Slashdot Mirror


Kazaa Blocks Australian Users

afaik_ianal writes "The Sydney Morning herald is reporting that Kazaa is blocking Australian downloads of their client, just a day after the deadline passed for implementing keyword filters. According to the article, Shaman networks were still working on installing the filters yesterday."

145 comments

  1. It's kind of funny... by Corsican+Upstart · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's kind of funny.. they're based in Australia, and they can serve everyone but citizens of their own country...

    1. Re:It's kind of funny... by kocsonya · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > It's kind of funny.. they're based in Australia, and they can serve
      > everyone but citizens of their own country...

      What's new? The government in Canberra has been doing it for ages...

    2. Re:It's kind of funny... by NoGuffCheck · · Score: 5, Informative

      While Sharman Networks is based in Australia here is the company structure:

      Sharman Networks was registered in Vanuatu in January 2002 as a private company that markets and owns Kazaa.
      Kazaa includes Kazaa Media Desktop, kazaa.com and kazza.n et.
      Sharman Networks has nil authorised capital and two ordinary issued shares.
      The shareholders are two companies: Global Nominees and Credit Facilities Limited.
      The beneficial owne rs are Vanuatu International Trust Company Ltd as a trustee for the Sharman Trust.
      Sharman License Holdings is 100 per cent owned by Sharman Networks, and the beneficial owner is Sharman Trust.
      Worldwide Nominees is the director of Sharman Networks and Sharman License Holdings.
      Worldwide Nominees is owned by Global Nominees and Credit Facilities Limited. The director is Geoffrey Gee and Regent Limited. Geoffrey Gee is a Vanuatu-based solicitor.
      The beneficial owner is Trustees International Limited as trustee for Golden Sands Trust.
      Global Nominees is a Vanuatuan company, the beneficial owners of which are the partners of Vanuatu accounting firm, BDO.
      Credit Facilities Limited, which is one of the nominal shareholders of the shares in Sharman Networks, is similarly a BDO company.
      Lindsay Barrett is a partner of BDO in Vanuatu. He's also director of Vanuatu International Trust Company, VITCO.
      VITCO is the trustee of the Sharman Trust and owner of the whole of the issued capital of Sharman Networks Limited.
      The nominated eligible beneficiaries as defined in the trust deed are the International Red Cross.
      The International Red Cross claims to have never been contacted about this. Nikki Hemming is listed as "director" of VITCO, which is the beneficial shareholder of the Sharman companies located in Vanuatu.
      Sharman operates in Australia via LEF Interactive.
      LEF is an Australian registered private proprietary limited company. Sole director is Nicola Anne Hemming, whose only property asset has been sold to Sharman accountant John Simon Myer.
      LEF has paid up capital of $1.00.
      If you can set up this sort of company structure and understand it, you deserve to live in a multi million dollar mansion.


      Now I cant remember what your question was but I hope my answer clears it up for you...

      --
      serenity now!
    3. Re:It's kind of funny... by ppff · · Score: 0

      This is a rather impressive company structure.

      --
      x
    4. Re:It's kind of funny... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I live in Oz, and they didn't block me, downloaded the client no problems...

    5. Re:It's kind of funny... by bmgoau · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Out of pure interest, how many Australians like myself are active users of slashdot, it seems faily often amooung a great many American forums, like slashdot and the steam forums, i reguraly run into fellow aussies.

      By the way, like, 3 people will be pissed off by this slow and painful death of kazza.

    6. Re:It's kind of funny... by msim · · Score: 0, Redundant

      *sigh* if only i had mod points to blow.

      --

      Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know when your gonna get food poisoning.
    7. Re:It's kind of funny... by NightRain · · Score: 1

      Been there done that. It's the same situation with our online casinos. If they're based in Australia, they can accept customers from anywhere in the world except Australia. It defies imagination really...

    8. Re:It's kind of funny... by pglee · · Score: 1

      Well, that's what happens when you don't have your parliament in your capital.

      Then the proles can keep an eye on them ;)

    9. Re:It's kind of funny... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Huh? Canberra is the capital, and the parliament is in Canberra. How is the parliament not in the capital?

    10. Re:It's kind of funny... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Insightful? Right.

    11. Re:It's kind of funny... by zsau · · Score: 2, Funny

      My guess is the OP is either confused about our federal structure ... we have parliaments in many cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart; two in Canberra and one in Darwin). Of course, these cities are all capitals of the jurisdictions(?) for which the parliaments exist (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania; the Commonwealth and the ACT and the Northern Territory, respectively). I would've thought that happened by definition, mind. (It never clicked before now that there must be *two* Parliaments in Canberra—thank Christ I don't live there!)

      Alternatively, it could be a bad attempt at a joke: everyone knows the capital of Australia is Sydney.

      --
      Look out!
    12. Re:It's kind of funny... by daikokatana · · Score: 1
      By the way, like, 3 people will be pissed off by this slow and painful death of kazza.

      1. Kazaa is not yet dead, the network is still alive
      2. Even if Kazaa (Media Desktop) may no longer be distributed in Australia, there are still other clients which one can use.
      3. ... and other countries in which one can still download the client
      4. Last time I checked, the Kazaa network still had 3.000.000+ users online

      Dead? Hardly. Fake-file, porn-, virus-filled? Maybe. But it appears that a lot of people still use it and swear by it.

      And even IF the Kazaa network would disappear in it's entirety, all those users would just flock to another network, or another means to get their daily dose of bytes.

