did, Was claim all their actions protected revenue.
Well, they must o' thought that is quite a joke, And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk, It seems I've downloaded my whole life through. Some napster clone would die and I'd get red And some p2p'd openup and they'rd songs to multithread I tell ya, my life had nothing to do with their "revenue"
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up l33t, My hacking got hard and my wits got street, I'd roam backdoor to backdoor to hide my name. But I made a vow to the moon and stars That I'd search the databases and systems far And kill that connection before it got too lame
Well, just finished with a shell I had since mid-July And I just kissed my DSL connection bye-bye I just battled a round of security with big blue At an old cybercafe in case they pulled the lud's, There at a table, spewing FUD Sat the dirty, mangy dog that "protected" the RIAA's Revenue
Well, I knew that snake was a lawyer so bad From the way he jumped up and down so mad Cause Kazzaa Lite was installed on every rented PC, no lie.... He was big and bent and gray and old, And I looked at him and my blood ran cold And I said: "How dare you say you protect the rights and reveue of all the bands, they only see a cent or two! All he let out was a "sigh"
That pissed me off and Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes And he went down, but to my surprise, He come up with a lawsuit in hand, and the court date was in early next year But I called right back and marked him the theif, And he forced the conversation into the non-witnessed street Acronym'in and a' cursing, I finally made him leer
I tell ya, I've stolen identities of tougher men But I really can't remember when, He tricked like a mule and presented Pocket PC and filed Another suit as he said I'd pay for this fuss, He went for his digital pen and initialed first, He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.
And he said: "Son, this world is rough And if an Association is gonna make it, their legal gotta be tough And they know you'll never help the Music Monopoly along. One by one we'll take away your songs, and give you enough time to say goodbye We work with the Telco's so you'll pay high And have no choice, our over-priced CD's you'll buy And from those sales the RIAA's goes on strong"
He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight And I know you hate me, and you got the right To report me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do. But ya ought to thank me, before your case is tried, For the l33t circles, and coding skillz in ya eye Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that forces you underground when I yell "Sue.'"
I got all choked up and I threw down my palm And I recognized his crooked law, and it was there that I saw That everytime he sue'd it's True. My skillz improve, and my knack gets better Every time I find a P2P that's l33ter, and in the end, even though I think I win, The RIAA gets stats, and make then facts to continue their evil daze... And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna teach him better ways... Like buying DVD's from George and software from Bill..
Nah, the RIAA can kiss my ass cause I'll continue to pirate over prized CD's and warez and start to use linux just in spite, and support local artists with all my might,
and maybe after a generation or two...
Their greed'll thin, and freedom will win, And we'll finally, finally, exhaust all their grounds to Sue.
-Yo Grark
*--Would read a lot better without slashdot telling me "Your comment had too few characters per line (currently 34.2)"--*
Canadian Bred with American Buttering
I have been using Audiogalaxy for quite sometime now and have actually been pretty happy with it. But I think its structure may make it a harder target for the RIAA than something like Kazaa or Napster. Audiogalaxy already has built in copy protecting. Audiogalaxy has and is preventing a user from downloading certain more main stream songs. You can't get alot of music off Audiogalaxy. This fact is poorly criticized in section 3 of the RIAA statement where it compares its copy-protection to a fishnet filtering water. Also many artists are hosted by Audiogalaxy and it provides the user with a link to buy the album. This is in direct conflict with the RIAA claim that Audiogalaxy has "the ability to download entire sound recording albums, cover artwork..." As well for a fileshare program Audiogalaxy has been one of the most supportive of underground bands and community exchange. Just look at the monthly columns to see why the RIAA is sueing. The bands that are reviewed and advertised on Audiogalaxy are usually ones that aren't controlled by major labels. Although I won't defend the spyware, to me audiogalaxy was the first filesharing that was starting to actually look more like an alternative to the major labels.
fenn
After the .bomb fiasco would you be interested in pushing for a web based service?
I'm not saying the music industry would implode, highly unlikely, but I understand why they may still be clutching at their "tried and true" ways.
Even if it is outdated.
No sig for you!!
It's odd they'd go after AudioGalaxy, considering other filesharing apps don't work to promote artists in the way it does. AG will (or try to) block you from downloading songs where someone has complained, suggest other artists and genres that may appeal and have a message board for discussing each musician. Seems better than just getting mp3's off napster.
I don't see how the RIAA can claim, with a straight face, that the copyrighted-song blocking was 'not as good as a first year CS student'. They've done the best you can realistically do with keyword blocking, without blocking others in the crossfire. For example:
The Cars, Drive = blocked.
