napster

Decentralized computing is a trend in modern day business environments. This is the opposite of centralized computing, which was prevalent during the early days of computers. Decentralized computing is the allocation of resources, both hardware and ... software, to each individual workstation, or office location. In contrast, centralized computing exists when the majority of functions are carried out, or obtained from a remote centralized location. Benefits of Decentralized Computing A decentralized computer system has many benefits over a conventional centralized network. For example, desktop ... (view more)

Once the king of illegal file-sharing protocols, Napster operated in the law's gray area for a few years before 'going legal' not long ago. The firm's owners have now cashed in on their reputation -- good or bad -- after being bought out by Best Buy ... for $121 million. Napster became known as the leading file sharing site for music in 2000. While the software could be used for any files, the comparative lack of broadband connections at the time meant it was mainly used for single songs rather than albums or movies. It met with widespread legal opposition at the time, the most prolific coming ... (view more)

According to reports, Napster has now launched what it describes as the world's "largest and most comprehensive MP3 store at www.napster.com/store ." Boasting a massive library and most importantly DRM-free music, the formerly illegal but now very ... law-abiding download site has an edge in its battle with online music retail goliath iTunes. Though its prices aren't drastically different than its major rival (songs are 99 cents each and just under ten bucks for MP3 albums), almost the entire Napster library is free of that wonderfully-frustrating DRM. For those that haven't heard, DRM (Digital ... (view more)

Napster is hoping to reclaim its former glory days after introducing a new web-based platform that allows users to play their music from anywhere in the world without having to download additional software. Once the best friend of every cheapskate ... music fan, Napster was forced by the Record Industry Association of America to charge customers money for the very songs they once shared for free. This was all received with a mass exodus of former "loyal" users from the company. Napster now hopes to attract subscribers by making their platform more flexible and compatible with any Internet-enabled ... (view more)

Although many music fans -- especially those of the eye-patch-wearing pirate variety -- long ago dismissed Napster, the company is beginning to build momentum as a legal download site. Since it was hammered by the RIAA a few years ago, Napster has ... shifted from its illegal peer-to-peer roots to a more iTunes-like interface. It appears to be stumping critics and paying off, with the company reporting a quarterly revenue of $28 million. For those who might be confused about Napster's current state, realize that there have been two versions of the protocol. That older, piracy-based program was ... (view more)

Although it was once the toast of music pirates everywhere -- and exactly the place where many got started -- the original Napster is being laid to rest. It's seen some 30 billion songs (shared) since the protocol was crafted over six years ago, but ... the market has largely changed. As Torrents and iTunes rip offs take over the Internet, the lawyers officially chose to close a chapter of digital media history. According to reports, EMI and financier Bertelsmann have reached a legal settlement that will terminate Napster functionality. For those who missed it, Bertelsmann funded Napster in 2000 ... (view more)

Millions of Internet users got a big shock this week when a popular, free MP3-sharing client, Morpheus Music City, went offline. Before Morpheus became all the rage, Napster was known to the world as the premier music swapping program. What set ... Napster ahead of its competition was its ease of use, and most importantly -- its reliability and transfer speeds. Napster allowed millions of Internet users to locate and share music files through Napster's central computers (also known as "servers"). The Napster servers kept track of who signed in and out of Napster, who had what MP3, and ... (view more)