Kazaa and Skype Co-founder Interviewed

karvind writes "BBC is running is an interview with Niklas Zennström, the internet entrepreneur behind both Kazaa and Skype, about how his two inventions came about, and how broadband and wireless devices are shaping his vision for the future. From the interview: "On the other hand, Skype, just like Kazaa and other software, are encouraging people to buy broadband connections.""

Comments

Before questioning, interviewers were required...

[Anonymous Coward]

...to install several programs into their startup folders and add browser extensions to enhance the user experience.

position on spyware

[moz25]

One thing I'd like to know is their position on spyware and why it has to be installed along with the actual program? How much money are they getting from it? It's quite annoying.. my father installed Kazaa lately and now he has their spyware on his system... which means that I get the fun job of removing it. Thanks, Niklas!

Re:position on spyware

[Anonymous Coward]

Spyware was added to Kazaa by Sharman after they bought the rights to it. The original Kazaa developers did not include any spyware. Get your facts straight.

Phone companies

[dannyitc]

"We have just started, and if you compare the number of people using Skype to the number using a telephone network around the world, we're still just starting.

With ambitious statements such as these, I think it's just a matter of time before phone companies start taking a hard look at competition from VoIP in general. Whether they will attempt to embrace the technology and adapt or restrict its usage via litigation (as the RIAA and MPAA have done when confronted with new mediums for delivery) remains to be seen.

Yeah, but on the other hand...

[lxt]

Kazaa encourages users to break the law. And if they're not particularly bright users, how to unknowingly break the law. There was a load of lawsuits sent out last month by the BPI (British equivalent of the RIAA) a month or so ago, and the general reaction was "Oh, I didn't know Kazaa was illegal" (generally everyone being sued were Kazaa users).

Aside from that, surely I'm not the only person here who finds it extremely hard - no, impossible - to believe that "while Zennström thought it had great potential from the start, he did not know exactly what people would use it for"? Because he then goes on to say in the article he didn't think Kazaa would get to the stage where it could compete with Napster...presumably he knew that the primary use of Napster at the time was illegal downloading?

How Kazaa REALLY came about...

[mister_llah]

Niklas Zennström: "I want to create a medium where 13 year olds can rename large files to the names of new game disk images and movies ... and put them online for download, it will provide them with hours of enjoyment... AND, here's the sinker, it will take away from SETI AT HOME'S BANDWIDTH! Those bastards will never discover my home planet now! MUAHAH!"

[[ note: this quotation has been fictionalized and may not actually represent reality ]]

Re:position on spyware[your answer]

[jwegy]

I thought this was highly interesting when I read
it, and plus it answered your question. I wonder
how sincere they are.


from the article: Zennström agrees the amount of adware in programs like Kazaa, and some of the other file-sharing networks, is "way too much". "It destroys the user experience", he says. Kazaa initially had a very limited number of advertisements, which he says "wasn't that bad in the beginning", but they grew over time. "That's something that me and Janus learnt as an experience, and with Skype we did not have any type of advertisements whatsoever."

Re:I will give some credit. Some negative too.

[geekoid]

SKyp has save the start up I work for a lot of money. It's saved me money, no more long distance charges to the family.

I think you forget how big a deal IM was when i came out. Hell, it's still a big deal, it's just a big deal you have gotten used to.

From Michael Powell:

[ImaLamer]

"[VoIP] has ignited a fire under a stalled and depressed industry."

"It's probably the most significant paradigm shift in the entire history of modern communications, since the invention of the telephone,"

"If you're going to say to me that Voice over IP is something that needs regulation, then you're going to have to explain to me why e-mail isn't also, or streaming video or instant messaging is not also,"

Of course, we all know, Michael Powell stepped down and this new guy may not be as friendly.

What I wanted to find is the quote where Powell talks about downloading and installing Skype - he said that he saw a revolution in front of his eyes when the program started. (or something to that effect)

Re:and the reason...

[Spy der Mann]

warez, pr0n and MP3s!

in my times it was sex, drugs and rock'n' roll.