UK users learn to fall in love with Napster all over again: roll-out wins warm welcome as download service beats Apple to launch.(Downloads)

A week after its launch, the general message board at napster.co.uk looks like it could have been written by the BPI, RIAA and IFPI combined. "I'm going legit!" announces one post. "I'm definately [sic] here to stay!" screams another. "Who needs the likes of Kazaa and Morpheus, to name but a few?" begins the most on-message message of all. "They are full of spyware and so slow! I loved Napster the first time it was around and I still love it!"

A handful of dissenters are also in evidence among the 400-odd general posts, but, for the most part, the haters and anti-corporates seem to have stayed away.

Almost everywhere is love in the music industry too, where the arrival of further substantial players in the download market has been noisily awaited for years. "I can't imagine you will get a negative comment from anybody about this," says Universal director of new media Rob Wells. "From an industry perspective, it is great to see a new service. It is going to be a long hot summer for downloads and it's all good."

BMG head of new media Jon Davis is equally positive. "The service is pretty good and pretty compelling," he says. "When I was using it, I found myself listening to music that I would never have otherwise been exposed to."

The number of tracks downloaded in the first week remains a well-protected secret. Late last week, even the record companies were yet to see sales figures. "We are very pleased with our numbers, but we are just not communicating them at this stage," insists a Napster spokesman.

A suggestion in one quarter that Napster had seen hundreds rather than thousands of users in its first few days stretches credibility somewhat, particularly given a high-profile launch which had the benefit of thorough press, TV ...