The fate of free digital music on campus still hangs in limbo as Penn students begin arriving for the new semester.
Campus leaders promise that students will soon have access to free, legal music - and students are eager to get it.
Ruckus - a music and movie subscription program that will soon be available for all Penn students - is slated to begin operation for all students this fall.
But negotiations between the University and Ruckus remain deadlocked.
Penn technology officials say it is likely to be up and going within the next month.
We've "purchased the servers and we have the marketing plan," Undergraduate Assembly Chairman and Wharton senior Brett Thalmann said. The UA spearheaded the initiative.
"We're just waiting for final approval," he said.
Ruckus allows users to download song and movie files to their computers. However, the files cannot be burned to CD and are not accessible on iPods.
The system is also not compatible with Apple products, so those with Macintosh computers will not able to access it.
According to Bill Kasenchar, - who has coordinated Penn's relationship with Ruckus - a final meeting is scheduled for this week between Ruckus and the University's lawyers.
Kasenchar said that while several issues remain to be resolved, he does not foresee any major problems.
The UA remains decidedly more optimistic, though, that negotiations will be wrapped up quickly. "Negotiations should be finished by late August," said UA treasurer and College junior Sunny Patel, "and the system online by Labor Day."
The UA plans to initiate an e-mail campaign publicizing the music-subscription service.
Members are confident that students will flock to access a legal downloading program.
"I don't think it will be a problem" getting users, a smiling Thalmann said in a recent interview.
Meanwhile, Penn students are still awaiting the chance to download free music.
"I'll definitely try it out," Engineering senior Jim Charatan said. "I've tried other programs, but this sounds like it might be interesting."
