Since people are so security conscious now
 

this is Freenet. It's still tough to actually get anything though.

Freenet is free software which lets you publish and obtain information on the Internet without fear of censorship. To achieve this freedom, the network is entirely decentralized and publishers and consumers of information are anonymous. Without anonymity there can never be true freedom of speech, and without decentralization the network will be vulnerable to attack.
Communications by Freenet nodes are encrypted and are "routed-through" other nodes to make it extremely difficult to determine who is requesting the information and what its content is.

Users contribute to the network by giving bandwidth and a portion of their hard drive (called the "data store") for storing files. Unlike other peer-to-peer file sharing networks, Freenet does not let the user control what is stored in the data store. Instead, files are kept or deleted depending on how popular they are, with the least popular being discarded to make way for newer or more popular content. Files in the data store are encrypted to reduce the likelihood of prosecution by persons wishing to censor Freenet content.

The network can be used in a number of different ways and isn't restricted to just sharing files like other peer-to-peer networks. It acts more like an Internet within an Internet. For example Freenet can be used for:

Publishing websites or 'freesites'
Communicating via message boards
Playing simple turn-based games like Chess
Content distribution


http://freenet.sourceforge.net/

um so freenet's creator doesn't want us to use it for, uh, mp3's and stuff. you know, like britney spears? it's really built for a couple of oppressed guys in china <cough>. ok, everybody got that? good. no file sharing then. right. move along. :att:

- js.

maybe when we're oppressed enough we can use it too.

While I believe you meant most of that in humor Freenet is a valueable tool for people in countries that expressing a viewpoint counter to the offical government view would get them killed. China oddly enough would only imprison them forever.

So yea, we face legal threats of having our life savings taken away for trading music. Not quite in the same ballpark.

i was kidding of course but the irony is that in countries where the expression of unapproved speech is met by death at the hands of the state, average citizens are not going to be allowed the use of programs like freenet. simple possession of such items would in all likelihood lead to prison, i can't see many will chance using them lest they be discovered and used against them.

the sentiment behind the creation of freenet is certainly noble but i don’t expect it to be of practical use for masses of the oppressed. i do see it (and similar apps) as another tool for trifles for average file traders in less restrictive environments, like ours in the west.

if it's true and no matter how disconcerting that is to ian clark and the team, in my mind it takes nothing away from their motivations or accomplishments.

- js.