posted on February 27, 2001 09:19:13 PM new
There is a new Peer to Peer [your PC shares files with other PCs around the world] software available for free called BearShare.
It is an amazing piece of software that allows you to share files with people around the world.
Why is it important to online auction sellers? Some professors at business colleges have identified P2P software as a major threat to online auctions such as eBay, as well as online content providers.
How is it a threat? As net users become more savy, as Napster has educated many, and as more people have access to cable and DSL connections, it is within individual users power to use P2P to sell items from their own computer.
How is this possible? Just like Napster, Bearshare allows designated folders and files on your PC to become a server, open to all other P2P users. However, it differs from Napster in that there is no central server where all file names are listed for search. There is a daisy chain type search that occurs, and quite fast too.
How could someone find a file on my PC regarding something I want to sell? The potential buyer does a word search just like at the auction sites.You would name your "for sale" folder and files with terms that describe your item, just as you do with current auctions.
What does my file of items for sale contain? Anything you want it to, including pictures, other items for sale, contact information, prices, descriptions,terms etc..
How much would it cost? Since there is no "company" running the system, the cost would only be what you spend to maintain an ISP service connection.
Could I use the system if I have a phone net connection? As a buyer, a phone connection would present no problems. If a seller uses a phone connection, his items would only show up in a search when his/her PC was on line. However phone line users could also team up or co-op with other phone line users around the world to host "for sale" files on each others PCs- this would allow your items to be listed whenever any of these users were online. Or team up with a cable or DSL user to list your items in a co-op fashion.
How could the transaction be secure? As a buyer, using an online credit card payment system such as Paypal would secure the transaction to a higher degree than sending a check or MO at an online auction. As a seller, the online credit card transaction would offer a faster payment, buy proof of shipment and receipt would be wise to use as a seller to prevent chargebacks.
This sounds great, when can I start? You can do it now, but we must start spreading the word about the system, and that items are being offered for sale on the system. At present, no one knows to even search on these P2P systems. But as word spreads, it could grow as fast as Napster [62 million users by word of mouth].
posted on February 27, 2001 10:30:15 PM new
Am I the only one who would never even consider letting anyone else have access to my computer? Am I missing something here?
Sounds like a huge security risk, particularly for anyone who does their banking, etc. online!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have wept in the night, for the shortness of sight
That to somebody's need made me blind;
But I have never yet, felt a tinge of regret
For being a little to kind. Anon
posted on February 27, 2001 10:51:25 PM new
You don't "open" up your PC. You only open up the folders and files you select. If your PC didn't remain secure using P2P systems, then Napster would never have 62 million users.
Your PC is more at risk without a firewall than it is using P2P systems. If you don't have a good firewall, your PC is probably being pinged several times a minute by hackers as you read this, and your "banking" information on your PC has already been breached.
When you go online, it is little different than using P2P software. Instead of pinging a designated server, such as eBays, you ping other PCs, which are in effect servers. Your PC already does things similar to using P2P software that you aren't aware of. Cookies are placed on your PC by many sites such as ebay, and the cookie files are opened and read by ebay whenever you go to their site. It tells them who you are, sometimes where you've been, where you're going, and sends information from your PC telling them your user name and other information as determined by the file they place on your PC.
