Popular file-sharing site WinMX.com ceased operating and the New York office of another, eDonkey.com, appeared to be closed, in the continuing legal fallout among underworld peer-to-peer music services, industry sources and users said on Wednesday. The turmoil among file-sharing networks follows the landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June that held anyone who distributes a device used to infringe copyright is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by others. In the wake of the decision, the trade group Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) last week sent out "cease-and-desist" letters to seven file-sharing groups. A spokeswoman for the RIAA declined to name the targets. Popular file-sharing sites BearShare, eDonkey and WinMX were reportedly among the targets. The decentralized nature of most peer-to-peer file-sharing software makes it uncontrollable once it is released over the Internet. However, shutting off sites where users first download the software may strangle the flow of new users. "There's certainly a big realignment of networks going on after the RIAA letters. Everyone is going to see a fallout since the ruling is making it tough for these companies to exist," said Marc Morgenstern, vice president for Loudeye, during the Digital Hollywood conference in Santa Monica. An eDonkey executive with a Boston phone number was not immediately available to comment. Industry sources said the phone in the New York office had been disconnected. A spokesman for Frontcode Technologies, developers of the WinMX application, could not be located to comment. Read the rest of the article at Reuters.
Does this mean that a company making dvd burners are liable? or a individual who makes software that allows you to make a backup of your dvd collection is breaking (US) law? what about video camera's? (used to record a movie in a cinema). Why should the GOOD users of p2p software be resticted in there choice of networks beacuse of others ILLEGAL actions?
you do have a good point there publicenemyno968 but there is a high amount of illegal goings on with these programs, i can see what you're saying but in the end the software is mostly (i'd bet 99%) used for illegal sharing whereas a tiny fraction of camers etc are used for illegal uses.
Meh at the end of the day someone will find a way round it. As one p2p door closes another always opens.
You can't stop P2P! *in tune to you can't stop rocknroll* Shutting off the sites may stop a few new users, but its just as easy to get the software through P2P itself.
If one P2P Software company gets shut down then there is just going to be another and another company that brings out better and more advanced software, and it's just going to keep on continuing because of the high demand for pirate software or music! P2P will never die!
jesus ******** ****** licking christ....... that limewire is AMAZING, i used it to download slipknot - Duality its like WOW uber speed. P.s i do own the slipknot cd with duality on it so im not breaking any laws (i hope )
