Has P2P Become a Passing Fad?

plasticmillion asks: "As the RIAA launches increasingly rabid attacks against P2P networks and users, pundits continue to debate the future of P2P. On the one hand, some argue that P2P is just a clever way to escape detection from copyright owners, like in this recent Slashdot story. Others, like Clay Shirky, make a strong case that processing is destined to move to the 'edges' of the network. I'm curious to know what Slashdot readers think: is P2P the start of a major new trend that is just getting started, or is it a passing fad that will fade once legal client/server systems for media distribution finally take hold? If the former, which of the supposed advantages of P2P over client/server systems are really significant?"

my head I'd be scratchin'

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm curious to know what Slashdot readers think

while my thoughts were busy hatchin' If I only had a 'brain...

yes....

[JoeLinux]

Just like Data processing was considered a passing fad in the 1970s. After all, things are going from a community-based system to people working ISOLATED BY THEMSELVES.

For instance, there is something new out there called the INTRA-web. Rather than connect to the OUTSIDE world in an attempt to get information, you simply search your own hard drive.

Analysts predict that someday in the future, people will have no further need to ever be connected again, and people will live in isolated padded cells, not talking or communicating to anything at all, simply staring at the ceiling. /sarcasm

Next on slashdot.

[eyeye]

Have computers had their day?
Are the days of gravity over?
Is the sun about to cool?

Re:killer app

[computersareevil]

"and we know how much americans' love their malls"

I'm afraid you haven't been keeping up... ;-)
The era of malls is over -- what next? [sunspot.net]

-1 Offtopic...

passing fad?! Yeah right!

[Jonny Ringo]

When I think of all the millions I've saved.

The Internet...

[Sebby]

wasn't it once considered a fad too?....

Doesn't P2P stands for

[ezh]

Pirate 2 Pirate? Oh, now I am disappointed.

Re:no passing fad

[mcpkaaos]

P2P without copyrighted files would be about as popular as gopher.

This is Slashdot; remember to whom you are making your point. Most of us still maintain gopher sites.

Gopher?!

[EvilStein]

Damn it, I'd still *use* Gopher if people hadn't taken down all of their Gopher servers and replaced them with this "World Wide Web" crap. :P

Information via plain ol' text. I like it. No Flash ads in Gopher. :P

Re:Gopher?!

[cbreaker]

"A lot of merkin-wearing fucktard web "developers" think that it's a great way to design a page ... until you remember that there are people in the world on sub-28.8kbps internet connections."

Sure, there are plenty of people on modems. A great many of these people have some sort of high speed internet access available but choose not to get it. The other folks, well, progression.. We can't keep tailoring to the least common denominator.

A lot of people want to see cool looking web sites with animations. I think a little flash is just fine. I pay for broadband, might as well make use of it.

Besides, most web sites that aren't flash-oriented have either little flash, no flash, or the option to use no flash. And you can disable the plugin.

"For whom the 400kb flash crapplet is a serious burden (that's about 8 minutes at 14.4, folks)."

Who gives a crap. Sorry that Mr. Cell Phone modem guy won't be able to view "high bandwidth" pages, but 14.4 speeds are not normal. 28.8 modems showed up .. many years ago. 56k modems are more common. And $2. Plus, see my comments above.

"And that flash itself may need to be downloaded in the first place (someone who considers flash a burden may not have it installed until he absolutely NEEDS it)."

You aren't required to use flash at all. If you want to use Flash, then that's the price you pay.

"Then there's minor annoyances like "homestarrunner". I have no fucking clue what that is (a cartoon done in flash?)"

You do have a clue then.

" I go to the site... Flash only."

No shit. It's a fucking flash-based cartoon series.

"The stupid fuck who works on the site can't even be bothered to write three sentences in plaintext to explain what the fuck the non-Flash-using (let's just shorten that to "good") people are missing. "

So he should tailor to the people like you that don't like flash? Then don't watch it. It's flash only, it's a cartoon. I don't see how this is an issue.

If you dispise Flash so much, don't use it. If you want to enjoy some of the better flash animations out there and don't want to use flash, well, sorry but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

" I run into sites like that all the time, some of them informational in nature (homestar was just the first thing I could think of)."

I don't. Unless I'm looking for them. Most commercial sites that have flash-only versions of their sites give you the option to use a non-flash version of the site.

So okay let me get this straight. You're bitching that you need flash for a FLASH CARTOON? You're bitching because the author didn't write a message saying "Flash Only, this is a very funny cartoon. I know only 1 in 1,000,000 don't install flash, so this message is for you four guys."

Classic.