A file sharing service that in 2003 claimed the record number of total downloads from any Web site (more than 230 million since it went online). Unlike Napster, which provides a central directory of shared files, Kazaa distributes its directories to "supernodes," which are the users' own computers. Supernodes communicate with other supernodes to complete a search. Users with fast computers and connections are automatically made supernodes unless they disallow it. As a supernode, no more than 10% of the CPU power is used.
Free and Paid Content
Supported by advertisers, the Kazaa software enables users to view content available from other users as well as paid content from Altnet, which uses digital rights management (DRM). Although Kazaa encourages users who wish to share content not to share copyrighted material, there is no way to enforce this policy.
A Wild History
Kazaa was founded in 2001 in Amsterdam by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who created the underlying peer-to-peer technology (FastTrack) that was also used to power other services such as Morpheus and Grokster.
The music industry sought to close down the company, and a Dutch court ordered the cessation of software downloads from its site. However, because Kazaa was totally distributed, stopping the software did not prevent existing users from swapping files. In 2002, the Kazaa Web site and logo was sold to Sharman Networks Ltd., which is incorporated on the island of Vanatu near Australia. In 2003, the Dutch Supreme Court proclaimed that the Kazaa service was legal. For more information, visit www.kazaa.com. See peer-to-peer network, Napster and BitTorrent.
Free and Paid Content
Supported by advertisers, the Kazaa software enables users to view content available from other users as well as paid content from Altnet, which uses digital rights management (DRM). Although Kazaa encourages users who wish to share content not to share copyrighted material, there is no way to enforce this policy.
A Wild History
Kazaa was founded in 2001 in Amsterdam by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who created the underlying peer-to-peer technology (FastTrack) that was also used to power other services such as Morpheus and Grokster.
The music industry sought to close down the company, and a Dutch court ordered the cessation of software downloads from its site. However, because Kazaa was totally distributed, stopping the software did not prevent existing users from swapping files. In 2002, the Kazaa Web site and logo was sold to Sharman Networks Ltd., which is incorporated on the island of Vanatu near Australia. In 2003, the Dutch Supreme Court proclaimed that the Kazaa service was legal. For more information, visit www.kazaa.com. See peer-to-peer network, Napster and BitTorrent.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1367 (Windows)
- Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus is a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. Avast includes the following components: On demand scanner with skinnable simple interface, just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the Play button; On access...
- Software downloads 2009-11-25
- Netflix lands Sony PS3 distribution deal; Bolsters streaming footprint
- Ineteresting but...Wont be available in Canada... as Usual.Not even a regular video and TV storeI've read before that a lot of video distribution companies don't want to deal with Canada because of piracy - namely, the center of all piracy in the Western world: the Pacific Mall in Markham.Requires a...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-26
- Ad Muncher 4.8 (Windows)
- Ad Muncher is a powerful advert and popup blocking system for all browsers and advert-displaying programs like ICQ, Morpheus, Kazaa, Grokster, Opera, PalTalk, iMesh, Bearshare, LimeWire, etc. Ad Muncher can be configured to block anything that annoys you, with simple options to block common annoyances like: - Music and sound...
- Software downloads 2009-10-21
- InterGate Policy Manager 9.3.1 (Mac)
- InterGate Policy Manager - A comprehensive Internet access management solution, providing fine grained control of web content access, usage of Peer to Peer, Instant Messaging and Skype networks, logging and reporting of user activity, as well a core IP router and firewall to provide advanced protection to your network. Advanced...
- Software downloads 2009-10-09
- Easy SpaceGuard 1.5.4 (Windows)
- Easy SpaceGuard with Integrated Shredder prevents others from tracking your Internet Web browsing activity. Eliminate wastes from your system by removing temporary files, history files, cache, and other Web browsing activities in:Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Opera Browsers, Microsoft Media Player, RealOne Player, Kazaa, Morpheus, Chat programs, AOL, office applications and...
- Software downloads 2009-10-05
- P2P Share Spy 5.1 (Windows)
- Scan the Internet for computers with shared files. Browse/download files from remote computers all over the world. Can handle any file type: MP3, MPG, AVI, DIVX, JPG. When you use Napster/Kazaa/Morpheus, you can only download files that were shared specifically for that program. Our share finding software allows you to...
- Software downloads 2009-09-29
- Avast Professional Edition 4.8.1351 (Windows)
- Avast 4 Professional Edition is a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit software package for corporate and advanced home use. Avast Professional Edition includes an on demand scanner with two user interfaces, a skinnable simple interface: just select what you want to scan and in...
- Software downloads 2009-08-20
- Let me say it again: Stop sharing music!
- This message is for kids, certainly, college students, and schools. File sharing is bad. I don't care where you stand on the modernization of copyright law - the courts have spoken and now the Department of Justice has spoken. According to a piece in PC Magazine (and...
