StreamCast quickly released a wholly new version of its software based on open-source Gnutella technology, but the company's popularity never recovered. However, StreamCast had licensed its file-swapping technology from the same Amsterdam-based developers that created the Kazaa software, and a licensing dispute ultimately ended with the Morpheus network going dark almost overnight. As people fled Napster's service in 2001, Morpheus became the most popular replacement for people looking for a new way to swap files. Originally launched as Music City, and as a streaming-media company, StreamCast later launched the Morpheus file-swapping application. The two sides-the peer-to-peer companies and the Recording Industry Association of America-are meeting with the judge to determine what the most efficient way forward will be, RIAA President Cary Sherman said Tuesday.Įven by the unsettled standards of file-swapping businesses, StreamCast Networks and Morpheus have ridden a roller coaster of change over the last few years. The appeals process remains somewhat unclear, since the ruling was made on a summary judgment motion, or request to dismiss the suit. As long as the companies simply distribute software, and don't actively participate in linking uploaders and downloaders, they are shielded from liability in the same way manufacturers of VCRs or copy machines are protected, Judge Stephen Wilson ruled. StreamCast's quick announcements mark the first of what is likely to be a string of similar reactions from a rejuvenated peer-to-peer community collectively rejoicing over its first legal win in the United States.Īlthough Friday's court decision is sure to be appealed by the recording industry and movie studios one way or another, it appeared to be a clear defense of the legality of decentralized file-swapping services. It really allows us to come out of the shadows and move the way we'd always wanted to." The ruling "allows us to expand the company, and perhaps reach out to artists who would like to directly connect with users. The announcement came just days after a federal judge made a surprise ruling that StreamCast was not liable for copyright infringement that took place using its software, giving the struggling company a new lease on life. StreamCast, which saw most of its top executive staff depart last month, said Wednesday that Weiss had returned to the helm, and that it would release a wholly new version of its file-trading software May 1. StreamCast Networks' Morpheus, once the Net's most popular file-swapping software, is being reborn yet again with new technology, and StreamCast also has a new CEO: Former Chief Executive Michael Weiss.
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