[p2p-research] Where is P2P in the Pirate Bay, was: Pirate Bay...

[Tomas Rawlings]

Interesting points and to add a further point to this; the idea of 
'sharing without caring' also assumes that the sharers, by doing so are 
not benefiting the content creator. I am not sure that this can be 
assumed. I can see how many cases the sharing has a promotional value 
that would add to the wealth potential of the content creator, e.g. a 
band who's song are shared becoming more popular via The Pirate Bay and 
so selling more concert tickets, t-shirts etc. This would apply under 
any business model where the content creator is selling a scarcity that 
needs to be purchased. Tomas

> > It would seem that p2p could never entirely be "sharing without caring"
> > because the system relies on people seeding without apparent gain - the
> > downloader can easily remove files once downloaded, and seeding presumably
> > slows connections and increases risks of detection.  This is why it often
> > gets termed "gift economy".  If large proportions of users "leeched" without
> > "seeding" then the network would not be viable; probably it would then be
> > commercialised as somebody assumed the "scarce" function of seeding in
> > return for pay.
>
-- 
Tomas

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Tomas Rawlings
Development Director, FluffyLogic Development Ltd.
web: www.fluffylogic.net
tel: 0117 9442233 
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