In other News, as long as there is tons of money to be had, P2P will survive, but at a price:
11-19-2004
Former AOL Execs Bet on Private P2P App
Is there a place in the enterprise for a legal file-sharing application using peer-to-peer technology?
Three former America Online Inc. executives with a history of entrepreneurial success believe they have the answer with Grouper, an encrypted P2P network that integrates file sharing, instant messaging and multimedia streaming.
Currently in beta, Grouper limits private networks to 30 members. While file sharing is a key feature in the application, there is no uploading/downloading of music, Felser explained, citing the legal issues associated with sharing of copyrighted works.
By limiting music sharing to streams in small groups, Felser said Grouper simply enables "private performances," which is protected by U.S. Copyright Law.
During the stealth beta, Grouper is free and being marketed as a consumer application. But, in Felser's mind, the application will evolve into a workplace collaboration tool for the SMB (small and medium-size business) segment.