      --
      http://jcsnippets.atspace.com/ - a collection of Java & C# snippets
  2. And then there was none by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    why would anyone want to use their service at all ?, with all this filtering and censoring to pander to corporate gangs people are jumping ship as quick as they can to the numerous other P2P services

    shutting down or restricting P2P services is like swatting mosquitos

    1. Re:And then there was none by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jumping ship? From Kazaa? Didn't that happen at least 2 years ago?

    2. Re:And then there was none by kerpal2005 · · Score: 1

      I think most people that used Kazaa stop using the service long prior due to 9 out of 10 music files being corrupted or poisoned. Even if that had not happened, there is a large amount of people that ceased to use Kazaa in favor of BitTorrent.

    3. Re:And then there was none by Ruff_ilb · · Score: 1

      I know - I can't help feeling like this is a sort of symbolic, yet useless (almost tongue-in-cheek) move on the part of Kazaa... I mean, I wonder what % of illegal downloading actually goes on through australian kazaa clients that won't work around this...

      --
      http://www.TheGamerNation.com/Forums
    4. Re:And then there was none by ozmanjusri · · Score: 1

      I can't help feeling like this is a sort of symbolic, yet useless (almost tongue-in-cheek) move on the part of Kazaa.

      Given the distance the individuals concerned have created between themselves and any legal consequences, I'd say they've positioned Sharman as a flack catcher. They'll let the government and *AAs atack Kazaa, do their worst, and once the dust has settled, they'll have a clear legal position for their next venture. If a lame duck like Kazaa gets wrecked in the process, it'll be no great loss.

      --
      "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
    5. Re:And then there was none by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everyone says that 'most Kazaa tracks are corurpt', but that's not my experience. Aproximately 20 tracks (all various popular stuff from the last 2 years) downloaded in the last month and only *one* duff track. (Using an ancient release of Klite++ under Wine).

  3. why listen? by v1 · · Score: 0

    Why are they voluntarily blocking downloads? It's not like there's a Great Firewall of Australia to block them, and they're not based in Au, so do they really have to cave in? Or are they doing it voluntarily for good karma?

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    1. Re:why listen? by aussie_a · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Why are they voluntarily blocking downloads? It's not like there's a Great Firewall of Australia to block them, and they're not based in Au

      From Wikipedia:
      Consumer Empowerment responded by selling the Kazaa application to a complicated mesh of offshore companies, primarily Sharman Networks, headquartered in Australia

      So actually, yes they are based in the AU. So yes, they kinda do have to follow rulings made by Australian courts.

    2. Re:why listen? by Scruffeh · · Score: 1
      They are doing it because they were given a date to block keywords and haven't managed to do it. This stops them getting a massive fine and being forcably shut down, I think.

      If I was being sceptical I would say that they were perfectly able to impliment the key word filtering but want to keep the network alive for anyone else around the world who uses it (if anyone still does, thought Kazaa died years ago)

    3. Re:why listen? by Evro · · Score: 1

      and they're not based in Au

      Except, they are.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharman_Networks

      --
      rooooar
    4. Re:why listen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, you need to stop posting on Slashdot, and pay attention in school.

      "forcably", "sceptical", "impliment"?

      Do the rest of us a favor? Don't post here anymore. From the looks of your posting history, we won't be losing much.

    5. Re:why listen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but can we be sure that what you read on wikipedia is true?

    6. Re:why listen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They are actually based in the netherlands, after they bought kazzaa they moved everything over there

    7. Re:why listen? by staev · · Score: 1

      I'm sure all three of them are devastated. Col.(ret) Natural Guard

    8. Re:why listen? by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Keyword filtering has very questionable legal standing as it implies ownership of the words and the ability to legally restrict the use of those individual words. The Australian court has way over stepped it bounds in attempting to to restrict the use of specific words for the financial benefit of others, in effect selling the legal rights to those individual words, copyright abuse at it's worst.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  4. So. by Data+Link+Layer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Looks like those 14 people are going to have to find another method to all their copyright infringed material from.

    1. Re:So. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      G'day, mateGreetings, friend. I would like to download some files. I am based in Austr... uh... ia. Yes.

    2. Re:So. by tezbobobo · · Score: 1

      Good for you. Youare a fucking racist.

  5. LATE BREAKING NEWS by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 4, Funny

    NEWSFLASH: Kazaa is still around.

    people still use that?

    --
    Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    1. Re:LATE BREAKING NEWS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is Slashdot, dearie. I believe you were looking for Digg.

    2. Re:LATE BREAKING NEWS by Leroy_Brown242 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I said the exact same thing.

      Myself, I couldn't see myself trusting any company or application like this. Seems like every time I have to fix someone's computer, it's because of shit they got from kazaa or whatever.

      On the other hand, people keep smoking.

    3. Re:LATE BREAKING NEWS by LilWolf · · Score: 1

      The FastTrack network(Kazaas network) is very much alive. In fact, it's the third largest or so. There are of course other clients you can use to access the network, so it's possible no one is actually using the official Kazaa client, but I doubt that's the case :)

      Network: Number of concurrent users at any given time.

      eDonkey2K: 3,234,072
      Gnutella: 2,200,424
      FastTrack: 1,702,499
      Overnet: 485,065
      MP2P: 251,137
      Filetopia: 4,351

      No bittorrent because there's just no way to measure how many people use it. The numbers aren't really official and are taken from http://www.slyck.com/stats.php

    4. Re:LATE BREAKING NEWS by m50d · · Score: 1

      Ssh. Now that all the trendy kiddies have gone off to bittorrent, it's actually pretty good again.

      --
      I am trolling
  6. Re:That's okay by mattjb0010 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just like America has nothing but Britney spears and Gigli. Serious, how does such an ignorant troll get modded "insightful"?

  7. Re:That's okay by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 3, Funny
    Serious, how does such an ignorant troll get modded "insightful"?

