Morpheus

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Morpheus was a file sharing and searching peer to peer client for Microsoft Windows, developed and distributed by the company StreamCast, that originally used the OpenNAP protocol, but later supported many different peer-to-peer protocols. On April 22, 2008, distributor StreamCast Networks filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after a long legal battle with music companies; all of their employees were laid off and the official download at www.morpheus.com stopped being available, though for a small period the website remained online. As of October 29, 2008 the official Morpheus website is offline, including all other websites owned by StreamCast Networks including Morpheus.com, MusicCity.com, Streamcastnetworks.com and NeoNetwork.com

Download restriction

Currently, Morpheus redirects a user attempting to download unauthorized copyrighted music and movie files to a site with purchase links for music.^{[citation needed]}

Availability

Users of the Morpheus community have set up a website where you are still able to download the Morpheus software, there is also a support forum and support chatroom setup from the site and within the client.

Presence of adware/spyware

The current version of Morpheus, version 5.5.1, contains no adware or spyware, and no additional software is bundled with Morpheus. However, when Morpheus is open and running, the interface contains online ads that support the application.

During installation, an optional peer-to-peer Morpheus Toolbar is offered. Both the Morpheus application and the Morpheus Toolbar are easily uninstalled with Windows Add/Remove Programs commands, however this is not the case with previous versions.

Version 5.3 didn't install adware or spyware, though it did install some Desktop shortcuts to adware websites and the Morpheus Toolbar without user approval.

In popular culture

• Weird Al mentions Morpheus in Don't Download This Song.

External links

• Morpheus 5.2.3
• Morpheus Forum
• MGM v. Grokster case documents
• MGM v. Grokster Ninth Circuit oral argument transcript
• MGM v Grokster Day 1 - Coverage from MP3 Newswire on the first day of the Supreme Court trial.
• Advanced Peer-Based Technology Business Models. Ghosemajumder, Shuman. MIT Sloan School of Management, 2002.
• Morpheus forums (at GnutellaForums.com)