A string of ISU Police investigations regarding copyrighted material found in students’ computers pushed the administrators of StrangeSearch to make the decision to stop the operation last week. Unknown reasons caused them to reverse that choice on Monday and announce it would soon be back up.

Regardless of the circumstances, those who operate StrangeSearch, the indexing agent that allows easy access and searches of files on the ISU computer network, have said they are bringing their services back.

The news of StrangeSearch’s revival delighted those who love file-swapping, as it will usher back to the network the easiest and most sophisticated way of finding, in a matter of seconds, links to computers on the network for MP3s, expensive software and bootlegged movies, among other treasures.

But it doesn’t seem to be the wisest decision for the StrangeSearch team. StrangeSearch has been part of ISU lore for many years; it’s one of the first things incoming students hear about, if they’re one of the many that have instant access to the ISU network on their home computers.

The choices found on StrangeSearch are nearly boundless, and the ease of use easily beats similar indexing agents such as KaZaA or LimeWire, even if they operate on a larger scale than what’s on the ISU network.

The StrangeSearch creators could be heralded as heroes on campus. They’ve developed a sophisticated service that has pushed the uses of the network to its limits in terms of quick and easy access to the thousands of files available on it. Thousands of students devote their time to file-swapping, with many staying connected to the ISU network just so they can easily access the treasures they desire.

Though StrangeSearch is not being targeted in the current investigations, it is still an easy way for investigators to find those on the network who are sharing illegal files. It’s still the simplest way to find traffic on the network leading to and from the sharing of illegal files.

StrangeSearch has had a long and wonderful run, but perhaps that run is over.

Perhaps the best choice now, in the interests of those using the network, is to keep StrangeSearch down. Its uses will be limited now, with several of the major players on the network gone, and the likelihood of it serving as a gateway to more shutdowns is too large.

Should StrangeSearch be resurrected, its purpose is now a fraction of what it once was.

Revert to last week’s decision, gentlemen. ISU students have had their fun and now it’s time to let go. Let StrangeSearch rest in peace, at least for now.