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This Week in History Oct. 7, 1981-The new .bike registration program, which suggested registering the serial number of students’ bicy cles, recording and filing them, as well as engraving it into the bicycle, was a success with more than 340 stu dents responding to the program. Friday, October 6,2000 ~^ %\\Z (BaimtOtk " page 7 Peer-to-peer networks > allow people, businesses to share files over Web by Chris Farnsworth College press exchange While other people were using Napster to download pirated songs, Randy Saaf had a bigger idea for sharing files over the Internet. Saaf, then a first-year student at the UCLA Law School, wondered why not use the same kind of software as Napster to transfer files for business and not just fun. He called his friend Octavio Herrera, who’d just been accepted to busi ness school, and spun the idea to him. The two, who met while working in software development at Raytheon in El Segundo, got so excited that each abandoned the security of an advanced degree. Almost nine months later, Saaf s idea has turned into InterFriendly.net, a com ) pany started by six friends who are betting their careers on an idea called “peer to-peer networking,” also known as P2P. They’re not alone. Peer-to-peer networking is rapidly becoming the next big thing in the technology world. P2P networking uses software to create “virtual networks” across the Inter net. Like Napster or Gnutella, the music services that enable people to trade digital sound files online, P2P sends files over the Web between people who agree to share theni. P2P software doesn’t require a central server, which means it can turn any home PC with a modem into a network hub, accessible by anyone who is authorized to use it from anywhere on the Net. rz.r gui a turnip ui apyiuvai in /\ugu:>i nuni unci me wuuu :> taigcai maker of computer chips, which unveiled its own initiative to push the use of the technology at its Intel Developer Forum in San Jose. In a keynote speech, Intel’s chief technology officer, Pat Gelsinger, called P2P “the next computing revolution. “ Intel’s newest chip, the Pentium 4, due out later this year, is also aimed at speeding up P2P applications. Intel joins a growing list of companies betting on P2P. Scour, based in Los An geles, lets people trade digitized videos online. A utonomous Zone Industries of Mountain View is testing a program that lets people earn money by renting their idle computer power over the Net. And eBay is reportedly looking into possible uses for P2P software on its auction Web site “Everyone is getting into this now, and we had the idea six months ago,” ^ Saaf said. “Six months in the world of the Internet is a lifetime.” InterFriendly.net started with just Saaf, Herrera and several other friends front Raytheon: Jason Neu and Ron Paxson of Laguna Beach and Stefan Kaczntarek and Jay Mares of Los Angeles. All except Paxson, 52, are in their 20s. They incubated their idea at Saaf’s alma mater, Harvey Mudd College in Clare mont. They traded the school a small equity stake in exchange for use of the cam pus’ buildings, computer network and facilities during the summer lull. Now the company has moved its headquarters from Laguna Beach to an of fice in Venice to accommodate its eight employees. The friends are in discussions with venture capitalists after a recent demonstration of the alpha version of their software at Harvey Mudd. And, like many Internet startups, they’ve hired , a director of marketing: Cliff Goldman, formerly at Flashcom, the high-speed In ternet service in Huntington Beach. Despite the bigger names out there for P2P, the InterFriendly team hopes to cash in on the whole startup dream: an initial public stock offering, or an acqui sition by a multibillion-dollar company, or maybe even their faces on the cover of Industry Standard magazine. “We have the vision that private, busirtess-to-business networks are the fu ture,” said Herrera, who serves as the company’s chief financial officer. “We elim inate the need to know how to set up a network. Our software takes care of all 9 of that.” InterFriendly intends to give away a home version of its software and chaige businesses a licensing fee for a program with more features. The compa ny also plans to advertise on its site, www.interfriendly.net, which will launch in October. But lnterrnendly s backers, and everyone else in tne new yly marKei, rmgni want to hold offbefore buying any Porsches, said Stacey Herron, an analyst with Jupiter Research, an