What is file sharing?
File sharing is basically what it looks like. It is the sharing of various media clips, audio, documents, and much more. People can share these files through mediums including using a flash drive, email, and clouds.
What is P2P File sharing?
P2P is the acronym for Peer to Peer and it is used through a P2P sharing network software on a computer. Computers are the staple of file sharing through a network and between two different systems. The computers on the network serve both as a workstation and a server for the massive amount of files that are shared to each other.
What are some examples of P2P file sharing?
Some examples of P2P file sharing include the likes of popular torrent softwares in Pirate Bay and BitTorrent. These are softwares that complement each other where BitTorrent sync files and torrents downloaded from Pirate Bay onto your computer. These files range from movies to music to games that you can upload or download onto your computer. According to an article written by Brian Shelter and Brad Stone, "People have swapped illegal copies of songs, television shows and movies on the Internet for years. The slow download process, often using a peer-to-peer technology called BitTorrent, required patience and a modicum of sophistication by users. Now, users do not even have to download." This shows that P2P file sharing has been around for years and it is popular among users on the internet because everything torrented is free essentially.
Citations:
1) Digital Pirates Winning Battle With Studios by Brian Stelter and Brad Stone. The New York Times, Feb 5, 2009, p. A1
This is a great depiction of P2P file sharing. Unfortunately file sharing, though has many great uses, has illegal aspects to it. However, P2P doesn't only have to be done through illegal torrenting websites - the photos and videos you share with your friends and family can be considered P2P file sharing too!
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