Grouper P2P software for filesharing between friends

September 15, 2004

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