Despite the ruckus that has been caused by the vocal frustration some students have expressed toward Ruckus — the software which allows Princeton students to electronically access over 2.1 million songs free of charge — the service makes a positive contribution to student life and should not be suspended. Student complaints about Ruckus center around its incompatibility with Apple computers and the inability of students to download music onto portable music devices without paying a fee. While efforts should be made to address these issues, Ruckus brings the majority of Princeton students new benefits at no cost to either those who can or cannot currently use the service.
Some users of Apple computers seem to believe that Ruckus discriminates against them because they are being excluded from a service for which they indirectly pay. This is a misconception. In reality, because neither the University nor the student government is paying for the service — Ruckus claims to meet costs through advertising revenue — a majority of the student body can enjoy the service at no cost to the students who cannot use it.
According to the USG, there is at present neither a similar service nor a feasible alternative that would allow students with Apple computers to download music legally and free of charge. Along similar lines, while it would be nice if songs downloaded via Ruckus free of charge could be put on a digital music device, there is no provider that has offered to make this service available at no cost to students.
Given these facts, there are those who feel that even if Ruckus is free, the University should not provide a service which excludes a significant portion of the student body. Taken to its logical extreme, the argument asserts that Princeton should not provide any service that fails to immediately benefit all students. In reality, however, few would argue against the many services currently offered by the University which only benefit those with the capacity to take advantage of them. Wireless Internet, for example, cannot be accessed by students who lack computers with wireless cards.
We encourage the USG to continue searching for feasible alternatives to Ruckus that will address student concerns. For the time being, however, we see no compelling reason for the University to terminate its relationship with Ruckus when the service provides the majority of students with a positive experience without harm to others.
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