According to the RIAA, if the band "Drive" releases a song called "Cars", it should be denied. Given the combinations of keywords, you'd be blocking pretty much everything that isn't obscure and unique, like "the Crucifucks", "Tumor Circus", "Cockmonger" or "Republican Buttocks".
They also have some light content-based filtering. I haven't researched this, but I think it goes by the ID3 tag. It seems to be used mostly to combat misspellings. Obviously, the RIAA's example was the worst-case scenario.
They've really done a fair amount of filtering, and enough in the other areas to show they aren't just a napster clone (which wouldn't be a bad thing by my standards). It seems they just want any type of music far away from computers, because it's easier to control than to just come up with cooler ideas and incentive for people to buy. I suppose it's also easier than releasing something better than the pussified swill I hear booming by from people's car radios.
--
PS: both AG for linux, and the other linux version called xsatellite are spyware free. The official AG linux binary is still supported.
The major players within the music industry largely control that industry. They have spent decades honing the art of the industry. You can be sure control is a part of the business plan.
As long as that control is maintained, new business plans can be attempted with little risk. Loose control and everything is at risk. The old business plans go out the window. And the new ones could cost the entire business unit and everyone's job.
Sure the Big Five (and any record company, for that matter) want the cash. But it is their current deathgrip on control of the system that is the biggest assurance that cash is going to come in. It doesn't matter how much cash a new business model might promise. A business model is a risk and if that business model involves giving up control, it is too much a risk no matter what the potential payoff.
Unless, of course, an external force causes the industry to loose their current level of control despite their wishes.
Audiogalaxy does not contain spyware, nor does it require the use of spyware. The "official" audiogalaxy client however, does contain spyware, but only from version .609 and on. I use .608W for instance. It is 100% functional, and contains no spyware. Here is a download link. Furthermore, audiogalaxy is a pretty much open protocol. There are a number of 3rd party clients, for various operating system, which are spyware/adware free. Some are AGStream, OpenAG, and Sputnix. Quit complaining if you are too lazy to use google and/or download another client, so you can get free mp3s without the company making any money.
Moderation Totals: Flamebait=2, Troll=1, Redundant=1, Insightful=6, Overrated=1, Underrated=1, Total=12. (not mine)
Snipped from the latest bit of news on the weezer site.
It's anecdotal, I know. But I'd say that the RIAA spends more money on lawyers than the industry loses as a result of file sharing... They should probably cut Audiogalaxy in on the profits rather than sue them.
---
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Did anyone happen to catch 20/20 last night (Friday)? They had a piece about how radio stations take payola through indy promoters, blah blah blah. The interesting part was seeing Hillary Rosens fat head up there crying about how it costs the record labels so much and that there should be new laws to make it illegal, I'm just bawling my eyes out for them. I wonder how much of a discount consumers would see if such legistlation was put into place.
To be fair most the focus of the segment was mostly about how it prevents smaller labels/artists from getting radio play regardless of how good their music may be, which is a bad thing.
Personally I think its great that the RIAA is taking a stance against this. Lets see, first the RIAA pisses of geeks, then consumers, now they piss off the radio stations, if we get lucky they'll shoot themselves in the foot and piss off the artists and labels too.
-- Button up, your ignorance is showing
A lot of people are saying "great, let them sue each new network and then a new one will spring up in its place." There is a slight problem with that. Everytime a new network goes up the *AA has 1 more "reason" why their congressmen should make a law that will wipe out freedom. While it might seem we are winning the cat and mouse game we are getting close to finding ourselves in a corner with each new step.
Only dead fish swim with the stream...
IIRC, back in 95...
AG was:
- written/maintained by someone at U of Texas.
- sort of an FTP search engine BUT much better than ftpsearch.ntnu.no
- would list how often an FTP was online (pretty trick back then).
and my personal favorite:
- you had to access it through some hidden directory on a commercial website.
Those were the days. I didn't even care about bandwidth because I could download a few MP2/MP3s simultanously (gotta love campus EtherNet).
Perhaps I am remembering some of this incorrectly as I did drink excessively during undergrad. Would someone confirm this because I'd hate to think it was much cooler than it really was.
So AG is the latest victim, it's actually quite amusing, since Audiogalaxy first of all just started out as an FTP searching database (ah... memories) and is probably the least guilty of ALL the filesharing software, especially since when a record company would ask them not to share certain songs, THEY WOULD BLOODY WELL COMPLY and block the songs.
Who's running the show? The Purple Id Frog?
