This response has been replicated from another forum in an effort to get feedback from users on the ideas presented here.


It's important to remember that all file-sharing networks suffer from a common set of problems. Which include but are not limited to; leeching, unstable user base, the lack of content, snooping and pressure from anti piracy based company's who go after that 1% of hard core file-sharers.

There are many different reasons why one might see a fluctuation in the number of users for any given peer to peer system over a period of time. Some of these reasons have already been mentioned by previous posters.

Personally, I download very little from these types of networks. However I do attempt to make contributions to these efforts by offering content or providing connectivity Services by aggregating connections.

I think it's important to understand that peer to peer technology in general is not really an earth shattering technological concept (this is not to deminish the hard work and dedcation of many extremely tallented individuals -thank you.) It's simply automates one's ability to find files across multiple computer systems. It also acts as an intelligent download manager. I mean, take a moment to think about it, if peer to peer technology disappeared today how would you get your content?

#1 search the Web using a search engine.
#2 use an FTP server

Obviously there are other ways to get the content but these two are primarily how one would go about getting files.

What would a peer to peer system look like without the aforementioned advances (automated searching across multiple hosts and intelligent downloading.)

Well, if you're using Windows machines you would simply have a bunch of computers with an agreed upon set of public shares accessible using
netbios-over-TCP/IP. On the other hand, if your using UNIX or LINUX you might have a bunch of publically accessable NFS servers.

My point is simply this, there several elements necessary for a peer to peer system to be successful and file sharing systems isn't necessarily a new way of doing things that haven't been done as it is another way of doing things that have been done (sharing files over the Internet.)

Here is what I think peer to peer technology does for your average Joe user.
it aggregate's various types of content in a way that is easily searchable and accessible.

For the more technically savvy-we know where all the good stuff is-We know how to use FTP-we know how to use search engines-we know how to set up sharing over the Internet among our close friends and peers. We generally know where to find stuff. Peer to peer technology makes it easy for those who do not and makes it convenient for the rest.


#1 you need a stable user base (people committed to providing and feeding the network with content. )

#2 Stable hosts (The computer systems need to be available 24x7 access to content needs to be unrestricted. )

#3 Unrestricted content (the content on the network needs to not have legal limits placed on distribution such as with open source software, and free software movements. )


In essence the average user has to evolve from being just that-he or she has to begin to think like a systems operator-a person who provides a service. this service must be reliable, this service must be available and this service must be resilient to legal challanges.


Do these things and peer to peer technology will reach its promise.

Ask yourself what have I done for the network I have asked so much from?

__________________
Lee Evans, President
LeeWare Development
http://www.leeware.com