alt.internet.p2p (peer-to-peer) newsgroup created

[Jonathan Grobe]

Subject: alt.internet.p2p (peer-to-peer) newsgroup created
Followup-To: alt.internet.p2p

alt.internet.p2p has just been created for discussion of p2p
(peer-to-peer) applications on the internet. 

Quoting Clay Shirky:

"P2P is a class of applications that takes advantage of resources --
storage, cycles, content, human presence -- available at the edges of
the Internet. Because accessing these decentralized resources means
operating in an environment of unstable connectivity and unpredictable
IP addresses, P2P nodes must operate outside the DNS system and have
significant or total autonomy from central servers.
...
If you're looking for a litmus test for P2P, this is it: 1) Does it
treat variable connectivity and temporary network addresses as the
norm, and 2) does it give the nodes at the edges of the network
significant autonomy? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, 
the application is P2P. If the answer to either question is no, it's not
P2P."

These applications include file sharing such as Napster and Gnutella,
instant messaging such as ICQ, distributed computing such as SETI at home.

Many news administrators only add new alt.* groups on user request. So if
it is not available at your site ask your news administrator to add it:
Write to him at the address news or usenet at your site or to the
technical support people there (address: support)). Because of the
poor propagation of new alt groups it will be a while before a 
significant amount of traffic shows up.


-- 
Jonathan Grobe