I imagine the RIAA board room conversations are something like this:
Lawyer: "Well, we've defeated Kazaa. All that's really left is a couple of unstable and small programs that are really ineffectual."
RIAA: "WAR! SEX! COOKIES!!!!!"
Lawyer: "What's left to defeat?"
RIAA: "WAR! SEX! COOKIES!!!!!"
Laywer: "Well... there's still audiogalaxy but..."
RIAA: "WAR! SEX! COOKIES!!!!!"
Lawyer: "They've done everything we've asked them to! What're we gonna charge them with?"
RIAA: "WAR! SEX! COOKIES!!!!!"
Lawyer: "I'll get the work order."
Karma: Non-Heinous
s|work|court|g
*sigh*
Karma: Non-Heinous
Like Napster, Audiogalaxy seeks to profit from its [music sharing :)] system by building an extensive user base to attract advertisers and investment dollars.
RIAA Exec #1: Bob, how's our new "file-sharing" service coming along, you know, the one that grants users the right to listen to a song on one computer for 30 minutes a day, all for $9.99 a month, and if you violate the terms of service, the FBI is notified directly?
RIAA Exec #2: *clik clik* Hmm, it's coming along okay Sue, three people have signed up in the past month alone. Not bad but we just can't seem to get volume of users we were predicting.
RIAA Exec #1: Actually one of those was me, and the other two were Hillary. We need to figure out what type of file sharing service people really want. If only there was some kind of "model" or "prototype" we could study. If only we could figure out some way to use the internet to profit from a music sharing system by building an extensive user base to attract advertisers and investment dollars. If only there was some way to do that.
RIAA Exec #2: I have no idea. To be honest I'm not even sure what the internet is, isn't it like a modem? I heard that once. Oh well, it's 1pm already, the work day is over, time to go golfing!
RIAA Exec #1: Good thing, my brain hurts.
I could be wrong, but I seem to remember they used to have the source code for the Satellite posted. This was a couple years ago, before it was a phenomenon, and I can't find a copy of it or anything, but I just seem to remember there being source code posted. Can anyone set me straight? I'm probably wrong but I wanted to throw it out there.
Remember when Napster got into all the legal troubles that things like 'Open Nap' and Napagator became popular to access non offical open source servers? Why can't the same thing happen with Audiogalaxy? I know at least part of their code is open source, so that would help.
It would also be nice because AG blocked a lot of popular songs from being downloaded, and I'm sure the open servers wouldn't do that.
Can we use this to our advantadge, say -> get emminem to do a cover of one of the decss songs on his next album? Id love to see the brain freeze at the RIAA ->
support "fist amendment rights of artists" (code word for: we wanna be able to say whatever obsenities kids will pay for -- remember kids, music isn't cool if it dosen't offend your parents)
OR
support draconian legislation that will benefit us in the long term.
Since its been proven the riaa cant think think more then about 30 seconds into the future, they're gonna go for option #1, and Id love to see the RIAA and the MPAA destroy eachother in a battle of the titans:D
Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley
I can share music and files in many many ways, and i can get it with different kinds of software, webbrowsers, FTP clients, etc etc. As I said in another comment... file sharing software doesn't violate copyrights, people violate copyrights. They have no right stopping this software or any other except viruses.
Will work for bandwidth
Follow Kazaa. Set up a shell company on some Pacific island, and when (not if, when) the Big Lawsuit hits, sell the name and assets, and fold the US operation. Rinse and repeat until there are no US based technology companies left.
Sad, sad situation, but when the [MPA|RIA|BS]A can buy (nearly) any law they like and change the rules of the game whenever they feel like it, the only way to win is not to play in their schoolyard.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
It's all well and good to download and burn top 20 artists who make squillions every time they burp, but what do you say to a struggling artist like a friend of mine who has released just one solitary CD? I see her get together with her band and rehearse, I see how little she gets paid for singing in small-time pubs, and then I see people trading her music Online.
How can she survive if no-one is buying her music? I try to tell her she is getting valuable exposure by being traded on Kazaa et al, but she is not really keen to get exposure if it only leads to more people illegally downloading her music. It doesn't seem to encourage many people to her gigs.
She is unlikely to ever gross dollar one, but at one time people like her could still make some money on the side through their music to help earn some money while she is at university.
Is file sharing supposed to make music only for the elite, who can afford to have people steal their creativity?
I can't believe the RIAA is going about this the right way, given that since they began their campaign file trading has been steadily increasing, but something has to be done.
I constantly hear the the RIAA doesn't have the right "business model". Can anyone tell me what the right business model might be for my friend?
