Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research This paper is Available online at ISSN 0718–1876 Electronic Version www.jtaer.com VOL 1 / ISSUE 3 / DECEMBER 2006 / 42 - 57 © 2006 Universidad de Talca - Chile P2P's Significance for eBusiness: Towards a Research Agenda Roger Clarke1 1 Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, Canberra, Australia and Visiting Professor in eCommerce at Uni. of Hong Kong, in Cyberspace Law and Policy at Uni. of N.S.W. and in Computer Science at A.N.U.
[email protected] Received 25 April 2006; received in revised form 15 August 2006; accepted 13 October 2006 Abstract Applications running over peer-to-peer (P2P) networks have exploded since the late 1990s. Research is needed into many aspects of P2P. These include architecture, application functionality, and the categories of digital works that are shared using P2P facilities. A range of significant strategic, consumer and policy issues also arise, such as challenges to the operation of copyright, defamation and other censorship laws. Organisations affected by P2P are devising and deploying countermeasures, such as technological protections for digital works and attempts to identify devices and users. These too require study. This paper presents the landscape of research opportunities, indicating methods that might be appropriately applied to the various kinds of questions. Key words: P2P overlay networks, P2P applications, file-sharing, strategic impacts, policy impacts 42 P2P's Significance for eBusiness: Towards a Research Agenda Roger Clarke Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research This paper is Available online at ISSN 0718–1876 Electronic Version www.jtaer.com VOL 1 / ISSUE 3 / DECEMBER 2006 / 42 - 57 © 2006 Universidad de Talca - Chile 1 Introduction Applications of Peer-to-peer (P2P) technology have exploded since the late 1990s.