The Register: Microsoft preps Napster clone

Feb 15, 2001, 00:26 (10 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Tony Smith)

"Microsoft plans to 'embrace and extend' peer-to-peer file sharing technology with a Napster-style system of its own. Codenamed Farsite, the program is currently little more than a research project... Essentially, Farsite follows the true peer-to-peer mode of Gnutella rather than Napster's approach. Farsite lets PC talk unto PC, without the need for a central server to act as an intermediate directory, as is the case with Napster."

"...one of the application areas in which a certain open source operating system that competes with Microsoft's own offerings is doing rather well is file sharing. So it might well be to the Windows maker's benefit to be able to bypass said systems using client-based peer-to-peer sharing technology."

"It makes sense, then, for Microsoft to have the appropriate technology ready just in case. It can certainly afford to develop the code and risk it never being used."

Complete Story

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