"Pay P2P" has become a common catch phrase these days in the file-sharing community. "Pay P2P" networks are an interesting breed – at least the concept is. One of the major drawbacks of server oriented services such as iTunes or Napster is the lack of community. "Pay P2P" attempts marry the industry-sanctioned nature of iTunes while still appealing to those who admire the community feel of file-sharing networks.

That is where networks/clients such as Mashboxx come into play. MashBoxx dubs itself as "the first peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network authorized by major record labels." How is such a feat possible?

MashBoxx utilizes SnoCap's Digital Rights Management mechanism. SnoCap's "digital licensing and copyright management system" allows content owners to distribute and specifically control what material is distributed on P2P networks. Although Mashboxx users can download non-authorized material, preference will be given to DRM tracks.

"Despite early resistance from the recording industry, consumers continue to demonstrate their keen interest in music file-sharing applications," said Wayne Rosso, CEO of Mashboxx. "At the same time, consumers have expressed a willingness to pay a fair fee for the music they want, which addresses the recording industry's concerns..."

You may ask what exactly a "fair fee" is. According to the Mashboxx press release, the user is expected to pay $.99 per track. During the P2PForums' interview with Mashboxx CEO Wayne Rosso, the exact price tag per track remained in question. "...I'm not really sure that songs will be $1 each," Rosso stated, "Maybe less." It appears this statement was accurate.

To ensure the music industry receives their fair share, Mashboxx will utilize Peppercoin to process currency exchange.

"As the market for digital music and other content continues to explode, P2P networks like Mashboxx must establish a profitable payment system that also satisfies consumers' desire to use their preferred and trusted credit and debit cards," said Mark Friedman, president of Peppercoin.

Unlike Clickshare, which has only received a lukewarm reception from commercial P2P companies, it appears that Peppercoin has made greater headway. So far, FastTrack is the only other P2P network with a quasi-existent payment method in place. However, with numerous "Kazaa Lites" and the deterrent of RIAA lawsuits effectively in place, it does not appear the music industry wants much to do with this network. If successful, Mashboxx and Peppercoin may be the first P2P entities make "Pay P2P" more than just a running joke. We'll see.

This story is filed in these Slyck News categories
Authorized P2P :: Other

You can read the press release here.

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