Peer-to-Peer Technology

Description:

Since Napster appeared in 1999, various Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing applications (e.g., WinMX, KaZaA, Gnutella, Freenet, winny) have emerged one after another. The secret behind this technology is that it enables electronical bi-directional communication, in contrast to client/server systems that require continuous polling of the client on the server, a technique with a very low efficiency, and forces centralization of knowledge. The number of software platforms that enable P2P communication is increasing heavily, and stimulates people to share information and digitalize our bi- or multi-directional communcation. New and useful applications stimulate the use of the internet.

Enablers:

1. Software producers, consortiums, free fighters.

2. Psychologic behavior of human beings: they want to be in control of their environment

3.

Inhibitors:

1. Intellectual rights, patents, or in general: knowledge protection (e.g. RIAA)

2. Regulations, restrictions, fear for instability or in general: control

Paradigms:

1. P2P file sharing applications will increase the usefulness of the internet to many potentials users that were not users before. By enabling bi- or multi-directional communication, and the ongoing globalization, they are motivated to make use of this new communication highway.

2.

Experts:

1. Philippe Aigrain: presently CEO of Sopinspace, Society for Public Information Spaces www.sopinspace.com.

His personal page is at http://www.publicdebate.net/Members/paigrain/

Timing:

Dates for key milestones in the development of the driving force.

November 1996: first version of ICQ was released by Mirabilis 1999: birth of Napster

Web Resources:

http://ismir2004.ismir.net/

http://company.icq.com/