- Blog posts 2009-08-17
- Skype: The situation now, and the road ahead
- Over recent weeks, the number of doomsday posts in response to the possible shutdown of the Skype service has swamped the web. But what is the problem, what could happen and how can it be fixed? Joltid, the team behind Kazaa, sold Skype in 2005 to eBay...
- Blog posts 2009-08-04
- Tenenbaum verdict: $675K
- OK the the verdict is in. Joel Tenenbaum has been assessed $675,000, or $22,500 per song, for illegally distributing 30 songs via Kazaa, Ars Technica reports. That's not nearly as bad as I had feared, since it's within the realm of "normal" statutory damages (up to $30,000)....
- Blog posts 2009-07-31
- Judge changes her mind: Tenenbaum is liable
- Another day, another crazy turn in the Tenenbaum trial. First Joel admits that he downloaded and uploaded a multitude of songs. So the plaintiffs ask for a directed verdict taking the decision away from the jury on the issue of liability and other issues. Yesterday the judge denied the motion,...
- Blog posts 2009-07-31
- Tenenbaum defense relies on hot air, not facts
- Wacky Harvard Prof. Charles Nesson crumbled a styrofoam box and displayed a "Necker Cube" optical illusion in his opening statement in the Joel Tenenbaum filesharing trial, Ben Sheffner reports from Boston for Ars Technica. That proved apparently that the Internet transformed the quantum of music from...
- Blog posts 2009-07-28
- Judge nixes fair use defense in Tennenbaum filesharing case
- In a last-minute knockout punch, delivered just hours before the latest high-profile RIAA case was scheduled to start, Judge Nancy Gertner denied a fair use defense to Joel Tenenbaum, Ars Technica reports. Tenenbaum had sought to present his fair use theory to the jury but the judge...
- Blog posts 2009-07-27
- News to know: Yahoo's home page; Barnes & Noble; Microsoft's Linux Code; 3G iPod Touch
- Here are today's notable headlines. You can get News To Know via email alert and RSS daily. For continuous updates see BNET's around-the-Web tech coverage. Sam Diaz: Yahoo's new home page: Spending more time in your world Larry Dignan: Barnes & Noble partners with...
- Blog posts 2009-07-21
- With Kazaa, TPB going legit, are illegal downloads over?
- With Kazaa, TPB going legit, are illegal downloads over?Pirate Bay was purchased?I would love to see that business model! All the thieves in jail are polishing up their resumes as we speak. And hey, I have a stack of baseball games on video tape that I recorded without the express...
- Discussion threads 2009-07-20
- With Kazaa, TPB going legit, are illegal downloads over?
- Is it the end of illegal downloading? Hard on the heels of the acquisition of The Pirate Bay by Swedish company Global Gaming Factory, Kazaa has announced it's going legit, too. Read-Write Web notes: For $20 a month, users will be able...
- Blog posts 2009-07-20
- $1.9m verdict is unconstitutional, Thomas-Rasset says
- $1.9m verdict is unconstitutional, Thomas-Rasset saysRasset should just pay the fine because...Jammie Thomas-Rasset should just pay the fine because I have heard that the RIAA is very close to gaining control of the U.S. Justice Dept., and they plan to raise the penalty for infringement of even one song to...
- Discussion threads 2009-07-06
- $1.9m verdict is unconstitutional, Thomas-Rasset says
- While an appeal is likely in the cards, the motion Jammie Thomas-Rasset's lawyers filed today was a request for new trial PDF or for the judge to alter the jury's "shocking" $1.9 million award. Thomas-Rasset's lawyers argued that (1) the jury's verdict of $80,000 per infringed...
- Blog posts 2009-07-06
- Thomas-Rasset to appeal $1.9m verdict
- Jammie Thomas-Rasset will appeal that almost $2 million verdict for having 24 songs available over Kazaa, P2PNet reports. Here's what she told the site: Will they be answered in my favor? I truly hope so because then every other person who has been targeted...
- Blog posts 2009-07-06
- Skype for Windows Mobile 3.0 (Mobile)
- Skype for Pocket PC is free and simple software that enables you to make free calls anywhere in the world with your handheld. Created by the people who brought you Kazaa, Skype uses innovative P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you with other users. It is quick and easy to install...
- Software downloads 2009-06-29
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- The best support in the Linux business
-
If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd better have the best support known to business. Novell was rated the top provider of Linux technical support.
- Learn more >>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Learn more about tools to grow your business
-
The Business Essentials Guide provides you useful tools and templates to help grow your business and save you time with automated shipping solutions.
- Save time with the UPS Business Essentials Guide
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
SmartPlanet
- Thought-provoking progressive ideas on diverse topics that intersect with technology, business, and life, and matter to the world at large. Visit SmartPlanet
- More from IBM
-
- Innovate your business' process model, play against the market, compete against others on our scoreboards and WIN! Try INNOV8 2.0: A BPM Simulator
- Enabling Real-World Business Transformation through IBM Service Management Read the EMA Analyst Report
