Overcoming the Network Effects?

paul_harrison asks: "I am trying to introduce a new P2P protocol. It's technically superior in several respects to existing protocols, but there's one big problem: too few people using it. Now this is not a new problem, there's even a name for it, "Network Effect". It crops up all over the place: which websites become popular, which formats and protocols people use, which operating systems people use, even which side of the road people drive on... So my question is this: how do things like these overcome network effects and become popular?"

Comments

Contradictions are killers....

[blankmange]

While you are trying to do something rather valiant, the problems arise in your contradicting statements:

"...no censorship, no entry taxes, no one booting you off the network, and no weak point which can break the whole system."

versus

"In particular, if you try to share snuff or child pornography, I will be able to work out you IP and from that your location and identity. And I will report you to the police."

So which is it? Censored or not? While you may be trying to do the moral thing here, this 'censorship' will be the downfall of your P2P network and it will probably not progress beyond your own little 'circle'.