    This IS slashdot after all.

  8. Re:That's okay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You Australians are pretty uppity for being down under.

  9. Can anyone tell me by NoGuffCheck · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What is stopping Sharman Networks from closing down and starting up under a different company and name. I would think that brand has almost zero good-will when it comes to p2p clients... why bother jumping through hoops when it seams like they could start again at very low cost and have **AA begin their whole lawsuit process again (at great expense of both time and money).

    --
    serenity now!
    1. Re:Can anyone tell me by filament · · Score: 1

      Well, IANAL, but if they just shut up shop the owners/directors could still be liable - this probably depends on the company structure. They also might have trouble registering their new business if they have a trail of unresolved litigation behind them. And I doubt the courts handling the current case would be too impressed by such a move. Also, it would be nigh-impossible to pull such a move without drawing public attention (such as in slashdot) and the new company would be starting with a hangover from the old.

      --
      This sig is covered under the GPL.
  10. Irrelevant by bwd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Kazaa has been relegated to the trash-heap of the net with the advent of bittorrent and registration-only bittorrent trackers. They went the same direction of Napster, because they were litigated into nonexistence.

    Decentralization is key to survival now if you want to avoid litigation on the infrastructure.

    1. Re:Irrelevant by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bittorrent isn't decentralized, at least, not yet. You're still dependant on a tracker which can be litigated to death (suprnova, prime example) and the people are being litigated, friend of mine got served for downloadin from suprnova. it'll be hard as hell to kill bittorrent, especially now that the source is open and out there. I don't think bittorrent can be killed right now, if it can be, it'll be harder than cutting off the devil's hoof.

    2. Re:Irrelevant by Ravatar · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ever heard of dht and trackerless torrents?

      And besides, the open source has nothing to do with it. The open protocol is what will keep BT alive, if anything.

    3. Re:Irrelevant by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      kazaa is decentralized. their website might get shutdown, but as long as people have clients they can connect to the network.

  11. Shaman or Sharman by rahuja · · Score: 1

    I didn't know they named the company after Santana's last album. ;-) Yes, it's a typo!

    1. Re:Shaman or Sharman by richdun · · Score: 4, Funny

      Meh, damn shaman are overpowered anyhow.

    2. Re:Shaman or Sharman by Nezzari · · Score: 1

      it's fine, learn2play

  12. Bit misleading? by NewsWatcher · · Score: 3, Informative

    I thought the story headline was slightly misleading. People in Australia with KaZaa can still use the service, they are just trying to block new users downloading the software. Bit pointless really given any number of other P2P applications will turn up versions of KaZaa or KaZaalite.

    --
    If the pattern goes 9am, 10am, 11am, why isn't noon 12am?
  13. No, they are... by everphilski · · Score: 1

    They are based in Australia...

    -everphilski-

  14. I wonder... by MrApples · · Score: 1

    I really wonder if they even attempted or considered implementing the filter. Doing so would obviously bog-down development a bit, especially since there is no mention of exactly how updates to the filter list would come in. The article makes it sound as if the record companies could just send some list without any standard format to Kazaa. On top of that, more and more artists are sure to jump on the bandwagon, so updates will be numerous to say the least. Another question would be the window of time that they have to commit the updates.
    If they in fact did not attempt it, they must have fairly high hopes for their upcoming appeal.

  15. Time vs Money by Bifurcati · · Score: 4, Insightful
    These days, I don't (er, and never have) download music from filesharing networks - sites like AllOfMP3.com, where I can download music for 6-10 cents a song means that it is far easier for me to get on there, find the album I want, choose the exact encoding I want and get the album fast and conveniently. Plus, I know for certain that it's a good quality encoding, that it's actually the right file, and that I can get all of the album. (Provided, of course, that the album's actually on there!)

    Ultimately, the death of pirating shareware is going to be governed by the pricepoint more than anything else. Sure, free is always cheaper, but if you can get the music at the right price (and I certainly think allofmp3.com has got it!) then that's going to be a major player.

    (And yes, I know there are questions about the legality of the service. But so far it's stood up the legal challenges presented, and it's got to be "more" legal than filesharing, right? :) Not that that matters twojots to the RIAA I guess :)

    1. Re:Time vs Money by StikyPad · · Score: 2, Insightful

      As a wise man once said, "The reports of piracy's death have been greatly exaggerated." Or maybe it was an insane man. Nevertheless..

      I don't think there will ever be such a thing as the death of filesharing, licit or otherwise. I agree, however, that extremely low price points and faster-to-market than pirates (which seems rarely the case) will wipe out the bulk of illicit filesharing. Further, I think publishing companies stand to make even more money through bulk than they do right now. If we could download a song for 5 cents, we'd probably download 20 songs for a dollar instead of just 1 song. The lower profit per song would be offset by the number of songs downloaded, and more music for the dollar means more artists stand to reach an audience, which in turn fuels demand. That's good for the artists, the audience, and the recording companies.

    2. Re:Time vs Money by Bifurcati · · Score: 1
      Yeah, excellent point re the bulk buying. I certainly download a lot more stuff at 5-10cents/song than I would at $30+ per album. If I don't like it, well, who cares? Just give it 1 star in iTunes and let it sit in case I need it later, or even just delete it.

      A similar example is my local video store which now offers all videos, including new releases, for $3 (ain't competition grand?) That makes it more convenient for me to just go and rent the video than to find it and download it, or even copy it off a friend (since CDs are of order $1 anyway...)

      But you're right, piracy won't completely die - kids, in particular, have way more time than money. But that'll be a relatively small market, I expect, particularly as our tech-savvy generation makes up more and more of hte population.

