Students find file-sharing options

Numerous students can be seen listening to their iPods to make the trek across campus seem a little bit shorter. With thousands of songs to choose from to store in this new gadget, the question still remains as to from where these songs are coming.\nAccording to the Recording Industry Association of America's Web site, there has been an increase in awareness about the law and the legal online alternatives to downloading music in the past year.\nThe RIAA has cracked down on file-sharing on college campuses with subpoenas issued to 10 colleges for students' names that have been excessively sharing files, according to a USA Today report. \nBut eight universities from across the country have been working with Napster, the popular downloading service, to provide discounted music to their students. Students at University of Southern California, University of Rochester, Pennsylvania State University, Wright State, University of Miami, Middlebury College, George Washington University and Cornell University all have been given the privilege of legally downloading thousands of songs from the comforts of their dorm rooms or sorority and fraternity houses. \nWith a flat rate of $20 a year, as well as paying $.99 per song, Napster executives predict by late fall, 150,000 students nationwide will have access to this program.\nBut why do other schools get to join the file-sharing party, while IU students haven't been extended an invitation?\nIt's quite simple, said Mark Bruhn, chief IT security and policy officer.\n"The general impression is that students have not been interested in (a file-sharing agreement)," Bruhn said. "If there is a specific technology service that many students are wanting, they tend to submit comments and queries, and so far, we haven't seen any of that related to file-sharing services." \nAttempting to connect to the student body about this issue further, Bruhn, along with Dean of Students Richard McKaig, asked members of the student government to try and find out how interested IU students are in this service. \nAfter receiving only a few responses, the main reaction from the students was this type of service was not necessary at the moment. \nBut some students still feel they would benefit greatly from this program.\n"I think it would be worth it to have a deal with Napster for sure, and I think a lot of people would agree," freshman Sandy Reitman said. "Since I have a Mac and can get away with file-sharing a lot more frequently, I don't know if I would use it unless it was truly worth it, but it is definitely worth a shot."\nMany students such as Reitman still download frequently, dismissing the warnings that they might get caught. In the past year, IU has been obligated to release the names of five students because of being targeted by file-sharing lawsuits.\nSophomore Julie Bobilya said one way to avoid getting caught is to disable other users on the IU system from obtaining songs from your computer. She believes this is one way students can escape the consequences of the RIAA. \n"I don't download hundreds of songs and then share them with everyone on campus, so I am not afraid of getting caught," Bobilya said. "I think as long as you don't allow other people to get songs from you, you shouldn't really have to worry about it." \nEven though IU doesn't hand out free iPods to every incoming freshman like Duke University, Bruhn said the administration is doing everything it can to encourage creative uses of technology in education and campus life, as well.\nAnd as for the future of file-sharing alternatives on campus, Bruhn said students will be offered options to appease their file-sharing obsessions.\n"We want to expose our students to various legitimate online music and movie services, so my office with (University Information and Technology Services) is working with the Sony-led Campus Action Network to hold a digital music fair at (IU) in the fall, where music companies will display their offerings," Bruhn said, "after which students can decide for themselves if one of those will fit their needs, and their budget, or not."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsey Fox at lbfox@indiana.edu.