3/31/08
Is the Internet a P2P Network?
I have little to no experience with P2P networks, but Logie struck a cord with me when he implied that the Internet as a whole is essentially P2P file sharing (145). I often attach files, send links to articles and websites, and copy/paste text into other documents such as email. Don’t we do that here on this blog, too? Why can’t the courts see the similarities and rule in favor of the people? They need to force the music and movie corporations to “get with the digital program!”
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The short answer is "Yes."
Simplified, every computer that dials up or connects to the Internet is assigned its own IP address. At this address, you can host your own server (FTP, WWW, video game, etc.). Other computers can connect to you via the proper protocol (FTP, WWW, video game, etc.).
This is how I can use Winamp Remote to connect to my home PC while I am at work. Basically doing what my.mp3.com was doing except without the middle-computer.
I could easily set up a server to serve my word documents and so on. Security, of course, is important at this point.
Routers complicate the matter a bit, with port replication and forwarding and so on. But, generally speaking, the internet is a P2P network. As we move to universal broadband, I think personal servers will be more commonplace.
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