    3. Re:Time vs Money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unfortunately, from my perspective this selection (allofmp3.com) is still pretty inadequate. I did a search for a number of my favorite bands and came up mostly empty-handed. I discovered many of those bands through P2P file sharing, mostly on WinMX. A centralized service can never compete with P2P in diversity, since they always have to make space tradeoffs and their decisions will be based on popularity. On P2P you could even get copies of out-of-print songs and albums. I'm afraid music downloading has already passed its peak and is in decline, as Gnutella and Bittorrent no longer offer this kind of diversity and neither do the for-pay services.

      I should note that the real losers here are people who listen to bands who are not RIAA-affiliated. RIAA stuff will always be available, whereas albums put out by independents will now fade back into obscurity. We are back to the point where if you want to find an album from some farily obscure band in Spain, for example, you will have to fly to Spain to get a copy (or even hear their music), instead of simply logging on to WinMX (my favorite) and typing the name in a search.

  16. Nobody will care by Mancat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Kazaa was good in its day, but offers little to no anonymity, and is completely infiltrated by RIAA/MPAA/*. So, if you want to go to jail, go ahead and use Kazaa to download your copyrighted material.

    That being said, few people are still using it. Nobody will care. Those that do care, can now move on to a better client/network.

    --
    hello dear sirs my name is jamesh i are india (bihar) can u guide me install red had linux 9?
    1. Re:Nobody will care by trollable · · Score: 1

      So, if you want to go to jail, go ahead and use Kazaa to download your copyrighted material.

      Remember that download is legal in many countries, OTOH upload is not.

  17. Re:Irrelevant -- reasons for trash heap by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Kazaa has been relegated to the trash-heap of the net with the advent of bittorrent and registration-only bittorrent trackers.

    Kazaa has been relegated to the trash-heap of the net because it's laden with spyware, has an ineffective hashing system that has allowed it to become more polluted by OverPeer and its ilk than any other P2P system (in excess of 50% of the files on KaZaA are damaged, in excess of 90% for some very new releases), hasn't been updated in 3 years, and gathers more lawsuits of users than all other P2P systems combined.

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  18. Where to find single mp3s? by h3llfish · · Score: 1

    I know the Bit torrent kicks monkey butt for finding whole albums, but suppose I just want one song? Napster was so great for that back in the day, and then Kazaa was pretty cool, but now I can't get Kazaa lite to connect. I've tried emule, but it's absurdly slow. Does emule work well for anyone else? Or is there someother good way to get singles?

    1. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pay for them?

    2. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by freakybob · · Score: 2, Informative

      Limewire is another p2p service which is pretty good. The more popular songs are corrupted, and I don't know how RIAA'd it is, but it's an ok kazaa substitute for now. Also, with bittorrent you can download a torrent for an entire album which has your song in it, and using the Azureus bittorrent client you can go into the separate files and highlight everything but your desired song, right-click->priority->Do Not Download.

    3. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've been wondering about the same problem for a while, but recently found Shareaza, which works on the gnutella2 network, in addition to gnutella1 + bittorrent.

      Shareaza[you have to poke it to get it to release bittorrent association] + Azureus = great combo, without needing to muck about on IRC.

    4. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You can use Bittorrent for individual songs as well. Most Bittorrent clients these days allow you to view the files within the torrent itself, and either rank them in priority, or choose to not download them at all.



      So, all you have to do is find a .torrent of the album that the song you want is from, open the .torrent, and set all the files to not download, except for the one(s) that you want. Of course, this won't work if the .torrent contains a .zip, .rar, or another archive file with the songs inside.



    5. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by sloths · · Score: 1

      The thing that I like about BitTorrent is that you pretty much have to download the entire album; otherwise one would not appreciate the artist as much as one does. Like if one were looking for a specific song, but now one has to listen to the entire album...

      Not that I download music from BitTorrent. That's illegal.

      --
      really 867993
      Karma schkarma
    6. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by lachlan76 · · Score: 1

      Gnutella is a good filesharing protocol, and it's open. You have multiple choices of client, on the Windows side your main choices are Limewire and Shareaza.

    7. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by h3llfish · · Score: 1

      I think that a person who only listens to singles misses out on a lot of great music, but I think that sometimes, the whole album just isn't worth having, and I know that ahead of time. I might have a Bannannarama (if I didn't spell that correctly, please keep it to yourself) song or two on my hard drive, but there's just no way I need a whole album.

    8. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by iamacat · · Score: 1

      Or is there someother good way to get singles?

      Pay for them?

      Import them from Russia?

    9. Re:Where to find single mp3s? by Joel+from+Sydney · · Score: 1

      Soulseek is good for finding obscure music as well.

  19. My install log by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 2, Funny

    [2:10]I just tried to install this Kazaa program but this anoyng MS Anti-Spyware doesn't like me installing it.

    [2:15]Ok Iv disabled anti-spyware and I am installing it again.

    [2:20]Just finished insntalling #ddffh@4(*(&^#*&%*&%^&^%76#$*7$%[CARRIER DISCONNECTED]

    1. Re:My install log by Brandybuck · · Score: 1

      And yet people keep insisting that their spyware infection isn't their fault...

      --
      Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
  20. Re:Irrelevant -- reasons for trash heap by log2.0 · · Score: 1

    The great thing about Kazaa is that it is distracting the **AA for the moment. Sure nobody uses it, but it gives the legal losers something to pat themslefs on the back about.

    Bandwidth is increasing and becoming cheaper. There is nothing they can do to stop the black market of overpriced goods.

    --
    Can your karma go above being Excellent?
  21. "More" legal? by Nerdposeur · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And yes, I know there are questions about the legality of the service. But so far it's stood up the legal challenges presented, and it's got to be "more" legal than filesharing, right?

