Okay, I'm probably preaching to the choir here. The majority of "illegal" song file sharing will stop when the music industry offers alternatives that have a price point and features that music buyers/file swappers find attractive. That doesn't mean free and it does mean files without a bunch of usage hobbling DRM restrictions. Lawsuits and other threats/hostile actions by the RIAA will only drive people away from legitimate music purchases. Boy, that's Rocket science.

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Actually I think RIAA´s scare tactics have a chance of having an impact. The media is certaily starting to devote some serious attention to the recent lawsuits.

I disagree that the majority of swappers of copyrighted material will switch over to legal alternatives if/once those become available.
If you can get something free, why should you pay for it? I can imagine there are a number of people who think along those lines.

Ghostdog, I basically agree with your observations, at least as things are now. As it becomes more inconvenient/difficult/risky to download "free" music and the market drives the prices of pay services into line I think there will be a gradual switch to "legit" services. If content "owners" and Microsoft and it's "trusted" computer platform syndicate get their way, you won't have much choice (in a lot of ways).

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Yes. If illegal p2p usage becomes as dangerous as walking in to a music store and stealing an album, then will see the immediate fall of such activities. And the fall of services like Kazaa.

I think that as long as the US is just one country with it´s own laws, and as long as other regions stick to their own laws, p2p usage will continue.