At least three renowned universities have decided against banning the use of the popular Napster digital music file-swapping software on their college campuses.

At least three renowned universities have decided against banning the use of the popular Napster digital music file-swapping software on their college campuses. Duke University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently rejected a request by lawyers for some major music artists to halt the use of Napster. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) also has declined to impose a ban. Howard King, a Los Angeles attorney who represents heavy metal band Metallica and rap star Dr. Dre, sent letters earlier this month to about a dozen prominent educational institutions asking campus administrators to restrict access to Napster. Similar legal pressure led to Yale University's decision to ban Napster from its networks earlier this year. College students, many of whom have access to high-speed connections on campus, are believed to be the biggest fans of Napster's file-swapping service, which allows people to find and download popular song titles for free. Last year, usage was so heavy on some university computers that systems administrators blocked access to Napster to relieve bandwidth congestion. Critics of Napster, including the recording industry, cite legal rather than technical considerations in calling for a ban on the service. They contend that the company's service and other similar technologies facilitate widespread copyright abuses and the illegal replication and distribution of music. The Recording Industry Association of America sued Napster over its service and won a preliminary injunction this summer that could shut down the music site. That order, which has been stayed temporarily pending an appeal, could take effect by early next month if the judges reviewing the case refuse to throw it out.