Sharman Networks is having a lot more than its day in court.

On the heels of filing an amended counterclaim alleging anticompetitive behavior and unfair business practices by entertainment industry players, it's now suing the RIAA - - -

- - - for copyright infringement.

"The federal lawsuit filed this week accuses the companies of using unauthorized versions of Kazaa software in their efforts to snoop out users," says channel4000here.

An unnamed RIAA suitperson apparently called Sharman's "newfound admiration for the importance of copyright law" ironic and "self-serving," says the report.

(Thanks for the pointer, Directive : )

Want to know something even more scary?

Sharman is going to pull it off.

The Kazaa software IS copyrighted in similar fashions as everything else. Talk about a "court-land backfire."

Good, I think the bast*rds should take some of their own medicine and see how they like frivilous lawsuits filed on them... F*cking B*astards!

The "Champion of Copyright", the "rightous" RIAA used _unathorized_ software to hunt down all those "horrible" pirates?!? Judge Wayne fines the RIAA $150,000 for each file transfered and sentances each RIAA member to the same amount of time as Jungle Mike gets!
Boycott continues

This just keeps getting weirder and wilder!!! But what a ride!!!

Maybe Sharman will win and the RIAA will be destroid for their conviction. Something good to come form KaZaA, Now that's a first.

This is to funny, I dont use kazaa, but I hope they take the RIAA to the bank.
Now wouldn't that be funny, if kazaa ended up owning all their music after words.

OH and RIAA guess what we get to call you thieves now, naughty naughty.

Ah, so that's why Kazaa filed infringement charges against Kazaalite in the first place. Now they have some other claims to use as precedence against the RIAA for using "illegal" software.

Does anyone know the status of the first suit against Kazaalite?

Hmm, we just might like the way this one turns out. If nothing else, this will force some of the RIAA's bought-and-paid-for lawmakers to act one way or the other.

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Truth is still Truth, and always will be.

what goes around comes around. Not that I'm a huge fan of Kaza but this is great. woodhead you are 100%correct. How dare those crooks, pirates and theives STEAL unauthroized verisions of Kaza software to sue it's customers without paying. they are depriving the copywright holders of Kaza from profiting from their creative works. shame shame.

It's a cruel, cruel world when you wake up and find out that Godd and Evill aren't black and white, they are Shades Of Gray.

Oh and,
Paging Dr. Irony!
Paging Dr. Irony!
You're needed in surgery
You're needed to remove Cary Sherman's head from his own ass.

:typos: Good

Riaa is hopefully getting what's coming to them. A swift kick in the groin.

This is WAY better then TV

I'm waiting for the steel cage match.

Yes, it is.

This is better than tv.

This is like watching your favorite football team and their rivals in the first row on the 50, and we're winning.

Hail Mp3!!!

It's ABOUT TIME! HAHA
DIE RIAA!!

this is better than T.V.

Sharman is self serving?

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

HAHAHAHA! I'm gonna go have a beer! Eat shit RIAA!

LMAO!!!!

go kazaa! i thought that you once were the devil, but now i praise you!

-Doom to the RIAA Bastards!

LOLOLOL

Hey RIAA... HOW TO SUE....D???

heres a question in theory if sharman wins the copyright infrigement case then the riaa is then obtaining evidence ileagly correct? does that mean previous lawsuits will be turned over?

I think the RIAA just got punk'd!

I see it this way, kazaa is loosing customers from the RIAA suit, so why not bite back.

The RIAA points out Sharman as having a "new self-serving admiration" for copyright law.

Compared to the RIAA, who apparently no longer considers copyright law to be anything important.

The RIAA has opened up all of our eyes to the world under their DMCA. Kazaa is now fighting the good fight and protecting owners of intellectual property from harm.

Shame on you, RIAA, for showing complete and utter disregard for copyright law.


Shame on you Cary-Sue

Everytime Cary-Sue & friends use Kazaa Lite, they are stealing directly out of the wallets of those employed by Sharman Networks.

Don't they know that this is just as bad as ripping it off from a store?

Shame on you, Cary-Sue.
Breaking the law is breaking the law. I thought you knew that.

I believe this is why the RIAA did not let the media/public know specifically how they were going after file-sharers... what goes around, comes around.

Hey . . . every time I try to contact the webmaster(s) on this site, I get "Sorry, you come from the wrong place!" . . or the e-mail just fails.

