Napster

Okay, I know dozens if not hundreds of articles have been written about Napster and their trials and tribulations, but I figured I would add my own two cents.

No matter how you feel about the service, there can be no doubt that Napster has changed the world. In more ways than one, they proved that copyrights are a slippery thing at best, useless pieces of paper at worst.

Napster made a mockery of the concept of copyright - I honestly do not understand why the company was allowed to remain in business. A copyright is a legal ownership of a written (or sung, played, drawn, painted, digitally created and even spoken) creation. It means literally and exactly what it appears to mean - the right to copy. 

The only person who has the right to copy anything which is not in the public domain (a concept which is precisely defined legally) is the owner of the copyright and those that he designates.

Just because someone posts something to a newsgroup does not mean the item is in the public domain. And just because a million people have made illegal copies does not mean they have the right to make those copies. And it certainly does not mean that the copyright owner has given up his rights.

Lots has been said to justify Napster's actions:

• The record companies are making too much money as it is
• Once it's been posted on the internet it is fair game
• People who download music buy more CDs

I could go on and on with all of the justifications for breaking the law that I have read or heard recently. But when you get right down to it, all these statements are just that - justifications. 

The copyright owners have rights also. It's extremely important that those rights be enforced. Otherwise, one of the pillars of our society - the copyright laws - will become weakened. And that would be a shame.