Configuring peer-to-peer software: an empirical study of how users react to the regulatory features of software

摘要

Presents a study undertaken to develop an understanding of how regulation takes place in IT and focuses on the regulatory features of software with regard to peer-to-peer software for MP3 file sharing, explaining that, while such software may become obsolete due to the rapidly changing technology, it still makes sense to understand some of the main aspects of the subject and reveal any research methodological issues that might prove fruitful in later applications. Explains that the main purpose of the research was to find important patterns in the process of regulation as opposed to simply generating an empirically justified theory. Describes the gathering of research data through extensive interviews conducted with 13 carefully selected interviewees about their use of seven different types of file sharing peer-to-peer applications (BearShare, AudioGalaxy, KaZaa, I-Mesh, Morpheus, WinMX, LimeWire. Concludes that the evidence suggests that during the interaction process with peer-to-peer technologies, people act in a manner that is deliberate only if they feel that a particular problem affects their own personal goals or interests.