SOfTWArE

The Web browser is also very fast. I’d recommend actually using the device before bashing it.—“Grooper”

Gnutella is Here to Stay

In your news story, “LimeWire CEO: Firm Has Added P2P Protections,” what those politicians, and apparently the author, fail to realize is that LimeWire is not a network but simply one of many programs people can use to connect to the Gnutella network. Because Gnutella is an open network, nobody can claim ownership or control over the people who use that open and public network.

Don’t forget that Gnutella was designed from the ground up to be totally decentralized so that no person, company, or even whole leagues of nations can tamper with or shut it down. Trying to blame LimeWire for what happens on Gnutella is like trying to get Microsoft to block all porn on the Internet. The end result would be the same: Real people would ignore the misguided attempts. Sheer force of numbers gives the public an advantage over anyone trying to take away such a freedom.

Peer-to-peer technologies like Gnutella and BitTorrent aren’t going away. Nor will the desire of the public to explore the wealth of knowledge and culture these technologies have made available.—Aaron Walkhouse