Peer-to-Peer: Harnessing the Power of Disruptive Technologies (Hardcover)

Peer-to-peer seems dangerous because it is, essentially, hugely democratic. All subversion starts with a conversation and peer-to-peer, "the next great thing for the Internet" according to Web guru Lawrence Lessig, facilitates direct communication even more so than the first wave of Internet technologies. Just as those first wave technologies had a number of established constituencies worried about the demonic effects of the Web so peer-to-peer seems to be the new bugbear. The fears are, again, reminiscent of those that we heard before business found out how to fully exploit the potential of the Web and are tinged, often, with a frisson of excitement: peer-to-peer offers a new chance for a new wave of entrepreneurs if they can bring themselves to understand the technology, make it under