industry research firm. Napster has created an extraordinary demand for P2P services, Herron said. “The pure popularity and controversy surrounding Napster only shows the desire for applications like this.... Consumers really like the idea of sharing ideas with their friends,” she said. However, there’s one problem with P2P. No one’s made a dime from it yet, and Herron’s not sure anyone ever will. “I’m not sure how they’re going to be a viable business and how they’re go ing to make cash off of it,” Herron said. “Look at Napster. Napster is insanely pop ular, and has millions and millions of users, and we’re still not sure how they’re going to make money and if they’re a viable business.” Saaf is aware Napster is n’t bringing in any cash, but he believes InterFriendly will be different. “Systems like Napster mid Gnutella get all the press coverage, but ultimate % ly, there’s no future there, because there’s no way to profit from them,” he said. “Our primary customer is the mom-mid-pop shop. We are taigeting businesses.” There are still a lot of obstacles to success. People are understandably ner vous about sharing their files online. P2P could become one of those tech ideas that never catches on, like Apple’s failed hand-held computer, the Newton. But even if the company doesn’t become the next Netscape, or Microsoft or even profitable, as Saaf and his friends hope, they’ve still taken a shot at .the big dream. “This is a technology that’s going to change the Internet,” Herrera said. “That’s why we’re here.” it • """ ■■■ ■ ” T Special to The Gamecock lnterfriendly.net is a group of friends who have anticipated the next big thing in computing, peer- to- peer networking. The Venice, Calif, group develops software that lets people and businesses share files. Co founders Randy Saaf, far right, and Octavio Herrera, fourth from left, gave up work on advanced degrees to start the company. r Peace Frogs find way to Columbia by Heather Hardison The Gamecock A local merchant is attempting to make frogs fashionable in Co lumbia while supporting the envi ronment. Columbia resident Larry Frye decided to open a Peace Frogs kiosk after a business trip to Charleston. While in the Charleston area, he and his wife visited a Peace Frogs store. When Frye returned home, he looked into the Peace Frogs busi ness. He accessed the company’s Web site and found information on entrepreneurship. He then pro ceeded to contact Catesby Jones, founder of Peace Frogs. Frye opened the business in Columbiana Centre this past September. Peace Frogs of Columbia olfers t-shirts, pajamas, boxer shorts, hats, jewelry, socks, note pads and much more. The typical setup of a Peace Frogs includes the use of a Volk swagen bus. The bus, which serves as the actual store, is painted an ar ray of colors much like Retro Frog, the most popular Peace Frog. “I wanted to bring in the bus, but they didn’t have enough space for me to have one,” Frye said. As of now, Frye has a small spot next to the food court in the mall. While his space won’t accomodate the typical bus, he hopes to bring in a smaller Volkswagen bug. “Hopefully by March, I will have the space and access to a Volk swagen bug. If by chance they don’t have enough room, then I would like to take the bug to the festivals and other events that I attend,” Frye said. Peace Frogs was founded in 1985 at the University of Viiginia. The frogs, two fingers extended in a peace sign, were first used as logos on shorts that displayed in FROGS see page 8 L___ Heather Hardison The Gamecock. Verna Cannon releases album by Marguerite Higgins The Gamecock With their recent CD release, The Verna Cannon is broadening their horizon with upcoming per formances in Washington, D.C. and their main showcase at the College Music Journal Music Marathon in New York City next week. A slowcore Columbia-based band, The Verna Cannon is a mix between Mazzy Star and Velvet Un derground, according to guitarist Dan Cook. “We definitely fall between the coffeehouse indie band and rock, but it fits our medium,” Cook said. Formed in 1996, The Verna Cannon uses Columbia resident and USC alumna Molly Ledford as lead vocalist, whose low, sultry voice made an impact in both their self titled first CD and newest CD, *_• _r?