Classicmag.net

From: Clint Wolff <vaxman_at_uswest.net>
Date: Sun Aug 13 10:14:16 2000

Hi,

Napster doesn't allow the distribution of files which aren't mp3's.
They apparently check the internal format and balk otherwise. There
is a program called wrapster which will take ANY file, and make it
into an mp3 good enough to fool napster.

That being said, it looks like napster is going to either go away,
or be forced into a much more active stance on copyright protection.
There are alternate decentralized sharing program which are not
concerned with file types, such as gnutella (www.gnutty.co.uk?) for
example.

The major disadvantage of such a scheme is the danger of 'losing' a
large portion of the database because not enough people are archiving
it. A better solution is to hang four 40Gb IDE drives off a PC running
*nix, and serve them up with HTTP or FTP (or NFS if you want to live
dangerously).

This is my plan for the DEC fiche (and other documentation) I am
planning to scan. A simple web page on uswest.net with links to
the actual files on my home machine through DSL. I haven't yet
decided on an access control system, probably something simple
like username: classiccmp, password: DECrulez! <grin>

Depending on storage and bandwidth requirements, I would volunteer
to mirror some or all of the magazine database as well.

clint

PS Cirrus stock closed at 27 1/2 so I'm buying a fiche scanner!!!

On Sun, 13 Aug 2000, Brian Mahoney wrote:

<sNipster>

> Re: distribution. Why not tag a ride on the coattails of Napster? Once each
> of us gets enough stuff scanned, we could rename the files .mp3 and use
> Napster to distribute them. Want Tpug June '83? Search for tpug683.mp3 and
> change it to .pdf once you get it. I think you get the picture...

<\sNipster>
Received on Sun Aug 13 2000 - 10:14:16 BST