A Friendly Peer-to-Peer File Sharing System with Profit but without Copy Protection

Abstract

Content providers try to restrict the usage of their products by their customers in order to prevent unlicensed distribution. On the other hand, customers ignore these restrictions and share files for free (Gnutella). Content providers and content users treat one another as enemies with conflicting interests. In this paper we bring customers and providers of content back together to a common economic interest. Content providers support their customers to redistribute their products in that they pay for any re-distributed multimedia product a small percentage on commission. Customers have a choice to pay for a received copy or to use it freely. If they use it for free, they will get no commission on re-distribution. If they pay, they will become licensed re-distributors automatically. This paper describes a friendly peer-to-peer file-sharing model of customers, which brings profit to both, content providers and their customers. We will also specify a protocol for payment and re-distribution. We will describe open interfaces and file formats, which are needed for implementation.