![]() StreamCast asserts that it continued to operate the Morpheus network using Gnutella with few users until February, 2004, when it added the ability for its users to also connect to the eDonkey and G2 P2P networks. Thus, while many users allegedly returned to Morpheus on its re-launch in March, 2002, they rapidly became frustrated and "swung away" to Kazaa or later new entrants. StreamCast asserts that it finally settled on Gnutella, which used "broadcast query algorithm rather than super nodes," causing it to be slower to respond to user searches than FastTrack. StreamCast alleges that it attempted to revive its Morpheus network and regain its former market share by promptly search for a new file-sharing program. StreamCast further argues that the increase in the Sharman/Kazaa user base created a "networks effect" momentum "that no other P2P market, company, technology or network was able to match," in a way that Sharman/Kazaa "achieved undeniable world dominance of the file-sharing market." ![]() ![]() "Overnight," StreamCast's entire user base of more than 28 million people was "funneled" to defendant Sharman Networks, which had recently acquired the FastTrack technology from Kazaa.Īt rock bottom, StreamCast asserts that the transfer of the FastTrack technology from Kazaa to Sharman was in violation of the March, 2001 license agreement, which allegedly provided StreamCast with a right of first refusal in the purchase of FastTrack and any other Kazaa assets. The complaint alleges that StreamCast continued to operate the Morpheus FastTrack network with success until February, 2002, when Kazaa and others activated a hidden "disabling" feature within the FastTrack software, which effectively shut down the network. It is alleged that this allowed end users to search for, find, and download almost any type of digital file over the Internet. In April, 2001, StreamCast allegedly began distributing the FastTrack software publicly under the brand name Morpheus. Specifically, StreamCast alleges that in March, 2001, it entered into a license agreement with defendant Kazaa for the rights to a P2P software application called FastTrack. ![]() While these federal claims have been deemed to lack merit, StreamCast has leave to file other claims in state court.Īccording to StreamCast's most recent complaint, it seeks relief resulting from "an elaborate over-seas shell game" that was designed "to steal and wrongfully profit from technology that rightfully belongs to StreamCast." A federal judge in Los Angeles has just dismissed the antitrust claims of StreamCast Networks, a peer-to-peer software vendor, against Skype Technologies, a successful Internet company, and other defendants. ![]()
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