Think illegal peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services are your only worthwhile options? Think again. There are dozens of legal music and movie subscription services with extensive song and show collections available at reasonable prices – you just need to know where to look. A few of the most popular are iTunes, Napster, and, at this university, Ruckus.

Here are some of the benefits of the Ruckus service:

• Free access to songs in the Ruckus music library, which are available for download and playback on up to two computers
• Social networking features like playlist-sharing, and University of Maryland-specific download popularity lists
• Low-cost subscription programs that allow you to make your downloaded songs portable on a compatible MP3 player
• The option to purchase and permanently own individual tracks for 79-99 cents or full albums for about $9.99 so you can keep your music after graduation or transfer tracks to CDs or MP3 players

The best part about Ruckus is that it is 100 percent legal. Other tempting alternatives – such as underground peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks – are often illegal and can land you in serious trouble if you get caught using one. And unfortunately for you, the likelihood of that happening is becoming more and more plausible. In fact, the university receives Digital Millennium Copyright Act complaints regularly, and has also forwarded nearly 40 "pre-settlement letters" to students from the RIAA. The university can do nothing to protect you should you be charged with copyright infringement (a federal offense). Consequences of such crimes are severe – they range from hefty fines to felony convictions – so please think twice before engaging in online piracy.

Think Ruckus might be just right for you? Visit www.oit.umd.edu/musicservice for more information or for opening an account. You’ll be glad you did!