All I wanted to do was share my ideas for promoting the boycott. What gives?

err, i mean when they first announced that they were going after people.

Talk about SLAM-DUNK! LOL PEPE

This is a very fun thing to watch- and it effects all of us in the end! I think Sharman Networks does have a case. Any use of a modified version of their proprietary technology is, in fact, copyright infringement.

Oops, I mean piracy.

Oops, I mean theft.

How the F does the RIAA get to call someone else "self-serving"? This comeing from an ASSociation that so far has sued hundreds of people, including a 12 year old and a rapping grandmother that has a mac that defies the laws of computer programming code because it is able to run programs made for non-mac OS's. If the RIAA sues people for "copyright infringement", and then has the odassidy (balls) to call another company "self-serving" because they are infringing on that companies copyrighted program, thay are a bigger hypocrite than Clinton.

0==={}//////////////////

I honestly don't know how much credibility this lawsuit has.

Nonetheless ... it goes to show that the copyright laws are in serious need of a major revamp. And even if the U.S. Congress had the sense to go back to the copyright terms of 14+14 years, there is no way that the Kazaa proprietary software would now be in the public domain.

Go get em' Kazaa!

SUCKERS!

Boys, I think we should each get a bottle of champagne. This lawsuit will take a while, and in a few months when it comes to its most awesome ending, we should all throw a party in DC.

But will it slow down the RIAA sueing machine?

did u notice that practically all the riaa members r old farts???

See. when you do something like this. it will come around and bite you in the ass!

DOWN WITH RIAA!

I see you are playing with my Transformer...ahh isn't that sweet now give it back before I CHOP YOUR HEAD OFF!

Have they sued any users from P2Ps other than KaZaA? Doesn't look like it so far. To echo someone else...does this mean that these cases could be postponed, or thrown out? Could the fact that RIAA used illegal means to sue these people be used as a defense? Just wondering...HOORAY FOR OUR SIDE. Long live P2P. Glad to see them get some of their own medicine! I know this is only one battle in a long war. But all the same, WOOHOO!!!! Excuse me, I'm going to gp dance in the street! (and then download some more !)

this is so glorious, it would be nice to see codewarrior's comment on this issue. play with fire and evetually you'll get burned. :}

Anybody notice in the full article it says: "The lawsuit also claims efforts to combat piracy on Kazaa violated terms for using the network." I've been wondering how long it would take for that to appear in the mainstream media. I'll refrain from putting my exclamations of joy here as I'm trying to watch the language

To make this all the more fun I think that ALL the P2P Companies that have been used to sue people sue them as well...Hmmm

Contact them and have them throw their hat into the ring as well.

And we might as well rewrite our congressmen and presidental canidates about this nonsense. This problem SHOULD be a major issue on the election campaign.

KaZaA, the banana peel on the RIAA business track, the tripwire in their halls of justice, and...dare I say it, the Tron* program of our system, is now doing something great and mighty, while being quite funny in the process.

*If you haven't seen Tron, go see it. You'll know what I'm talking about then.

as to quote a video:
"nice catch there nino blanco, but too bad your ass got saaaaaacked."
ah... those gi joe vids kick so much ass.

Unfortuneatly, Tron is a Disney Movie.

Buy it used.

BTW anyone have the address of the Supreme Court on hand?

I know it'll probably never happen, but wouldn't it be great if Kazaa not only won, but was able to get an injuction forbidding the RIAA and affiliates from ever using Kazaa. At the very least, if the TOS violation claim sticks they should be able to force them to stop collecting evidence against file-sharers using Kazaa.

Well, I can dream can't I....

I know it'll probably never happen, but wouldn't it be great if Kazaa not only won, but was able to get an injuction forbidding the RIAA and affiliates from ever using Kazaa. At the very least, if the TOS violation claim sticks they should be able to force them to stop collecting evidence against file-sharers using Kazaa.

Well, I can dream can't I....

"It would be nice to see CodeWarrior's comment on this issue."

Ah, yes. It would be good to have Code back.
I know that a website administrator had said something like people come and people go, but the mission continues . . .
However, I just want to offer the perspective that Code is one of a kind, and things just aren't the same without him! I'm sure I'm not alone in wistfully lamenting our loss in that regard.

Oops, sorry for the double post. I don't even know how it happened.

i've been here for about 7 months but don't post much, what happened to CodeWarrior?