-— ” 1’IUYIV/ >JUU i UVV/J. Ledford said she’s looking forward to the chance to play at the CBGB Art Gallery, where such bands as Talking Heads and Raynion frequented. “I think our music is great be cause it gives people a break from the real heavy rock music and changes the scenery to something different to contemplate,” Ledford said. Accompanied by USC alum nus’ Jonathan Bradley on drums, Cook on guitar and violin and Jay Barry on bass. The Verna Cannon intermixes their music with vary ing bands such as Hank Williams and Dag Nasty to show their di versity, Cook said. “To give an example, we have a song now that sounds like E-Mo lown and we always have these old er and more recent influences to pay tribute but not directly rip off anyone, Leaiora saia. Ledford said the band started out with a quicker tempo than their current slow songs, but changed to the more sedated sound to be nat ural. “We have moments where it’s not slow but our faster songs in our first album didn’t seem natural,” Ledford said. “Most of our music now comes from Dan, and that’s just the mood that he takes, and we like it so far.” The Verna Cannon released their second CD in April 2000 through record label Caigo Records, which also recorded for Blink 182. Cook said the band found their break through a friend who played some of their first CD for repre sentatives at Cargo. “They never saw us before, and they signed us on for a first album and an optional album if they liked what they heard,” Cook said. “I think it had to do purely with the strength of our own first CD.” Ledford said the band would see if Cargo Records would want to make another CD after their re action with the Northern cities. “We’re writing some new stuff now, but it’s mainly gearing up for these performances and trying to improve, Leuioru saiu. Before they hit New York, though, the band will hold a per formance at the Metro Cafe in Washington on Oct. 15. They will play for the Art Gallery Oct. 19 and make another performance for music profession als and record label representatives at the Hilton on Oct. 20. “We’re really excited just to have the chance to be selected to play for CMJ Music Marathon, but to play two gigs is really phenom enal and everyone is pumped,” Cook said. The CMJ Music Marathon is an annual four-night event, which will bring more than 1,000 per formers representing rock, elec tronica, dance, hip-hop, experi mental, metal, Americana, lounge, blues, jazz and alternative. Other bands performing include 2 Skinnee J’s and Radiohead, which are all hosted by the CMJ Network. The Verna Cannon will be back to play at New Brookland Tavern sometime in early November, al though the date is not yet definite, Ledford said. The spotlight desk can he reached at gamecockspotlight@hotmail.com. Special toTHE Gamecock S.C. State Fair events for Oct. 6 . STUDENT DAY All children under 18 will be admitted free until 6 p.m. Midway opens at 11 a.m. FREE SHOWS 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. “S.C. State Fair Cslliope” - Pat Wilson South Cate 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. “Performances By S.C. Students” WIS Spirit of Carolina Stage 12:30 p.m. - “Chainsaw Artists” The Robinson Family Front of Moore Building ■ “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 2:30 p.m. - “Richard's Racing Pigs” Front of Cattle Arena “Chainsaw Artists” The Robinson Family Front of Moore Building “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 3 p.m. - “Bounce & Ooo La La w/Daniel” WNOK Stage 4 p.m. - “Bounce & Ooo La La w/Daniel” WNOK Stage 4:30 p.m. - “Richard's Racing Pigs” Front ol'Cattle Arena “Chainsaw Artist” The Robinson Family Front of Moore Building “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 5 p.m. - “Cea Cea & The Sandman” . (Hypnotist) WNOK Stage 6 p.m. - “Phil Urban” WIS Spirit of Carolina Stage “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 6:30 p.m. - “Richard's Racing Pigs” Front of Cattle Arena “Chainsaw Artist” The Robinson Family Front of Moore Building 7 p.m. - “Bounce & Ooo La La w/Daniel” WNOK Stage “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 8 p.m. - “Phil Urban” WIS Spirit of Carolina Stage “Columbia Marionette Theatre” Front of Rosewood's 8:30 p.m. - “Cea Cea & The Sandman” (Hypnotist) WNOK Stage “Richard's Racing Pigs” Front ol Cattle Arena GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT Mandy Moore w/No Authority 7:30 p.m. WRHA Movies Friday - Sunday 9 a.m. - “La Bamba” 12 p.m. - “Play it to the Bone” 3 p.m. - “Fools Rush In” 6 p.m. - “Wayne’s World” 9 p.m. - “28 Days” 12 a.m. - “The Wood” 3 a.m. - “Fools Rush In” Campus Notes Send Campus Notes to gamecockspot light@hotmail.com. Please include contact name and phone number, and a brief descript ion of your event. 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