The company is credited with creating the file swapping technology called FastTrack that powered KaAaA, Grokster and an early version of Morpheus. The KaZaA site is now owned and operated by Sharman Networks Limited, a company registered in the Pacific island of Vanuatu. Sharman Networks has not been sued – so far.
According to Newsbytes and CNet News, the Dutch company’s court filing accuses the music industry of “Rambo-style litigation.” Recently, Amsterdam’s court of appeals found that KaZaA BV was not liable for the copyright infringements committed by its users. That ruling was being appealed when KaZaA took the decision to throw in the towel. It has asked its opponents for “their terms of surrender,” according to CNet.
According to KaZaA.com, its P2P software has been downloaded almost 82 million times.