Just got this from afterdawn.com. It appears RIAA actually tweaked the program as well.

"Sharman Networks, the makers of the file sharing application Kazaa, have sued RIAA for copyright infrigement. RIAA is distributing versions of Kazaa Lite with embedded warning messages to potential infringers."

So they basically took an unauthorized program, unauthorized it some more, then spread it. Nice. Real nice.

Seems to me that nailedshut's point should be correct, if the RIAA was using an unauthorized program to connect then the evidence gathered should NOT be allowed. Hypocatical of the RIAA to not obey laws they pushed thur. Die you greedy dinosaur, die

In-Flames:

Big soap-opera kind of deal. Words exchanged, feelings hurt and hopefully he'll be back.

Yeah...I've been busy with Isabel....
where's Code?

I just wonder what the history books will say about this. I wonder how long it will take before it's printed up in new versions.

ahh okay, thanks Uretha901

So, the meek strike back!

("big music") got so caught up in it's jihad that they left the door open for little ole KAZAA to bite them in the arse. The irony in this is so thick you could cut it with the cd you use as a rear view mirror ornament.

I hope KAZAA not only wins this suit, but also gets the suits dropped and reimbuses the poor people who have settled with those money whores.

5,789 downloads and counting.

i've been here for about 7 months but don't post much, what happened to CodeWarrior

take a look in the forums. We do miss him, and one day he may return.

his email is there also. Code you rock!!!!!!!

hrm, i didnt know he managed this site also

Code warrior seems to be writing a web page at the moment http://codewarrior.50mb.org/. If you need information on Code, there is a forum thread dedicated on this page - http://www.boycott-riaa.com/forums/CodeWarriors-Forum/

COde and I have been talking--he's doing great. He is moderating a yahoo forum right now. I don't know if he'll be back, he's kinda bitter right now!

ILUVELPEES, could you tell me the link to the yahoo forum where Code is moderating? TIA.

SCORE!!!! Time and time again, the RIAA shows its true colors. It would tickle me pink if they win this lawsuit... and I believe they have a strong case here. Using an unauthorized program to spy on potential law-breakers???? What were you guys thinkin, anyway? And the whole 'sue em all' attitude is only going to hurt in the long run..... It is my dream that the music industry one day diversifies, and starts putting out good, thought provoking music again, instead of the crap I wouldn't download even if it was legal. But since quality has to go up and prices down at the same time, it is an unlikely situation, as the RIAA doesn't really care about its consumers.

Oh how the worm turns! This is great news to be hearing! Go Sharman! Go Kazaa! I doubt that the suit will end up costing the RIAA enough to force it's bankruptcy, but it will show the world that the RIAA is not the 800lb Gorilla they would like everyone to think they are!

I think this is great!

I do have a fear or concern though, (not to rain on the parade) but if they end up not being able to use the software without license, and lets assume that Sharman networks will never grant them one, then would they be able to use the information they have already collected on users against them?

Also, what if the courts did find that the RIAA had to cease using the kazaa software to gather evidence? Would they then try to attack users connected to the network directly? Is that legal?

I think that perhaps some of the people getting sued, or that are in the cross-hairs of the RIAA, should file a class action lawsuit against the RIAA for violation of privacy, illegal evidence gathering, illegal wiretapping, and fraud.

MrOop, you have some legal experience - and you give honest answers, what are your thoughts about what i just proposed? Would any of that fly in court? if you think not, why? if you think maybe, why?



- Jolly Roger.

An unnamed RIAA suitperson apparently called Sharman's "newfound admiration for the importance of copyright law" ironic and "self-serving," says the report.

--------------

Well, this remark by the unamed RIAA affiliate is pretty irrelevent. As I understand it, Kazaa isn't responsible for what users do with their software. In fact, of all the lawsuits being filed by the RIAA, the ones against those who invented the file-sharing software are the most rediculous. As rediculous as if, say, the RIAA were to sue all the producers and distributers of home VCR machines, because they invented "the facilitation of copyright infringement by private customers."

...Never mind that Sony has had it's own snazzy line of VCR's and blank VHS's which, using the RIAA's logic, would find them in the middle of these same "theft" accusations.

Meanwhile, note that no major companies have been knocking on the doors of NEITHER VCR companies or the millions of N. Americans OWNING VCR's to distribute supoenas for using these machines to tape and share favourite shows broadcasted on television (but I think they at one point tried it, right?....So much for that).

