Kazaa Halts Client Downloads
 

- As reported yesterday by the Walktalker Press and other outlets worldwide.

"Netherlands-based Kazaa has temporarily suspended downloads of its file-swapping software from its Web site, pending a decision by a Dutch court expected Jan. 31.
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Kazaa said Wednesday that it took the step to avoid paying a fine that stems from a November ourt order, which requires it to bar people from swapping digital files of copyrighted music or face a fine of $39,620 (45,000 euros) per day. The fine was supposed to take effect in December, but it has yet to be enforced.

By halting downloads, "Kazaa took the most drastic measure it can imagine," the company said in a statement.

The decision to block downloads of the current software doesn't stop people from using previous versions to trade files. Nor does it stop people from downloading essentially the same software from other licensees of the technology and tapping into the same file-swapping network."

full article on yahoo.

yes some of us can still use the massive network but this is in no way good news by any definition.

now more than ever - where the f**k is version 2?

- js.

V2?
 

now more than ever - where the f**k is version 2?

Says JS,

Probably still waiting to tie up the loose ends with the PAY version, so all the "loyal" servants are able to cough up their bucks for their music, and keep the Rats In America's Audio congolmerate happy and flooded with Artists & punters cash...

If version 2 does ever appear, I hope its better organised resources wise than the current versions, amazes me that it is virtually un-runable on a bog standard 64Meg machine?

:m:

Snark.

and you know what else?

Isn't it rather peculiar that Kazaa is the one forced to cease the downloads rather than Morpheus and Grokster, although no doubt they're next on the chopping block?

Kazaa has the 128k bitrate limit built into the software, correct?
Have you heard of any users being able to regedit it outta there same as we did with Morph?

I'm not familar with Grokster users and was never lucky enough to receive an answer from any of them when they were dling from me. I've never paid any attention to the files they were dling either....tsk-tsk on me.

Just for arguments sake, we know that 128 is NOT true blue CD quality. So even if it's users are sharing copyrighted material, it's only basically good only to play on your computer and perhaps a portable mp3 player but to the audiophile listening to his high end home entertainment system, the sound doesn't come close to .wav or even the higher bitrates.

We're just talking RIAA here, not the movie industry or heaven forbid - the software companies :CG: . Than again the same argument can be used for the movie industry also.

Now some 128's can sound mighty good, but you can certainly tell the difference between a 128 and a 192 or 320 on your home system.

I don't know about most file shares and can only speak for myself by saying that, when I perform a search for a particular song title, 128's are *the* most popular bitrate out there. I sometimes have to look pretty high and low to find titles 128+ using kazaa and morpheus.

What is the RIAA "really" worried about?!!

Forgive me for going off the deep end........it is Friday ;)

GR