On the Superdistribution of Digital Goods

Andreas U. Schmidt (CREATE-NET Research Consortium, Italy)

Abstract: Business models involving buyers of digital goods in the distribution process are called superdistribution schemes. We review the state-of-the art of research and application of superdistribution and propose a systematic approach to market mechanisms using super-distribution and technical system architectures supporting it. The limiting conditions on such markets are of economic, legal, technical, and psychological nature. Large scale applications of superdistribution such as video-on-demand and multimedia over peer-to-peer type networks pose particular requirements on security and efficiency.

Keywords: content superdistribution, copyright protection, digital good, trusted computing

Categories: C.2.0, H.1.1, K.4.2, K.5.1