    Not necessarily. According to an IP trace, that site is based in Russia. They're selling songs for a fraction of the going rate here, and if they don't have an agreement with the labels, they probably aren't paying the labels anything for it. (I don't know that for a fact.)

    *IF* these guys have stolen the music and are selling it illegally, then paying them is ethically worse than not paying at all - not only are the copyright owners screwed, but you feel justified in screwing them and are supporting their (unfair) competition.

    Yeah, you can gripe about the price of music, but supply and demand says that if it's too expensive, you shouldn't buy it. Buy indie stuff for cheap, or listen to the radio, but don't think that as long as you pay someone for your Gorillaz mp3, it's ok.

    And yes, as you can see by my sig, I do have a bias. :)

    1. Re:"More" legal? by Bifurcati · · Score: 4, Interesting
      As best I understand it, they pay the Russian music body a licensing fee, and as far as Russian law goes, they've satisfied all the requirements necessary to distribute music. The grey area is whether they have the right to sell it to us folk over the seas. If it were CDs, then there's no law against importing a CD, but the internet is a different kettle of fish - it's quite unclear what their legal obligations are. They're probably not in the spirit of the law, but seem to be within the letter. The RIAA tried to get them shut down, but failed; it remains to be seen what course of action they take.

      As for the paying/not paying thing, artists (of major lables) get virtually zip from CD sales; I figure at least this way, the albums I buy are making it to the Top 10 on this site, which then encourages more people to buy them, etc, which ultimately results in more listeners and hopefully bigger sales at concerts, where they make their real money. Of course, this doesn't work out so well for the Labels (and hence the sustainability of the current industry model) but that's all for the better we might start to see some shake up.

      Anyway, I rarely buy new music - it's mainly jazz I'm after, and the occasional soundtrack.

    2. Re:"More" legal? by geminidomino · · Score: 4, Insightful

      not only are the copyright owners screwed, but you feel justified in screwing them and are supporting their (unfair) competition.

      Whereas if you pay iTunes for it, you're supporting THIER mafia-like tactics.

      Thank the gods for cdbaby.com :)

    3. Re:"More" legal? by Nerdposeur · · Score: 1

      Thank the gods for cdbaby.com :)

      Now THAT we can agree on. :)

      http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nathanlong

    4. Re:"More" legal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Anyway, I rarely buy new music - it's mainly jazz I'm after, and the occasional soundtrack."

      Yeah, 'cause nobody makes any new Jazz, or new soundtracks, anymore.

      How stupid are you, exactly?

    5. Re:"More" legal? by mcubed · · Score: 2, Informative

      The grey area is whether they have the right to sell it to us folk over the seas. If it were CDs, then there's no law against importing a CD

      You can't legally import a CD for resale in the U.S. if the exclusive U.S. distribution rights to that CD have been purchased by/granted to a company. Same goes for books. If, say, a record label in Brazil (or Belgium or Belize, etc.) makes a deal with a record label in the U.S., giving the latter U.S. distribution rights, then it would not be legal for a U.S. store to import the Brazilian label's CDs for sale in its shop(s). The store would have to offer the U.S. label's editions of the CD, even if it could obtain and sell the Brazilian discs less expensively than the U.S. discs.

      It's a different story if the Brazilian CD is not otherwise available in the U.S. -- then the record store can import to its heart's content. Many specialty stores (especially specialty bookstores) do just that -- what makes them unique and valuable to their customers is that they don't offer *just* the stuff you could find at Borders or Amazon.com, but also stuff you can't easily obtain elsewhere or might not otherwise be aware of.

      I suspect, in the case of allofmp3s.com, the area is not terribly gray -- unless there is some loophole that allows them to sell to U.S. customers.

      Michael

      --
      "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality;..."
    6. Re:"More" legal? by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

      They're selling songs for a fraction of the going rate here, and if they don't have an agreement with the labels, they probably aren't paying the labels anything for it.

      My understanding is that they don't have an agreement with the labels, but that they are paying them. Just like here in the US there is a standard fee for covers (I don't really know how it works, but someone described it that you can send in a default fee to cover a song), there is a default fee they pay per song there. They are collecting the fee for every sing sold, and should pay it to the labels. I imagine they aren't, because I think the labels would object and turn down the pittance offered.

      *IF* these guys have stolen the music and are selling it illegally, then paying them is ethically worse than not paying at all - not only are the copyright owners screwed, but you feel justified in screwing them and are supporting their (unfair) competition.

      Well, my understanding on this is also a little rough. However, I believe that they are selling the files legally, but someone sitting in the US while buying from there may be breaking the laws on importing copyrighted material.

    7. Re:"More" legal? by norkakn · · Score: 1

      Artists don't get anything substantial from iTMS. You may as well download it for free.

    8. Re:"More" legal? by norkakn · · Score: 1

      If I purchase a CD legally in Russia I can legally bring it back and listen to it here. Why shouldn't it be the same for Russian servers? I smell imperialism.

    9. Re:"More" legal? by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      Apparently, Artists don't get anything substantial from buying the CD off the shelf either, to hear them whinge about it.

    10. Re:"More" legal? by mcrbids · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can't legally import a CD for resale in the U.S. if the exclusive U.S. distribution rights to that CD have been purchased by/granted to a company.

      That's correct - except that AllofMP3 isn't importing anything. They're exporting from Russia. Importing anything into the USA requires a legal entity here, in the States!

      I can legally buy something from a mail-order catalog from Brazil and have them ship it directly to my house, if I desire it, for personal use. They aren't breaking any laws, and neither am I.

