Private Filesharing Networks

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Private File Sharing Networks, also called PP2P = personal P2P = The use of filesharing for sending files to friends and associates.


Techcrunch uses the concept of Private File Sharing Networks, and reviews different offerings at http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/24/lets-share-some-files-four-services-compared/


"These services allow you (or even your mom) to send large files to many people without bringing your ISP's mail server, and the patience of your friends and relatives, to their respective knees." (http://p2p.weblogsinc.com/2006/05/30/personal-p2p-services-popping-up-everywhere/)


Background

From Techcrunch at http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/24/lets-share-some-files-four-services-compared/


"a significant portion of Internet traffic is comprised of files being moved over bittorent, a popular and completely decentralized way of sharing files.

Bittorent, though, requires some basic technical knowledge and is neither anonymous nor safe. The RIAA and MPAA routinely monitor these networks and attempt to collect IP addresses of computers they believe are involved in the transfer of copyrighted files. And bittorent is notorious for transferring files that (sometimes) contain viruses, spyware and other malware.

Enter private file sharing networks. WASTE was released in 2003 and allowed people to create private networks among trusted friends. Files could be shared without worrying about malware or prying eyes. All that was needed was trust among the members of a particular network. The downside of WASTE was that setting up and participating in a network was not trivial to do. Private networks did not take off and achieve mass use and adoption.

A new crop of services has popped up recently to make it much easier to share files with a private network of friends and other trusted people. Allpeers , Zapr, Pando and Exaroom are all fairly recent entrants." (http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/24/lets-share-some-files-four-services-compared/)


Examples

Peer Factor

Peer Factor:"Based in France, PeerFactor has a two way approach to delivering large files. If only a few are downloading the same file, PeerFactor uses the same method people have used for years, HTTP. However, when many people download one file, PeerFactor goes into overdrive, requiring the download of a small P2P client and leveraging the bandwidth available to the peers to boost the download speeds for all involved. PeerFactor intends to market to ISPs directly, offering an in-house and brand-able solution to large files for end users.

The fact that someone is looking to market this to ISPs directly says volumes. PP2P, or Personal P2P is hot and getting hotter. It's one of those simple but revolutionary ideas that you wonder why no one thought of sooner." (http://p2p.weblogsinc.com/2006/05/30/personal-p2p-services-popping-up-everywhere/)


Zapr

"Zapr (or, until recently, Zingee) is a somewhat low tech, windows only system that stores your file and emails your friends with a link to download. It's a point and click version of uploading your file to your own webserver and emailing your friends the URL. Not very P2Pish, but it gets the job done (if you use windows)"

Info at http://techstartups.blogspot.com/2006/08/gigaom-zapr-joins-p-p2p-party.html


Other Services

Pando, Perenety, Peer Factor, Wired Reach, YouSendIT and Civil Netizen

AllPeers, a Firefox extension that will allow users to send and receive files.

Comparative review at http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/24/lets-share-some-files-four-services-compared/