An interesting story, Smokey, thanks for the link!
The conclusions of the study are sound and realistic. Free p2p trading is here to stay, and it is only good that the corporations start acknowledging the fact and preparing to live in the changed environment.
What was particularly interesting in this study was their understanding of the role of small trusted groups in the content ecology:
Quote:
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The darknet, which is their catch-all term for networks of content-swappers, originates as 'sneakernet', where overlapping groups of friends and colleagues swap stuff, so stuff gets around, but slowly. Attacks (lawyers again) at this stage are difficult because the groups' identities are largely unknown to the content owners.
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The grassroot level trading networks have had over two years to develop since Napster happened. Many well-connected heavy traders do not even bother to go to the public networks anymore, as with a broadband it is easy to grab half a dozen quality albums a day from private FTP servers and from ICQ with a minimal risk of copyright nazi snooping. It is only a question of time when there will be p2p software that supports trust-based small group trading
simultaneously with Kazaa/WPN-style global sharing. This kind of infrastructure will easily adapt to possible RIAA/MPAA hostilities as people can conveniently move their shares between public and private areas of the network, depending on how crazy the nazis will get.
- tg