      So, AllofMP3 isn't importing anything at all, they're selling items over the Internet to whomever wants to buy it under Russian law, apparently in full compliance with the letter of Russian law. What's more, US copyright law specifically allows imports of copyrighted materials from oversees when purchased for personal use, when such materials are sold in compliance with the foreign jurisdiction, even when foreign laws conflict with US law!

      IANAL, but it seems pretty bullet-resistant to me. And, it's damned convenient...

      --
      I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
    11. Re:"More" legal? by GigsVT · · Score: 1

      What laws on importing?

      Quality King Distributors Inc., v. L'anza Research International Inc. (1998, WL 9625)

      This decision supports the right to import copyrighted material that you purchased overseas, whether the copyright holder gives you permission to or not.

      Allofmp3 is legal and it drives the RIAA crazy. Fuck em.

      --
      I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
    12. Re:"More" legal? by 1u3hr · · Score: 1
      You can't legally import a CD for resale in the U.S. if the exclusive U.S. distribution rights to that CD have been purchased

      For resale, perhaps. But if you're just buying it for yourself you should be okay.

    13. Re:"More" legal? by Halo1 · · Score: 1

      Except if they're on iTMS via cdbaby, in which case they get 91% of what cdbaby gets from Apple (don't remember how much that is, but IIRC Apple only takes about 10 cents per song or so).

      --
      Donate free food here
    14. Re:"More" legal? by Alsee · · Score: 1

      Actually no one is importing or exporting anything. The internet communication is no different than a basic international phonecall. Import/export laws are not involved.

      Everything is legally fine on the Russian side, but there is still a question on the US side, because when you receive the data you generally create a copy on your harddrive. Creating a copy does fall under the perview of US copyright law.

      Whether making that copy is legal or not... well that is a very very messy legal question. If ANYONE (other than a majority of Supreme Court justices) tries to authoritatively tell you that it is or is not legal, well they're lying. It is a question that would require a big ugly and expensive legal war, with appeals and re-appeal.

      I'd basicaly anwer the AllOfMP3.com question by citing the practical aspect. It might technically be legal or technically illegal, but fundamentally there is zero chance for them to identify you for doing it, and even if they did there's virtually no chance they would try to drag such a case through the courts. The RIAA has their hands full with the complexities of persuing legally "simple" and "clear cut" cases of people distributing songs on P2P. Trying to procecute someone for merely storing a personal copy of a file that they paid for and which was sent to them completely legally, well that's a difficult case.

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
    15. Re:"More" legal? by mcubed · · Score: 1

      IANAL, but it seems pretty bullet-resistant to me. And, it's damned convenient...

      Heh, and I thought MP3.com was pretty bullet-resistant also, and look what happened.

      I don't think it's a question of personal liability. I can't imagine anyone being sued over purchasing music from AllofMP3.com. Worst-case scenario would be having one's hard drive confiscated. (Like, if you bought a bootleg CD in a store right at the moment when the authorities rushed in and arrested the store owners/managers for trafficking in counterfeit material, you wouldn't get arrested. But they'd take your CD as evidence, and you wouldn't get it back.) I was trying to address whether AoMP3.com could survive a challenge, which is really only a hypothetical anyway, since it's in Russia. I don't think there is much the music industry can do about this except try to pressure the Russians to change their licensing schemes. If AoMP3 ever becomes a big threat or similar operations pop up, they will probably do just that.

      Michael

      --
      "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality;..."
  22. Alexa Traffic Rank = 3951 by shashark · · Score: 1

    http://www.alexa.com/data/details/?url=www.kazaa.c om

    Traffic Rank for kazaa.com: 3,951

    That's pretty high I guess.

    Though that doesn't mean everyone who visits their site downloads Kazaa. The high rank can also be attibuted to malware/zombie pcs.

    1. Re:Alexa Traffic Rank = 3951 by nulthor · · Score: 1

      And the ranks posted at Alexa are so accurate. By web rank counting based on their uber-toolbar, who could deny that they represent the vast majority of web users. I mean doesn't everybody use their toolbar...oh wait...

    2. Re:Alexa Traffic Rank = 3951 by g-san · · Score: 1

      Whatever, I am attributing your post to Zombie slashdot reader...

      If I ever released a worm that put a P2P client on every zombie PC, and listened for 24 hours and got the top hundred list of common search terms on whatever P2P network, then downloaded it (to reshare), I could easily 1) infect with worm, 2) ???, 3) PROFIT!!!

      The cat is out of the bag, P2P is here to stay, I don't care how deeply you inspect my packets. The internet and it's users will always be one step ahead of EVERYTHING. Adapt or die!

  23. It really ISN'T FUNNY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You are really impressing me. More amazing me, really. Listen, because Sharman networks did not like to distribute KaZaA because of legality issues, you should not be poking fun at the Australian Parliament. Your post is just a teeinecy bit off topic, and WAYYY revolting.
     
    What I'm saying is that you really shouldn't be accusing Sharman networks of being self-serving because that is probably the only place to find good music and porn nowadays. Much safer than Torrents and much faster and less spy-ware laden. If you had ANY idea what you were talking about, you would take back that statement before someone hacks into your little Windows XP computer from a Linux Box located in San Diego on 5th Ave. and runs you out of the Internet. Capeiche?
     
      M-A--R---C----U-----S

    1. Re:It really ISN'T FUNNY by Stupendoussteve · · Score: 2, Informative

      Uh... Kazaa not spyware ridden? Since when?

    2. Re:It really ISN'T FUNNY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *whooosh*

  24. Find another way to get Kazaa by GeeksHaveFeelings · · Score: 2, Funny

    So they'll use another P2P software to get Kazaa now?

