GristyMcFisty used our news submit to tell us that Grouper is a beta P2P application that attempts to address some concerns voiced by the music industry. As we all know, one thing that is unacceptable for the content holders is the wholesale sharing of music files that are supposed to be copyright protected. The Grouper program does not allow file sharing of music, only streaming. However, you may share other types of files as a download. On the plus side for the persons sharing, Grouper allows the formation of mini networks with email verification. The advantage of this is no script kiddies or annoying fake files from the RIAA. You are sharing privately between friends.
The software itself isn't particular new. It has been possible to set up these types of peer networks for ages. What Grouper does is make the process painfully easy. The software only works on Windows 2000 and Windows XP at the moment, which has left 7GB of my Mac music in a hostage crisis. And it's still in beta form, crashing once in the last couple of hours. It has, however, worked like a champ once ActiveX was enabled in XP - seemed worth the risk at the time - and has been tapped into a friend's machine in Texas for some time without problem. Users link into the Grouper network via an e-mail confirmation process. Once in the software, you can pick the files you'd like to share and off you go. Grouper has a nice GUI that shows all the available files, the users linked in, the transfers and a Microsoft media player. The music labels have complained for ages that P2P software allowed people to share files on an unnaturally large scale, and Grouper seems to solve this problem. Now, you're just using technology as a better means of sharing among friends. In addition, since it does not allow actual downloads of music, the software seems to be treading an uncomfortable line that the labels should not be able to complain too much about. How much of an effect on sales could just streaming chums' music have? |
Well, I can assure you that the music industry will find fault with this program, just as they have with any other that puts power in the hands of the consumer. If you would like to read some more about Grouper and even try the beta out, head on over to their site.
Source: The Register
Interesting concept...
However, I don\'t agree with the limitation to only upload/download certain file types.
It shouldn\'t be up to some company or piece of software to decide what file types we want to share or swap with a friend.
You might as well make the program only allow the sharing of .JPG files...
Hmmm I wonder how good the quality of the streaming music is? Sreambox anyone? Either way it sounds like a hassle if music file sharing is what you have in mind...
A better solution would be for the company to "turn off" music file-type sharing by default. And then allow 'advanced' users the ability to turn it back on in configuration options. [edited by wesociety on 15.09.2004 16:49]
) What's to stop a ZIP or a RAR file containing a song or album? Good way to protect their asses though...Again, zipping/raring your MP3 collection is a huge hassle.
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