UNR kills two birds with one stone by banning Napster software
By Brian Vance, Outpost Staff
By putting a block on a popular MP3 music file downloading software, called Napster, the University of Nevada, Reno prevented slowing of the campus Internet connection and avoided copyright issues that surround many MP3 files on the Net.
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Napster's home page, photo by Brian Vance |
MP3s are digitally-compressed music files that have near CD quality. MP3s range in size from 3 to 12 megabytes. They can be created from any CD using free software such as Music Match Jukebox and placed on one's hardrive.
UNR placed a block on the Napster software several months ago after learning about the potential network traffic problems the software can cause. Since then all computers using the campus Internet connection are unable to connect to the Napster server.
UNR students and faculty wishing to use Napster, which can be downloaded free in a matter of minutes at Napster.com, must go off campus to do so, unless they are connected to the Internet using private accounts on regular phone lines.
"We haven't allowed the protocol for Napster for quite awhile," said Steven Zink, vice president of information resources and technology for the University of Nevada, Reno.
Zink said UNR learned about the potential problems of Napster hogging bandwidth space on campus networks from other universities and decided to stop the problem before it could start.
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Steven Zink, Ph.D Associate Vice President for Information Resources and Technology for UNR, The "Network Man" Photo by Brian Vance |
"We have ways to control different protocols by giving them a certain percentage of the bandwidth. It is sort of like freeways in large cities, during rush hour they have stoplights on the freeway entry ramps. This is the only way we can control the network; otherwise, everything would come to a screeching halt," Zink said.
In the case of Napster, UNR has given its protocol no space on the bandwidth network.
Watch It Grow
Napster, designed by a freshman computer science major at Northeastern University, was introduced last summer. Since then it has spread at an unbelievable rate.
"Our real significant metrics aren't public yet, but I can say that our user base is approaching being the fastest growing community in the history of the Net, including Hotmail." says Brandon Barber, a senior product manager at Napster.
According to Salon.com, estimates of Napster's user base range from the thousands into the millions but a more accurate gauge of the software's use is how many people are talking about it, and almost everyone that uses it loves it.
The software has benefited from excellent word-of-mouth advertising mostly because of how efficiently it works compare to other MP3 downloading systems. When Napster was first realeased it was the first software of its kind, allowing users to turn their PCs into servers and share their MP3 files with other Napster users. Since then Napster imitations, such as iMesh.com have popped up on the Net.
Well-designed by a teenager
"Napster is a different sort of animal. It creates a server out of the computer you use, and many users don't necessarily even know it," Zink said.
The Napster method is more efficient and reliable compared to MP3-providing web sites such as MP3.com or MP3yes.com, where finding a song and actually beginning a download can take multiple tries.
The ability of Napster to allow uploads and downloads simultaneously and the sheer popularity of the software on college campuses across the nation is why so many universities have taken the same steps as UNR and placed blocks on Napster. According to ABCNews.com, more than 60 universities nationwide have banned Napster due to network clogging problems.
Excite.com reported that Napster is currently in contact with about 20 uninversities regarding ways to lessen the blow Napster has caused on campus networks.
"Nobody ever wanted Napster to get in the way of educational traffic. That certainly wasn't our intention," said Elizabeth Brooks, Napster vice president of marketing.
Not all are affected
Some Napster users on the UNR campus haven't been affected by the ban because they are not connected to the campus network. Rather they use slower modems and the phone lines in their dorms.
"I have AOL on my computer with a 33.6 modem and it takes me an average of 25 minutes to download a song," said Todd Jewett, a freshman living in Nye Hall. "So far I have about 120 songs."
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UNR Dorm resident Todd Jewett using the Napster software to download music Photo by Brian Vance |
Jewett said that even though the Napster block does not affect him, he has a friend in Canada Hall who is not able to use Napster because her Internet connection is through the campus network.
"I would be very unhappy if all of sudden I was not able to download music from Napster any more," Jewett said.
Jewett said that even though he does not have the proper technology to put his downloaded music files onto CD he has friends in Nye Hall that do, and as soon as he figures out how to use the technology he will make custom CDs with his music files.
Breaking the law
This brings us to the other headline-making-issue Napster is dealing with. Many of the files transferred on Napster are in direct violation of copyright laws. Yet, it is almost impossible to enforce the few laws that exist for digital media, because of the number of personal computers that exist today. With the proper software like Music Match Jukebox, any copyrighted music CD can be converted into digital form and compressed into an MP3 and made available to all Napster users. Because of this that the Recording Industry Association of America is suing Napster.
Napster was designed to help independent musicians get their music distributed, but, according to Salon.com, the reality is that most people use Napster to download the latest pop songs they hear on the radio. In theory, anyone with a $200 CD recorder, a recordable CD, and a fast Internet connection can make their own copy of the latest Backstreet Boys CD in less than an hour. It is this scenario that has the RIAA and the 11 record companies it represents upset.
If Napster survives its lawsuit and continues to help college campuses effectively allow the software to be used, it very well may carve itself a niche in the timeline of computer history.
Posted March 4, 2000
Copyright 2000 Nevada Outpost
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