....Joseph Nievelt maintained and deployed a website,www.mtu.flatlan.com, that allowed users to search for files shared on Michigan Technological University's Local Area Network. It appears that www.mtu.flatlan.com used defendant Aaron Sherman's SMB file spider application flatlan, to search and catalogue all "shared" files on computers connected to the MTU's LAN. RIAA accuses Joseph Nievelt of direct and contributory copyright infringement. The explanations of the allegations and links to complaints, resources and the like are terrific, but Rosen's real contribution is in explaining the technology involved with these systems, how they differ from Napster, and how they are similar to technology BUILT RIGHT INTO WINDOWS. This is a must read.

Besides the arbitrary harshness of these suits and the negative PR that should accrue as a result, another foolish aspect of the matter is the betrayal felt by the RIAA's partners, the universities themselves. Why should they help out now?