RE: Can P2P applications learn to play fair on networks?

[Sean Donelan <sean () donelan com>]

On Mon, 29 Oct 2007, Fred Reimer wrote:
> That and the fact that an ISP would be aiding and abetting
> illegal activities, in the eyes of the RIAA and MPAA.  That's not
> to say that technically it would not be better, but that it will
> never happen due to political and legal issues, IMO.

As always consult your own legal advisor, however in the USA
DMCA 512(b) probably makes caching by ISPs legal.  ISPs have not
been shy about using the CDA and DMCA to protect themselves from
liability.

Although caching has been very popular outside the USA, in particular in 
countries with very expensive trans-oceanic circuits, in the USA caching
is mostly a niche service for ISPs.  The issue in the USA is more likely
the cost of operating and maintaing the caching systems are more expensive 
than the operational cost of the bandwidth in the USA.

Despite some claims from people that ISPs should just shovel packets,
some US ISPs have used various caching systems for a decade.

It would be a shame to make Squid illegal for ISPs to use.