Earthstation 5: Filesharing in a Palestinian Refugee Camp

(Forwarded from Boing Boing Blog)


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: P2P network originates in Palestinian refugee camp
  Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 13:52:32 -0700
  From: "Cory Doctorow" <[email protected]>
    To: [email protected]


A pair of entrepreneurs in a Palestinian refugee camp have set up a
file-sharing network using an app  called Earthstation 5 that has been
downloaded over 22 million times and has been translated into  more than a
dozen languages, including Turkish and Chinese. The app has a bunch of
legal  attack-resistance included in its design and deployment, though it
remains to be seen how hard it  really is to figure out who's using the app
to share what. 

     "We're in Palestine, in a refugee camp," said Ras Kabir, the service's
co-founder. "There  aren't too many process servers that are going to be
coming into the Jenin refugee camp.  We'll welcome them if they do." 

     On its face, Earthstation 5 appears to be at the leading edge of the
movie and music  industry's next nightmare -- copyright-flouting networks
based in a territory without  strong intellectual property laws, with
security built in that protects users from scrutiny.  Indeed, the company is
confident enough in its territorial immunity that it even streams  and
offers downloads of full albums and first-run movies like "Terminator 3" and
"Tomb  Raider" directly from its own servers, an activity that has
previously resulted in lawsuits  and the prompt disappearance of
predecessors. 

Link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/952357.asp
Discuss: http://www.quicktopic.com/boing/H/5GWGfPXwTkpGD

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Posted by Cory Doctorow to Boing Boing Blog at 8/14/2003 1:52:30 PM

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