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Earthlink Releases SIP Based P2P File-Sharing App

Kaseijin writes "'We believe that if peer-to-peer flourishes, the Internet flourishes.' Earthlink's Research and Development division has released SIPshare, a prototype file-sharing application based on SIP. The code is available under a BSD-style license."

6 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. Earthlink supports P2P! by sketerpot · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The most important part is this bit here:

    EarthLink believes an open Internet is a good Internet. An open Internet means users have full end-to-end connectivity to say to each other whatever it is they say, be that voice, video, or other data exchanges, without the help of mediating servers in the middle whenever possible. We believe that if peer-to-peer flourishes, the Internet flourishes. SIPshare helps spread the word that SIP is more than a powerful voice over IP enabler --- much more. SIP is a protocol that enables peer-to-peer in a standards-based way.

    1. Re:Earthlink supports P2P! by DrEldarion · · Score: 4, Insightful

      EarthLink believes an open Internet is a good Internet. An open Internet means users have full end-to-end connectivity to say to each other whatever it is they say, be that voice, video, or other data exchanges, without the help of mediating servers in the middle whenever possible.

      Translation: Earthlink likes an open internet - an open internet allows for P2P file sharing and other things that require lots of bandwidth. Oh hey, did we mention that we sell broadband service? It's fast. You'll want that speed for downloading all this data. C'mon, just try it. The first one is free. Yeah, yeah, that's good. You like that, huh? Now, about this contract...

  2. It should read by Ignignot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "We believe that if people keep needing more bandwidth, Earthlink will flourish." Earthlink is an ISP, and this is entirely for their own benefit. If more people are using file sharing, then they need more bandwidth to do it. If everyone buys more bandwidth, then the value of the internet is much greater (because it is proportional to connectedness). Then Earthlink gets more money. so you might even say:

    1 - Release new P2P program
    2 - Everyone needs more bandwidth
    3 - People buy more bandwidth
    4 - Profit!!!
    5 - Internet flourishes kind of or something.

    --
    I submitted this story last night, and it didn't get posted.
    1. Re:It should read by GodHead · · Score: 4, Insightful

      1 - Release new P2P program

      That should read "release proof of concept that wont work for 90% of users". It's a tech demo. It's not like there's some shortage of p2p apps anyway.

      I think the bit that's missing is why SIP-based p2p would be better than other p2p apps. Someone care to explain that?

      --
      Just wait till some crappy band steals your nic.
  3. Only a proof of concept... by garcia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Will EarthLink SIPshare work behind NAT?

    No. All messaging, including the file transfer protocol, are based on UDP. If you want to extend EarthLink SIPshare by incorporating something like STUN for NAT traversal, by all means do so.


    Obviously this wasn't originally intended for anything other than the proof of concept as a large group of users interested in P2P would be using some form of NAT. If anything it may be dangerous (if it became popular) because users would DMZ or disconnect from their router to put their machines straight to the net to use this application.

  4. Re:and to think... by alatesystems · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't be fooled. They'll turn over your name and address as soon as the RIAA comes with their subpoena.

    At least RoadRunner is nice enough to tell you where they're scanning from so that you can block them. Thanks iptables :)

    Chris