File-sharing Networks Return with Legitimate Ways to Share Music -- and Make Money

[zatoicchi]

After the U.S. Supreme Court declared in 2005 that Internet file-sharing sites Grokster and StreamCast had illegally aided their customers' efforts to share pirated copies of copyrighted music and video files, many commentators predicted the demise of businesses that depended on online file-sharing.

But the technology that Napster, the pioneer of music file-sharing, Grokster and StreamCast unleashed has returned, supported by a business plan that respects copyright laws. Three years after the high court's ruling, several start-ups say they have found ways to make peer-to-peer (often called P2P) file-sharing legal and perhaps profitable.

File-sharing Networks Return with Legitimate Ways to Share Music (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2025&jsessionid=a8302b52f61f1682f3b6)

[anon]

"... P2P networks are increasingly being used for legitimate content distribution ... For example, Grooveshark, rVibe, We7 and iMesh are firms that use P2P networks to distribute music to users. ..."

Oh no, it can't be... they realized that! :tongue:
Of course P2P can be used for "legitimate purposes"... for example, Valve's Steam service is undergoing early tests to make normal users upload parts of the game they're downloading to other users getting the same thing, and therefore take some stress off their main servers.

[Aurion]

"found ways to make peer-to-peer (often called P2P) file-sharing legal and perhaps profitable."

WOW,that would be too awesome if happened ! Really,imaging they decided to leave Inet users at peace surfing their Inet freely without any restrictions,also p2p orgz started to rise up aiding p2pers in having a more pleasant p2p experience :biggrin: (LOL I know its a fancy world,but I believe that anything could happen,u cant deny it !!)