File sharing, as its name suggests, is the distribution and download of files through the internet. The files range from music, to books and movies, and the uploader and downloader may or may not know each other (or even be directly connected, as file sharing sites may operate as an intermediary for the exchange of files). P2P file sharing, which stands for peer to peer file sharing, is sharing files across a network of peers--computer systems that participate in the network. Among the most common types of files shared include digital media. According to the article, "The BitTorrent Effect," Clive Thompson shares how people use BitTorrent to share Linux software, TV shows and movies they missed and music. P2P file sharing has changed several media industries. For example, the ease with which people obtain music through torrents has decreased the public's willingness to pay to own music.
Source:
Thompson, Clive. "The BitTorrent Effect." WIRED Magazine. January 2005. Web. Accessed 25 April 2015. http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/13.01/bittorrent.html
It is true that people are now less willing to pay for music. Since we can access free files online, no one wants to pay anymore. This is also something hard for many artists, they work hard to publish something and at the end, everyone is just downloading it for free. This shows how P2P file sharing is both positive and negative at the same time.
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