Chapter 7. Sharing Content

Sharing files is probably the most common and best known application of p2p technology, popularized by a number of early file-sharing networks the likes of Scour, Napster, Madster (formerly Aimster), and Gnutella. Popular misconceptions aside, this doesn’t necessarily mean swapping “pirated” copies of music files or other protected content; never mind the contentious issue of what is or isn’t illegal copying in any given situation. A cornucopia of explicitly free and legally distributable content is available to share, including many music and other multimedia files.

Because of its unprecedented popularity, the first example taken up is Napster. This is not because this particular implementation is especially suited ...

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