Peer-to-peer Companies. Why?

Technology companies like Sharman Networks, which owns Kazaa, can benefit by providing users the best access to peer-to-peer technology and a diversity of content.

These companies compete to provide the best experience for their users, and that results in an ever-changing, innovative marketplace where users benefit from the latest technology.

In return, these companies can be compensated by content providers for promoting and distributing their works to paying customers. This will most likely be in the form of a payment per transaction, or a commission.

Who's Trying to Stop It and Why?

Kazaa and other peer-to-peer applications have been under attack from the major Record and Movie companies and their industry bodies, the Recording Industry Association of America and Motion Picture Association of America. The Record and Movie companies are suing peer-to-peer software developers and the RIAA are suing peer-to-peer users.

This Revolution can benefit everybody. So why are they trying to stop it?

Copyright owners.

These companies own the copyright to material that they sell. Some of them are afraid that peer-to-peer means everything is always available for free.
Some of them don't believe that peer-to-peer users would pay a reasonable price for files.

Since May 2002, peer-to-peer applications like Kazaa have offered copyright owners the ability to protect, promote and sell their works to millions of users. Everything is in place. They just need to try it.

Record and Movie Companies.

These companies make money out of developing copyrighted material, distributing it, promoting it and selling it.

They are concerned that peer-to-peer will reduce their control over every step of this process. This is because peer-to-peer is a market driven by the people.

They think they will make less money.

They'll have to change some of their business practices to succeed in a peer-to-peer environment, but all things need to change. Peer-to-peer should not be stopped because of this. The benefits of the technology are great. There should be no reason to try to halt a revolution.

If peer-to-peer provides a bigger market, lower costs and unlimited space in packaging music, videos and pictures and these companies tried it, they could make so much more.

They need to stop fighting this technology and start working with it. We'll say it again. Since May 2002, peer-to-peer applications like Kazaa have offered record and movie companies the ability to protect, promote and sell their works to the millions of users. Everything is in place. They just need to try it.