Poor old Napster may be back on the auction block again before long. Execs told shareholders via e-mail Friday they may be positioning the company for “strategic alternatives” to its current public status.
The company’s board is currently in a state of turmoil. A few activists are trying to run for leadership spots, claiming that the current management isn’t willing to consider a sale and that they would turn things around. Gee, this all sounds awfully familiar …
In any event, Napster brings back fond memories. Its initial incarnation was a huge step in online filesharing — and, regardless of what tiny Danish drummers may think, it opened up the Internet in an exciting new way. Now, though, it’s hard to imagine the site seeing anything in the way of huge success against the music downloading competition.
Poor, poor Napster. We miss our old friend.