Making Both Sides Happy The File Sharing Contraversy
Making Both Sides Happy: The File Sharing Controversy Since the creation of Napster in 1999, by eighteen year old Shawn Fanning, file sharing has become the newest technology to revolutionize the way many people get their music (2002, Graham). File sharing, or peer-to-peer, allows for a communications network where either person can initiate communication. ... Given this new technology, millions of people have utilized the file sharing capabilities of serves such as Napster, Gnotella, or Kazaa to download music. ... Basically how it would work is users would subscribe to service provided by a file-sharing network such as Kazaa or Napster. ... The problem with file sharing and the root of the whole battle between consumers and record companies stems from the lack of laws on the matter. ... The first major court ruling was given on Friday, July 28th when Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ruled that Napster (the most popular file-sharing site at the time) must be shut down. ... On one side stands the users and downloaders of the internet file swapping. ... It appears that file swapping before the release of the album created a buzz and actually helped the sales of the CD. Also, like was said before, file swappers download their music for personal use and not for sale or distribution. ... However, the vast majority of people using the file sharing networks download for personal use only. ... They firmly believe that file sharing networks hurt businesses, album sales, and rob the artists of their due. ... The fact of the matter is that right now, until the courts make a firm ruling on weather or not file sharing is legal; people will continue to download free music at their leisure.