Judge: File-swapping tools are legal

save-the-Napster-cat-dep't

[scareduck]

A judge has ruled that file-swapping tools Grokster and Streamcast are not responsible for copyright infringement.

[news.com.com...]

[skibum]

That's encouraging, hope it sticks.

[kevinpate]

it should. the software for peer to peer doesn't intentionally infringe on copyright, it simply allows file transfers, whether those files are Billy's secret sauce being sent to his sister Sue, or whether someone is copying a protected work without authorization.

Blaming peer to peer software is like blaming the handgun for the crime rate. No handgun I've ever seen pointed itself and/or emptied its own clip. It's all a matter of how a tool is used.

[gethan]

Yikes - I don't like the handgun analogy. I see what your saying though - a better analogy is a baseball bat - it has a legitimate use - playing baseball with it... and an illegal use - violent crime - though probably not in the states...

There are also grey areas with file swapping - eg. I have a damaged CD, I use a file swapping network to regain the files and rebuild my software/music - legal or illegal? Depends on the country or the agreement that I took when purchasing the item - did I by a licence for the content or the media?

I'm glad the judge ruled with common sense here - new technologies are going to consistently appear and effect product distribution methods, laws and industries in ways that haven't been forseen. Technology with legitimate uses should not be limited due to possible illegitimate uses...

2 pence... about 3.5c ;)