They had until midnight tonight. Wednesday's verdict sent internet junkies on a frenzied rampage to grab music while it lasted. It also spawned public outcry and debates. 60,000 Napster fans had signed a petition promising a music industry boycott if the ruling was put into place. Music artists like Metallica lead the protest against Napster, while artists like Chuck D favored it.

A two-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the company’s request for a stay this afternoon. This means that it'll be business as usual until the case reaches its conclusion. I'm guessing this will go all the way to the supreme court. Until then, cheer the vertict or boo it. Your call.

By the way, Napster is not the only free music joint in town. The newsgroups (alt.music.binaries) have been providing this service for years. There are also a more than a few web providing similar services:

Gnotella
Source Forge