Downloading program starts today

Professors who already have to compete with students’ laptops and CD players now must battle the newest wave of campus distractions: the iPod nation.

Starting today, Ruckus Network, Napster, Rhapsody and Cdigix — four music downloading providers — will help students put their holiday gifts to good use. The providers will begin unlimited, live service for students who live in UNC housing.

Ruckus Network’s service alone provides 2.5 million minutes of indie and top-label music as well as a variety of films for legal downloading.

“We’re really excited with the level of contact we’ve had with students and the University,” said Josh Weiner, spokesman for Ruckus Network.

Typically, music downloading services have made dramatic price cuts when partnering with colleges across the country.

Matt Graves, spokesman for Rhapsody, said the service usually charges $9.95 a month per customer, but college partnerships can reduce that cost to $2 or $3.

“We’re really committed to the college market,” Graves said.

Today, students living in campus housing will receive an e-mail from the UNC-system Office of the President notifying them that the services will be up and running, said Tom Warner, director of coordinated technology management for the system.

The trial period, covered by the Office of the President, extends until April 30. Students will have the ability to look at all four online services and then make a decision as to which program they would like to use for the semester.

The only setback is a one- to 24-hour waiting period needed for the service provider to fully process each student’s account, Warner said.

In the e-mail, students will receive login information for the specific Web sites, where they then will select the University as their home base for system operation.

While cost is an important factor, individual choice is the true focus of the pilot programs, Warner said.

Representatives from each of the services will be available on campus Wednesday to answer questions and concerns.

“Each of the four services has prepared their own materials,” said Jeanne Smythe, director of ITS computing policy.

After the pilot ends, students will be able to make CDs of the music they would like to purchase and keep beyond the allotted time period.

The future of music downloading will require further trial and error. A choice will have to be made in the near future as to full implementation of a campuswide system that would be added to student fees.

“The market has been changing so analytically,” said Warner. “What we want to look at is whether the demand is there and what kind of business model students will like.”

Despite the uncertainty of future use, the current setup allows for open questions and change.

“This is a pilot, and we’re trying to learn from this," Smythe said. "It’s an opportunity for all of us.”

Contract the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.