[Alberta's Child]

Here's a dumb question . . .

If Sony Records wants to destroy your computer, how can they do it if you are downloading their property from a third-party "host" server? The owner of the "host" server would have to be an accomplice in anything that Sony does to your home computer.

[Arkinsaw]

how can they do it if you are downloading their property from a third-party "host" server?

They've already hired companies to put up fake servers with trashed MP3 files on them. All they have to do is pose as a peer and users will connect.

[adam_az]

If Sony Records wants to destroy your computer, how can they do it if you are downloading their property from a third-party "host" server? The owner of the "host" server would have to be an accomplice in anything that Sony does to your home computer

That's not how it would work. In a peer to peer (P2P) network, the nodes are all both clients and servers. They would search the network for a particular file, and then fingerprint to make sure the file they detect is one on their baddie-list, for example by downloading it then using audio analysis software to compare the known song and the downloaded one. This way, you can rule out someone putting their own song online, but naming it after a madonna song.

Not a dumb question - and a lot smarter than some of the "answers" you've had in Israel related posts. Are you, Seti 1, and Illbay triplets, by chance?