Applications
There are many applications on the internet that allow the user to download songs.
Applications that have found loop holes in the copyright laws and applications that charge users for the downloading of songs run side by side on the internet.
Definition
These applications are programs that are downloaded onto the users computer and allow the user to be hooked up to the network.
Such applications include Kazaa and iTunes.
Kazaa has two options available in its applications. One option is to have free kazaa with pop up ads. This program can be free because Kazaa allow advertisers to advertise in their space at a cost, therefore they do not need to charge the user. (www.kazaa.com) The second option is to pay $29.95 US and receive a version that has no advertising.
Kazaa can now safely assume that the peer to peer system on which they run does not infringe US copyright law after a US appealant court ruled like companies Morpheous and Grokster within the confines of the law. (www.sharmannetworks.com)
Kazaa now state that the entertainment industries need to stop suing the peer to peer sites and start embrassing them.. (www.sharmannetworks.com)
Kazaa use peer to peer technology which means that every user is connected with each other. There is no need for the centralised data base that iTunes has.
iTunes is an application for both Macs and Windows PC's. Once the application is downloaded on to the computer, for every downloaded song the user is charged 99cents US (www.apple.com) And the songs, which can be burned to CDs, transferred to iPod MP3 players or moved to three different computers, have fewer restrictions on their use than other downloads. The songs are kept centrally but as the users pay per song, this is totally legal. Apple have claimed that the iTunes site has sold more than 150 million songs and has the largest legal library with more than one million tracks. (www.apple.com)
With iTunes two computers in the same house can share music as can iPods within the area, however when one computer or iPod is turned off, the data is no longer shared.
With a support system to help with any problems encountered in the application, iTunes is head of the class when downloading music is concerned.
REFERENCES:
Apple (2004) 'Music Store' Available: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/. [Accessed 25 October 2004]
Apple. (2204) iPod and iTunes for Mac and Windows' Available: http://www.apple.com/itunes/ [Accessed 25 October 2004]
Kazaa. (2004) How is Kazaa Free? Available: http://www.kazaa.com/us/help/faq/howis_kazaa_free.htm. [Accessed 25 October 2004]
Sharman Networks. (2004) PEER-TO-PEER SOFTWARE RULED LEGAL IN THE U.S. Available: http://www.sharmannetworks.com/content/view/full/301. [Accessed 25 October 2004]
Louise Connors 20:32, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