If the pattern goes 9am, 10am, 11am, why isn't noon 12am?
That was so cool I had to make a recording of it. If this pisses you off, I'll take it off the site, but what I'd really like to do is make it public domain. Nothing educates the public like a catchy song (one of the many reasons Woody Guthrie was the man). I'd also like to give you proper credit, of course. It could probably stand another take or two, and some more practice, but it's great for a few hours' work. I had to edit the words a bit to make them more singable. Here's my revised version:
Been pirating from the RIAA since I was ten and three, and I don't think I've missed a single MP3, Just this old hard drive's space to lose,
Now, it isn't just the fact that they sued, it's the stupidest thing they ever did, was to claim that their actions protected revenues.
Well, they must o' thought that is quite a joke, And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk, It seems I've downloaded my whole life through.
Hell, I never even thought of it as wrong, cause I'd buy more CDs after hearing more songs, I tell ya, it had nothing to do with their "revenue"
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up l33t, My hacking got hard and my wits got street, I'd roam backdoor to backdoor to hide my name.
But I made a vow to the moon and stars That I'd search the databases and systems far And kill that connection before it got too lame
Well, just finished with a shell I had since July, I kissed my DSL connection goodbye and I battled a round of security with big blue
At an old cybercafe in case they pulled the lud's, There at a table, spewing FUD Sat the dirty, mangy dog that "protected" the RIAA's Revenue
Well, I knew that snake was a lawyer so bad From the way he jumped up and down so mad cause Kazzaa Lite was installed on every PC, it's true
He was big and bent and gray and old, And I looked at him and my blood ran cold And I said: "If you're defending your bands, how come all the money goes to you?"
I was so pissed off I hit him between the eyes And he went down, but to my surprise, He come up with a lawsuit in his hand
But I called right back and marked him the theif, And he forced the conversation into the non-witnessed street Acronym'in and a' cursing, I made my stand
I tell ya, I've stolen identities of tougher men But I really can't remember when, He tricked like a mule, brought out a Pocket PC and filed
Another suit, he said I'd pay for this fuss, He went for his digital pen and initialed first, He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.
And he said: "Son, this world is rough And if an Association is gonna make it, their legal gotta be tough and you know, to keep the Music Monopoly along.
We'll crush independents until they die, we'll overexpose until you buy and from those sales major labels go on strong"
He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight And I know you hate me, and you got the right To report me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.
But ya ought to thank me, before your case is tried, For the l33t circles, and coding skillz in ya eye Cause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that forces you underground when I yell "Sue.'"
I got all choked up and I threw down my palm And I recognized his crooked law, and I saw that everytime he sue'd it's true.
My skillz improve, and my knack gets better every time I find a P2P that's l33ter, but in the end, even though I think I win, we all still lose
Cause the RIAA has got control over music, congress and America's soul and if you want to download, sample or even use
any music you've bought and paid for, without fail, you'll be fined and put in jail, all in the name of their goddam revenues
I think about him every time I see, a young coder writing stuff that's free, And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna teach him...
to fight the corporations from a legal and political standpoint, so he won't need to hack, and support free music with all his back, and maybe after a generation or two
Their greed'll thin, and freedom will win, sampling songs won't be a sin, and we'll have taken and farmed all their grounds to sue.
c-hack.com |
The RIAA is suing again, because they have won every case so far. So, while the legal system is on their side, why go after all the "pirate" networks and software companies?
However, the RIAA's (and the MPAA's) legal blitzkrieg will come to a halt when either someone with sufficient money or power fights back, or every P2P network is invisible. I hope it it the former, as a good legal slapdown would help all the cases that follow.
I hope that when the RIAA runs out of P2P companies to sue, they go after Time-Warner Cable or AOL. That would be fun to watch.
Click Start | Run and type 'msconfig'
Click on the Startup tab
Uncheck that prog called fsg-ag_3102 (the program in the file location column that's in the audiogalaxy directory) to neuter the s/w
Sure, it might still be spying when you run the satellite, but otherwise it affords you a little more privacy.
They came for Napster, and I did not speak up, because I did not use Napster.
They came for Audiogalaxy, and I did not speak up, because it had spyware.
They came for Limewire, and I did not speak up, because I did not like the Java client.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up.
There is no sig, there is only Zuul.
Other than that, there is no permanent indexing - when you send out a search, it first goes to the nodes that you're connected to, who pass it on to their peers, who pass it on further ... and in the same way the search results are passed from peer to peer and eventually get back to you.
