“So far, the file-sharing software program and others like it
have been used primarily to download digital music. However, as the
Net overcomes today’s size and speed barriers, these technologies
could be used to trade everything from full-length movies to
computer operating systems–basically, anything that can take a
digital form. “
“Moreover, opponents say Napster-like technologies are proving
far more pernicious than previous forms of piracy, as underground
programmers work to create diffuse networks providing safe harbor
for the burgeoning trade. Industry countermeasures such as
encrypted locks have touched off a virtual arms race that cannot
guarantee lasting security”
“Already transcending music, Napster’s wildfire popularity
is forcing whole industries to reconsider their business models.
Companies are realizing that the last shelter for the digital
economy may be imaginative strategies that make use of widespread
file-sharing rather than fight it, just as most content companies
abandoned online subscriptions for free Web sites years
ago.”