“The loose group of open-source programmers responsible for the
controversial Gnutella file-swapping software have turned their
technology into what they say is a powerful new Web search
tool.”
“By adapting the same technology now used to swap MP3 music
files between hundreds of thousands of computer users, they say
they’ve created a search engine that can be more up-to-date and
potentially more targeted than search sites such as Yahoo or
Lycos.
“They’ve posted a rudimentary trial version–what they call a
“proof of technology”–at InfraSearch. The bare-bones site is short
on design and functionality at this point but provides a look at a
search tool that goes beyond the capabilities of most existing Web
search engines.”
“This is just something we’re doing to show what is
possible,” said Gene Kan, one of the programmers who has taken a
lead on the project. “We want to prove to the world that Gnutella
is more than just music piracy and child porn.”