Therefore searching will often be slow until people learn to use the Ultrapeer system properly - currently there are a lot of Joe Sixpack 56Kbps-modem users setting themselves up as Ultrapeers (sometimes without realising it - Gnucleus by default has "Ability to become an Ultrapeer" checked), then finding lots of people trying to upload/download info all at once down their tiny bit of bandwidth. This slows things down for everyone.
When you download a file, it is a direct TCP connection, independent of the two nodes' positions in the Gnutella network. If a file is slow to download, it's nothing to do with Gnutella, it may just be that the other person has a slow connection, or is throttling bandwidth, or that there's a bottleneck somewhere in between the two of you.
If someone who actually knows a reasonable amount about the Gnutella protocol could clarify/correct any of the above, I'd appreciate it.
Tell her to take the time to set up a paypal account and host mp3s on audiogalaxy and kazaa that have a small advertisement that says if they like her they can send money to a paypal account.
If you run linux theres a guarenteed spyware free client (its open source) called Free Audio Galaxy Satellite available at http://pumjttwccjhamzza.sess.tty0.org/page/fags/
How do people find bands/musicians to like? It's about accessing their ears and engaging their minds, libidos, and/or lifestyles. Releasing a cd is neither necessary nor sufficient for the engagement. Your friend needs fans. Your friend needs to distribute her best songs so that people will hear them and will show up at a nearby show. Your friend needs to book the shows, do advance work with press and radio and people/fans who will publicize the show and bring out a draw, load up a van and do the shows, put together and execute a show that kills and is unique (whether there's five or a thousand in the room), hang around after the show and make contact with any one who discovered your friend's music that night and let them know she appreciates the support.
And the thing is, that still might not work!
But the questions, as she develops her business model, are: what are her goals, how much will she give and how much is she willing to forsake. Staying in the game is the best approach to gaining opportunities.
One other comment, people trade her mp3s but don't go to the shows and buy the cd. So why no connection? Are they the wrong audience (and so they weren't going to buy the cd any way) or are they paying attention but still haven't heard "it" yet? There will always be people who want to take, and the real fans give. Go develop real fans. Indifference is the real career-killer. Someone listened -- a start was made.
I have to say that I'm sad about it. Even with the spyware (easily removed with certain utilities, though odious in principle), Audiogalaxy was my favorite file sharing service. The widest and deepest variety of songs could be found on Audiogalaxy -- both new bands and old bands that I had always wanted to hear. I could never find non-mainstream bands like Tear It Up, Scarlet's Well, Jellyroll Rockheads, and the Eastside Suicides (if you've never heard of these bands, that's my point) on services like Kazaa and Morpheus, but Audiogalaxy had nearly everything. And maybe this sounds like a cliche at this point, but, speaking as a music fan, when I find an MP3 that I like, my next step is almost always to purchase the record.
If Audiogalaxy is shut down, the net result will probably be that I and many other music fans will buy less, not more. Not that the major record labels will mind, because I stopped buying their dreck a long time ago.
I just visited the website. Something I don't understand. I did not find any content belonging to the RIAA & Co. There appears to be no peer to peer theft of RIAA controlled content. All I could find was Indi labels with samples and links to buy the content. Just what exactly is it the RIAA is suing over? Are they just making noise because someone decided to produce content and not include them? Are these bands that they rejected. Do these bands have contracts with RIAA to only sell to them? I'll have to see if I can find the details of the lawsuit. I would think most courts would toss this one out.
The truth shall set you free!
I'm still trying to figure out why the judge didn't get mad and toss the napster suit after all BMG one of the plaintiffs owns Napster the defendent - which is almost exactly like suing yourself.
The "included spyware" is just the part of the install where it asks you if you would also like to install Gator. Most people who know what Gator is, just say "no" and don't install it.
So spyware is a bit of a misnomer.
Audiogalaxy.com... was taken to court today by songwriters, music publishers, and the recording industry
Oh my god! The songwriters are going after them too!
I used to think the files sharing services were the goodguys who were only being attacked by evil recording and publishing industries.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York on Friday by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), on behalf of its member labels, and the National Music Publishers Association, Inc. (NMPA)
Oh wait, nevermind. The reporter was was using a bit of "creative licence" to emphasize his point that filesharers are EVIL PIRATES. It really is only big industry behind this lawsuit.
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- - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
I just deselected the spyware and it installed happily without it, I hardly see why including it for those that don't mind it means they deserve to be skewered by the RIAA. It's been a great service, I'll be very sorry to see it go.
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Friends don't let friends enable ecmascript.