StreamCast Networks chose the Web 2.0 conference to announce a major update to their Morpheus peer-to-peer client. Employing a new hash table technology from NEOnet (you know, I’m getting really bored with all these five-year-old Matrix references), Morpheus 4.5 claims more efficient searching and downloads across the major P2P networks.
If you listen really carefully, you can almost hear the RIAA’s lawyers phoning in yet another order for more champaign and Porches.
“This is not just another updated application from a technology developer. Morpheus 4.5 is a genuine leap forward in advancing peer-to-peer file-sharing and searching, thanks to the horizonless search capabilities of the NEOnet technology,” StreamCast Networks CEO Michael Weiss said in a statement. “For the first time ever, decentralized P2P technology delivers central server reliability in a completely decentralized architecture to provide a quality of service unparalleled by existing applications.”
So, what’s a “horizonless” search? It means that the new client will search across all P2P networks at once, all seven million simultaneous users, rather than just clusters of computers – reducing the number of hops that a peer-to-peer client takes before it locates a specific file.
Ben Wilken, Architect of the underlying technology to NEOnet, explains the benefit: “Morpheus with NEOnet allows users to find that file within three hops or less, significantly reducing the network congestion caused by peer-to-peer usage by up to 600 percent.”
Since Morpheus does not keep a central database of all files available, it doesn’t break any laws – indeed StreamCast claim it is the only P2P file sharing software ruled legal by US Federal courts. However, if users upload and then share content they don’t hold the copyright to, then they will have committed a crime.
Other enhancements to Morpheus include integration with users’ antivirus software, anti-spoofing technology (useful for detecting Overpeer’s handy work), parental controls and an integrated media player.
