A federal appeals court has ruled that file-sharing software is in fact legal. The panel noted that file-sharing companies simply provide the software for individual users to share information. Therefore, they cannot be held accountable for what users share, be it a word document or copyrighted material.

While developers of file-sharing software are rejoicing about the federal appeals courts ruling, the RIAA and MPAA are steaming mad. This ruling has dealt a serious blow to the two industries, but they have vowed to continue the fight. They have urged a re-examination of the law, and will undoubtedly proceed with an appeal. However, they still face the same old problem : unlike Napster, new file-sharing networks don't have central servers where computer connect to access copyrighted material. This technique makes file-sharing networks like Sharman and Stream cast even harder to shutdown.

If this ruling had not gone through (i.e. the RIAA / MPAA won), several file-sharing developers would have had to face the possibility of further legal action. Right now, those file-sharing developers (Grokster Ltd, Stream cast Networks Inc. and Sharman Networks Ltd.) are in the clear. The situation is such that the RIAA & MPAA won't stop until file-sharing is a thing of the past : read - they'll never stop. Problem is, you can't shut down file sharing networks with legal action.

[Credit: NeoWin.net]

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AMEN to that decision! I don't support downloading music any more, but, I think that decision is true and is a fair representation of everything.

Well, I used to do that when I was on 56Kbps Modem, but when I got broadband, it was wiser to download whole albums.
I haven't downloaded in months. Why? When I bought the remastered versions of 'Countdown to Extinction' and 'Youthanasia' by Megadeth, Dave Mustaine said in a quick blurb something that struck a chord with me. It's the same feeling I had when I first heard CM Punk say "This is straight edge". Now, I'm going straight edge and I'm not downloading music.
The decision is right though. The hosts have no responsibility over what is downloaded...it could be anything from a JPG of a sales graph or the next Busted (God forbid) album with a special DVD of them and those randoms McFly in porn...well, you get my idea.