Contested Codes: The Social Construction of Napster
本文分析Napster软件问世5年来，其不同解读如何在法律、商业和公众认知中被接受或边缘化，为理解技术与社会互动提供背景。
In the 5 years since its inception, some interpretations of the software program known as Napster have been inscribed into laws, business plans, and purchasing decisions while others have been pushed to the fringes. This article examines how and why certain assumptions about Napster have gained greater currency while others have not. Our analytical approach involves an examination of discourse about Napster in several arenasâlegal, economic, social, and culturalâand is informed by a conceptualization of Napster as an ongoing encounter between, rather than the accomplishment of, inventor(s), institution(s), and interest(s). While we recognize the value of empirical examinations of Napster's impact on firms and markets, as well as the proscriptive advice which it supports, we opt here for providing a contextualized understanding of the technology that complements rather than substitutes for empirical analyses of it.