Anyone remember the Mercora/Social.FM site/client?

For those that don't, it was a browser-like client you loaded onto your PC and filled it with your music library. Click a few buttons and presto: you had your own streaming internet music station through the Social.FM website, very similar to SHOUTcast. You could have others listen to your stream, or you could listen to other peoples' streams.

I liked this very much, but it went out of business in August 2008. I've been looking into setting up a SHOUTcast server, but attempting to configure the provided server software is like trying to understand Chinese, and beyond my capabilities. If I understand it correctly, even with the server software they provide, I'd still have to talk to my ISP and have someone else run one for me. They also recommend disabling firewalls, and of course, there's always the possible red tape of paying royalties for public performance.

Does anyone have any other ideas where I can set up a similar streaming station of my own for free?

I know this is vague, but this is the best description I can muster at the moment.

Did you know http://www.last.fm/ ?!

I'm looking into it now, Alvaro. It seems similar in some ways to Mercora, quite different in others. I'll try it for a while. ¡Gracias, señor!

You're welcome, Sir.

You know, so far, this last.fm thing seems pretty good.

People can hear my library, yet I don't have to have my PC act as a server. I'm also asking myself why I have so many CDs that I haven't yet ripped and converted to mp3 and added to my music files!

It also says my profile won't be public until 23 November.

That's a great idea.

My LastFM page.. I think...

Great pop tunes. Tanx for sharing.

I was wondering if my tastes in music would look odd or strange, Alvaro.
I know a lot of it is nothing special, but thanks for the vote of confidence!

Part of my problem is that a lot of my music is on LP and I haven't ripped them to CD because I don't have the patience, and I can just turn and put on vinyl as I sit at my PC. Maybe I can rip and convert a little at a time?

Strange...?! Because you like pop tunes?! I too, like pop a lot, specially Power Pop.

BTW, the last record from The House of Love, Days Run Away is just full of great hooks of Power Pop.