    1. Re:Find another way to get Kazaa by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      limewire

  25. It's also an improvement by rolypolyman · · Score: 4, Funny

    On the announcement, Telstra said it would proceed with shutdown of several OC-48 backbones as spyware traffic falls.

  26. Oblig by Pneuma+ROCKS · · Score: 4, Funny

    As if half a dozen of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.

    --
    Favorite quote: "
  27. Re:That's okay by strider44 · · Score: 1

    Don't worry - that guy has no taste. After all, he said Kylie Manogue and Crocodile Dundee 3 are good.

  28. I WoUlD NeVeR... by Sathias · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ...use a program that uses that uppy-downy writing for its name, it shits me no end.

    --
    Blessed are the 1337, for they shall pwn the earth.
    1. Re:I WoUlD NeVeR... by nsaneinside · · Score: 1

      Says he who has leet-speak in his sig.

  29. P2P Profit Model Changing by burningion · · Score: 4, Insightful
    With all the litigations coming from the music and movie industry, it just doesn't make sense for a company to try to own the P2P software.

    Instead, companies should develope and release the software for free, into the wild, and create a profitable market using the network itself. It's time for a really creative person to figure out how to release a lasting P2P client/network and make a profit from it in a really untraditional way.

    Like utilising all the traffic to build models for what people are searching for. Selling the information to marketers. Letting people sell content through P2P networks, whatever. I'm not the one to create the next fix for P2P, but it is out there, and I'll be the first one to use it.

    1. Re:P2P Profit Model Changing by Ours · · Score: 1

      From what I've read companies already do this, using P2P to track whats hot and whats not. The thing is that record labes/movie studios keep the fact that they buy this information very hush hush otherwise it would legitimize P2P and actually prove that it profits them in some way. It's actually a good deal. You get marketing + tracking for free and I get the music. Just need to make a payment method based on the marketing and things could be nice.

      --
      "You superiour intellect is no match for our puny weapons" - The Simpsons
    2. Re:P2P Profit Model Changing by Zedar · · Score: 1

      Pft, if they did that then everyone would complain about how it was spyware, and all the privacy fanatics would go on about how evil Kazaa was for trying to steal their personal information. Corporations just can't win in the eyes of some people :)
      (Note, these aren't my opinions, I have nothing against people making money, indeed I hope to make some myself someday)

  30. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by LordLucless · · Score: 3, Informative

    Kazaa is centralized; all Kazaa queries go through the Kazaa network. So no, the original inventors of the FTP protocol aren't going to be busted - unless they coincidentally happen to be running an illegal warez FTP.

    That's what's happening with Sharman. They're not being busted for creating a client that other people use illegally, they're being told to implement blocks on certain traffic that passes through their network. They didn't do the blocks, so instead they pulled access from Australia in order to comply.

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  31. Time to switch to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  32. this is terrible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    " ... Kazaa is blocking Australian downloads ..."

    BOTH of them ?!

    * * * *

    what DO kangaroos eat, anyway?

    1. Re:this is terrible! by TheDugong · · Score: 1

      what DO kangaroos eat, anyway?

      ACs

    2. Re:this is terrible! by Bonobo_Unknown · · Score: 1

      what DO kangaroos eat, anyway?

      Tourists

      --
      We don't believe in radical loony monotheistic religions from the middle east -- we're Christians.
  33. LATER BREAKING NEWS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    NEWSFLASH: Alexa is still around.

    I've been blocking traffic to alexa since I caught some spyware pointing to that site a few years ago.

  34. Multichoice test by skingers6894 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When all current filesharing systems have been hunted down and destroyed the users of those systems will flock to:

    a) CD Stores
    b) The next, better, faster, more anonymous filesharing system

    What do you think?

  35. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by mikek3332002 · · Score: 1

    It's because it was primarly designed to break copyright law, unlike bit torrent or photocopiers or video recorders

  36. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by java+killed+the+dino · · Score: 1

    Well, that's what the judge said. (And what's true.) I remember when KaZaA first came out, and saw an interview with one of the founders. He said it was ingenious because it was so decentralized-- and it was, compared to Napster. Ironic, don't you think?

  37. Re:That's okay by femto · · Score: 2, Funny

    Down under? A popular misconception. Hold on a sec, just gotta feed my kangaroo and get the dropbear of the kid...

  38. Re:Irrelevant -- reasons for trash heap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Um, isn't "black market of overpriced goods" a contradiction?

    You're an idiot, basically. Which is pretty much borne out by your posting history: General Slashdot feelgood groupthink pandering.

    You should buy some kneepads, so you can kneel more comfortably when you're sucking our collective dicks.

  39. Re:Probably for the best.. by EuroChild · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yeah, it's modded flamebait, but it's also funny. Anyway - some clarification on that statement for future reference. Not all of Australia's states were convict settlements, just most of them. South Australia (Adelaide) was settled by law abiding citizens in 1836 and not by convicts. However, I'm not sure if we currently have access to the Kazaa network or not...

    --
    Does this make my brain look big?
  40. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by laughingcoyote · · Score: 1

    Recycling is normally thought of as a good thing, and I know what imitation is the highest form of, but really...

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  41. Money made at concerts... by CaptainPotato · · Score: 1
    ...isn't the way that all big bands make their money. Some bands sell their tickets at a break-even point, so that if a show doesn't sell out completely, they actually lose money on said show (or with a bit of bad luck technically, on an entire tour).

    They do this because they feel that they do well enough on sales alone, and don't want to price their shows out of reach of some of their fans. Also, merchandise isn't sold at rip-off prices.

    Mind you, said example is an exception to the rule of concert pricing, so I guess it isn't really presentative of bands generally.

