The Software Industry's Identity Crisis
Linked by David Adams on Tue 26th Oct 2004 16:30 UTC
Editorial The software industry is undergoing a gradual transformation, and consumer fatigue is at its root. The licensing model that has formed the basis for the modern software industry is facing challenges on many fronts, and the industry is scrambling to keep its footing. Where this period of change may lead software producers and consumers isn't quite clear, but some trends are emerging. Since the proliferation of the internet, unauthorized redistribution of digital goods has become rampant. But although software sharing probably won't kill the software industry, the reasoning behind it shares some pedigree with the customer revolt that promises to transform the way software is sold.
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Bittorrent
by David Adams on Tue 26th Oct 2004 17:38 UTC

It was not my intention to claim that Bittorrent was intended to help piracy. I said, "P2P technologies like Bittorrent were developed to make it easier for individuals to share files with millions without having thousands of dollars in bandwidth charges." In the next sentence I note that it became a popular way of doing illicit file sharing, which is of course true. Without illicit filesharing, Bittorrent and other P2P technologies would never have caught on with so many people. I'm not making a value judgment here. I recognize that BT's pure purpose is very admirable and useful.