Napster Says It's All Confused
Music & MP3
3/22/2001; 8:57:38 AM

Certain people's chortling about how Napster could suddenly filter their music was premature; technology didn't magically make a leap allowing Napster to do the impossible and now, right on schedule, Napster's having trouble filtering the files:

'While song-swapping through Napster has dropped sharply since the company began policing its system, the file-swapping service reported Wednesday that it's having difficulty complying with a court order requiring it to remove copyright material....

'But the company, in court documents made public Wednesday, said it has received "hundreds of thousands of inaccurate file names that do not correlate to the artist and title," making it hard to comply with the order.'

What the saddest part?

'The Recording Industry Association of America has said some inaccurate file names may have been submitted, but dismissed Napster's haggling over particulars as an attempt to buy more time.'

Or, to paraphrase, 'People whos sole experience with computers involves typing legal briefs dismissed Napster's (populated by some smart people) realization that it is impossible, even in theory, to filter as required by the court as a mere tactic.'  I'm so glad that technical possibility has no bearing on these issues... really clarifies things, if you ask me.