p2p File Sharing (2/4)

First Generation File Sharing

Server Based NetworkAs already mentioned above, Napster was the original P2P application that popularized the concept to millions. The way it worked was quite simple. The Napster Company had a central server which indexed every file that each Napster client was sharing. If you wanted to download a particular file you simply had to "search Napster". The process of searching was as simple as asking the central server: "is anyone sharing this file?" The central server would look up the keywords in its list of known files and provide you with the location of users who did.

It was a very reasonable choice for many reasons to choose a central server model; it was efficient at handling searches and Napster remained in control of the network. However, it also meant that when lawyers came into play, all they had to do is turn off the central server and Napster was shut down for good.