We take a look at the most popular file-sharing programs being used as an alternative to Napster. A political fight will determine whether developers will be free to innovate or subject to the entertainment industry's permission. Author and Accelerator Group partner Clay Shirky shares four lessons the developer community can learn from Napster. Code plus law equals a threat to the development of P2P, and more importantly, an assault on basic public rights.
Trouble is, there's no trouble.
P2P is not a Tragedy of the Digital Commons, it's a Cornucopia. Nicholas Petreley says it's not about free speech, it's about free stuff. Online music fans find themselves caught between the RIAA and Internet companies such as Napster. An unofficial list of the Napster clones. Napster claims that they are creating an online community and can work out the copyright issues.