Lastly, to reiterate what has been repeated several times already:

Pot -----> Kettle -----> Black.



~EazyR.

I was hopeful when the news first came out, but I might just reserve my opinions until I see it actually happen. Things have been moving so fast lately, and the news gets more bizarre each time I check here, that nothing surprises me any more.

Remember, Kazaa was in negotiations with the RIAA to cut a deal for legal file sharing. If this is just a ploy to force the RIAA's hand, it may mean nothing for the p2p community. I don't give Kazaa a lot of points for humanitarianism yet. Money talks loudly, and Kazaa may yet just drop it all if they get a sweet enough deal. I would like nothing better than to see Kazaa drop kick the RIAA's punks clean across whatever courtroom they end up in, but we'll have to wait and see.

As for the RIAA attacking people directly, I have to wonder about all the port scans I've seen in my router logs lately. Bear in mind that I have *zero* p2p apps installed, much less running, and we have *zero* files of any type shared on any network. I have been getting hits on ports listed for Kazaa, Gnutella, and iMesh. Anyone care to shed some light on that? I'm not sure if it means anything, or it's just random activity. I'm also seeing tons of blaster, cracker, and subseven scans as well.

Oh The irony of it all!

=P
DOWN DOWN RIAA!!!

WE INFRINGE UPON YOU SHAMELESSLY!

-Devan-

The bigger they are, the harder they fall

Hey RIAA! Need a towel to wipe the egg of your face?

LetLightShine
Code moderates the http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Anti_RIAA_Cental/ group...and also, has mirrored his new site at:
http://www.geocities.com/codewarrior_wins/
as well as
http://codewarrior.50mb.org

He has a cool proxy article up today...
NEWay...I think it is...I always learn something from his articles...

-bulkeraser
"making blanks out of ones and zeros"

Ironic...

Since Code isn't here, I'll put my two cents in on this whole mess...

IF Kazaa does find that the RIAA did use modified versions of it's program to find and identify file-sharers, under the DMCA, the RIAA could be held liable (very ironic at that).

Also, IF the RIAA is found to have used the said "illegal programs" in it's efforts to identify such wrongful file-sharers to file suit against them, those suits would be in heavy question since the methods that they used to aquire the information (I.P.'s) was illegal. Their whole case structure could be on the immenent collapse track, since no court will honor evidence submitted in an "unauthorised" way.

Sharman Networks seems to be taking their stance that not only is K-Lite illegal, but what the RIAA did to their program is illegal as well.

Stay tuned folx, this could be an interesting turn of events, and a possible and potential PR nightmare for the RIAA if the public finds out the RIAA was indeed using "illegal" tactics.

I just can't stop laughing over this, this is almost more interesting than porn.........almost.

oh yeah way to go, steal my thunder guys....lol

I have a detailed article in the general chat forums if anyone is interested in reading....

I think RIAA is now pwned

I wonder if they could also sue BayTSP, media defender, and those other companies that the RIAA are paying off using some type of bots.

"Woe unto thee, scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!!"

Now remove the scribes part and insert RIAA. Whaddaya know, the sentance still works.

I have to agree with Nova1269, and as a friend of mine from another forum would say.... pwned!!

AverageConsumer... your right, I have been getting port scans on my router also on this machine. I don't have any p2psoftware on this machine or network. My downloading is thru a machine on a large network using wireless technology. They are port scanning a variety of cable and DSL providers. Another interesting tid-bit, my activity light on my cable modem is lit almost continuosly as are other accounts on this provider.

Hehe, I find that very hilarious.

BrandonH, if I'm not mistaken, the terms of use contain a clause that specifically forbids the use of Kazaa's software and/or networks for profit. If I'm correct about this, then I would say Kazaa has an excellent case against Bay TSP, etc. Actually I think they would have an even stronger case against the flunkies since they made a profit from the unlicensed use of Kazaa's software/networks. Then again, I'm not a lawyer...

Wow... The RIAA are complete Sh*theads to think they could get away with the same thing that they are suing Sharman Networks , ISP's, and normal people for. I think we should take every member of the RIAA and poke holes in every one of them until they bleed so much they die...... but thats just my personal opinion....

Seriously though... KaZaA and Sharman Networks have a strong case here...and if they win... Bye Bye RIAA Lawsuits