    --
    I heard that your library burnt down and destroyed your only two books - and one was not even coloured in yet.
  42. Re:so... who cares? by houseofzeus · · Score: 1

    As already pointed out by others. Sharman are based in Australia.

  43. Nerf Shaman! by quarrel · · Score: 1

    nt

  44. Re:Irrelevant -- reasons for trash heap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have to second the other anonymous coward. Why do you bother posting this inane group-think shit. Either say something new or interesting of shut the fuck up.

  45. kazaa was so yesterday, mate. by shrewd · · Score: 1

    im a fair dinkum aussie bloke, and in ozland, peer to peer clients go out of fashion faster than wrestling crocs with one arm and holding your new-born in the other....

  46. Ka-what? by Havenwar · · Score: 2, Funny

    You know, I must say, presently Kazaa is the best filesharing protocol in the world! At least for us overweight hairy horny sweaty geeks living in mothers basement. Whatever I search for, I get more pr0n for my ever growing collection! Sure, a few broken files, but it is quantity that matters, not quality!

    Of course... in reality I long since moved out of mothers basement, she died, and so did Kazaa. I'm still overweight, hairy, horny and sweaty, but nowadays I use the ed2k and bittorrent protocols for filetranfers instead. These days I only get the good pr0n.

    1. Re:Ka-what? by Havenwar · · Score: 1

      Well, I am very sorry for you. Must be very difficult hating ignorant bastards and being one. In fact, your comment itself proves you are... first of all, generalization of a people from a sterotype is ignorant, second of all, accusing someone of being american just because they claim to be fat, overweight, loud and brash and whatever, is ignorant.

      If you had the guts to stand for your opinions I might have been tempted to be insulted by you calling me an american, but... you're apparently not worth the effort.

    2. Re:Ka-what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...second of all, accusing someone of being american just because they claim to be fat, overweight, loud and brash and whatever, is ignorant.

      Yeah, but you have to admit - there is strong correlation.

    3. Re:Ka-what? by Havenwar · · Score: 1

      Well, let's go over the point here... if we assume that a lot from group a (as in americans) are b, c, and d... does this mean that people who are b, c, and d... is probably from group a? No... saying that one is fat, loud and brash does not make you an american... it makes you fat, loud, and brash.

  47. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by FooAtWFU · · Score: 1
    I could swear that on the last story about these filters someone made a quip about how they could block all these songs with just twenty-six filters: a,b,c,d,e... The user replying to it stated that he could do it with just one: *

    Which is more or less exactly what they have done.

    (can't find the original posts, Slashdot search ickiness)

    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
  48. Re: C. D. III by some+guy+I+know · · Score: 1
    The Australians didn't have anything good anyway, just a bunch of Kylie Minogue mp3s and Crocodile Dundee III.
    What have you got against Crocodile Dundee III?
    I know that it wasn't as good as the first two, but it was all right.
    I confess that I felt a pang of pity for Ol' Croc, what with never being able to see his kid again (well at least until C. D. V: The Vegemite Strikes Back), and being confined forever in that life-support suit, in which it must get uncomfortably hot while searching for droids in the Outback, and which makes it unlikely that he will ever again be able to lift a glass with his mates.
    --
    Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
  49. Re:That's okay by msim · · Score: 1

    Well given that people ask these dumb questions It's no wonder we all get the shits with everyone else.

    wheras THIS is closer to it ;-)

    --

    Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know when your gonna get food poisoning.
  50. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by novakreo · · Score: 1

    They didn't do the blocks, so instead they pulled access from Australia in order to comply.

    Actually, it's only Kazaa Media Desktop downloads that are being blocked, not the FastTrack network that Kazaa uses. I managed to successfully download a file using giFT-FastTrack just fine a moment ago, and I expect it would continue to work with existing copies of the official Kazaa client.

    --
    O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
  51. Legal Download/Upload Map by trollable · · Score: 1

    Each country has different laws. It would be interested to know where download is legal, where it is not. Same for upload. Please contribute this thread. I will try to summarize all the information and set it on a website for reference.
    AFAIK, download is legal in France, upload is illegal
    Please state for other countries.

    1. Re:Legal Download/Upload Map by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same for Canada. Download is legal, uploading copyrighted material without permission is not legal.

      The legality of bittorrent (where you are sending out various packets to various people, and never actually give a useful copy to anyone) has not been tested.

  52. Oh my god! by asdomar · · Score: 1

    that's so bad.

  53. Answer C? by mahju · · Score: 1

    When all current filesharing systems have been hunted down and destroyed the users of those systems will flock to:

    a) CD Stores
    b) The next, better, faster, more anonymous filesharing system
    c) AllOfMp3.com to buy entire albums for peanuts

    Really when you think of it, for $1.50 for an album, 100 albums (hell of a lot of music) for $150, and no Feds chasing you... its going to be C.

  54. Shaman administrators by RobbieGee · · Score: 1

    "Shaman networks were still working on installing the filters yesterday."

    No wonder. Taurens are slow typers due to their hooves and Orcs aren't exactly the most intelligent creatures around...

    --
    If you get this, we're 10 of a kind.
  55. wtf by coconutmnky · · Score: 0

    Man, with all the spyware, anti-piracy organizations, and no anonymity, i cant believe there are actually people who still use kazaa. Hell, i cant believe kazaa is still around!

  56. Re:How Exactly Does This Work? by ezberry · · Score: 1

    I don't understand why he does it, but the parent copies all his posts from high scoring previous posts in the anti-slash db. He's a fraud - don't mod him up.

  57. Itune to CDBaby to Me by Nerdposeur · · Score: 1

    For each song I sell on ITunes, I get 65 cents.