Spanish whiz kid fights copyright case

MADRID: Pablo Soto's story may be every computer whiz kid's dream _ or nightmare. After leaving school at 16 to support his family, he managed to eke out a living doing what he loves most: designing computer programs.

Then in 2001, the Madrid native launched Blubster, one of the world's most popular peer-to-peer Internet file-sharing programs of recent years - with no training and operating out of his grandmother's apartment.

Now Soto may become a victim of his own success as he finds himself the lone defendant in the latest major legal battle by the mighty music industry against Internet piracy; a Madrid court is expected to rule this month. The case, although similar to others in Europe and the US, is being closely watched on both sides of the Atlantic because Spain is ranked as one of the world's worst Internet piracy offenders.