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File sharing, mainly practised on P2P networks is a very constructive and practical technology, and like all technologies is neither good nor bad, it just depends on it is use by the user. Don't be scared off by the likes of the Napster chaos or Kazaa horror stories. You can use it and greatly benefit from it's abilities without worrying about a knock at the door, with a few simple guidelines, but first what is file sharing and P2P anyway.

File sharing is as the name implies, a way to share files or information between private or public computer users over the internet. Most email applications or apps, spreadsheet apps, database apps and instant messengers have a file sharing system built in; look at Word, Excel, MSN Messenger, Google Talk or Yahoo Messenger. They all provide a way to share your files with people connected to you through the internet. There are no restrictions on what you can share, except in size perhaps, between other users or friends. This is no different to lending a book you bought to a friend to read, it is just done digitally over a network and file sharing is a 100% worldwide legal technology. Sharing files can be a crucial part of many professions, e.g. critical updates of software, immediate access to the latest medical white papers, specific weather updates for deep sea vessels etc.

The average file share user, who wants to publicly share a file with many people or wants to download a particular public file, turns to a P2P or peer to peer network. P2P first generation came into existence as a popular tool around 1999, the most famous or infamous being Napster, which officially closed 2001 with an estimated 26.4 million users in its prime. The technology Napster used was first generation centralised P2P, and this is one of the reasons they were forced to close. Napster acted as a centralised database for all its users and files being downloaded, users had to go through their servers to access the files. This in terms of copyright infringement meant that Napster had control and knowledge of what was being downloaded, and were therefore liable for their server contents, which included copyrighted music tracks. Facing several multi-million dollar lawsuits, Napster had no choice but to close down as a free public file sharing network.

It is interesting to note however that some musicians like Radiohead who used Napster as a way to promote a forthcoming album, greatly benefited from the exposure. Their track Kid A which was released on Napster

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