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