Lessons to be learned from Napster

Once the University realizes exactly how much internet time is going towards Napster, and how much is going toward actual (cough) schoolwork, the so-called University will terminate all access to Napster.

Then, do not try to get around this little problem by finding other download bases, such as iMesh, to feed your MP3 addiction. Your internet connection will be cut off again; this time, the University claims they mean business and proceeds to cut you off for a 72-hour period. This makes downloading more MP3's and checking your email and doing online (cough) schoolwork a little difficult.

Finally, do not try to have your friend from another University send you fresh MP3's that they have downloaded directly off of Napster to you over that wonderful little thing called AOL Instant Messenger because... I kid you not... THE UNIVERSITY WILL FIND OUT!!!

Let's sue the telecommunications companies for laying the cable that allows illegal data to move from one place to another. Let's also sue Maxtor, Quantum, and Seagate, since they're the ones that let us store all that illegal stuff... I mean, if we didn't have the hard drive space, we couldn't transfer mp3s back and forth, could we?

Shit, if only John Bardeen, William B. Shockley, and Walter Brattain were alive. Then we could sue their asses for inventing the transistor. I mean, if it wasn't for them, none of this illegal stuff would be happening.

"There are no technological fixes for sociological problems". Not in your version control system, not in your favourite programming language, not in your country.

Technology just isn't into all those things. You'll still have to do it the hard way. No matter if you're Napster or the RIAA.

Of course, since the Internet changes nothing, this also means you don't need any new laws for it.

We apologise for the inconvenience.