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Opening Salvo Filed In MGM v. Grokster
Aire Libre writes "The first brief on the merits before the Supreme Court in MGM Studios v. Grokster was filed Friday (January 21, 2004) by the Video Software Dealers Association. The brief suggests that while p2p systems may be used for infringing and noninfringing uses, courts should consider whether technologies may be used to reduce infringing uses without over-burdening the system provider, freedom of speech for non-infringing uses (including by copyright owners who want p2p systems to be used to reach their audiences) or freedom of competition (including first sale doctrine principles, and competition in providing all intermediate software and services). Bringing a retailer perspective, it strikes a balance of respect for copyright and respect for the limits of those copyrights. The brief is available here (in PDF)."
The internet (the whole danm thing) depends on technology called DNS, the Domain Name System. It allows people to type names of websites, rather than just IP addresses. DNS information about sites on the web are shared by way of a peer to peer network. A simple one, but that's how it's done. Killing off all p2p will effectively kill the internet. Tread carefully when you start trying to kill p2p. Also, since there are a lot of technologies that demand p2p (and there is no substitute), you had better not just go running around saying 'kill p2p, that will solve our problem', because it won't. Killing p2p won't solve the problem, but will harm technology requiring p2p.