Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms: Napster
Napster
a company founded in 1999 to provide person-to-person sharing of MP3 music files. Instead of storing files in a central repository, Napster allowed any user to share music files anonymously with anyone else who wanted them. The resulting network traffic created temporary but serious overloads at some colleges and universities.
Napster's file sharing system was shut down by court order in 2001 (A&M Records vs. Napster). Napster now provides a service where users can obtain unlimited legal access to over one million songs in return for a monthly subscription fee.Web address: www.napster.com/.
