BitTorrent (http://www.bittorrent.com) is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file distribution architecture that makes it possible to distribute files on the internet without using large amounts of centralized server and bandwidth resources. When users download media using BitTorrent, they become part of a distribution network making portions of the file available to other users, creating a “torrent of bits.” The software is infamous for it’s use for sharing copyrighted files, however, it has many legitimate uses as an efficient media distribution system.

Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org) offers flexible copyright licenses for creative works based on open source philosophy while retaining certain rights.

CustomFlix (http://www.customflix.com) provides independent filmmakers with on-demand DVD publishing and order fulfillment. When customers order your DVD, CustomFlix handles the duplication and ships directly to the customer. This reduces up-front costs, reduces risk, and avoids the exclusivity required by distributors.

del.icio.us (http://del.icio.us) is a social bookmarking site that allows you to share your favorite web pages, blogs, music, reviews, and more with friends, family, and colleagues using the del.icio.us and access them from any web browser. Users can add tags to links so you can search for your own and other people’s favorites by tag like “HD” or “film.”

Film Movement (http://www.filmmovement.com) was started by Larry Meistrich and offers film lovers a film festival in their living room through a monthly DVD subscription of films that have screened at top film festivals in the U.S. and around the world, most of which have won awards.

A perfect holiday gift!

Flickr (http://www.flickr.com) is an online photo sharing community that enables members to view, upload, tag, and share their personal photos through the web. Images on Flickr can be included in blogs and linked to from web sites and an open API allows programmers to build new applications that interact with images on Flickr. IndieFlix (http://www.indieflix.com) is similar to CustomFlix in terms of on-demand publishing and fulfillment but taking on more of a distributor’s role. Unlike traditional distributors, IndieFlix signs non-exclusive deals with filmmakers, allowing them to distribute their film on their own as well.

LinkedIN (http://www.linkedin.com) is a professional networking site that allows you to “connect” directly with people you know and in turn, through their network, request connections to other people you’d like to meet. Similar sites include Ryze business networking and Friendster.

Lulu (http://www.lulu.com) provides DVD publishing and fulfillment services similar to CustomFlix and IndieFlix, but also handles books, calendars, images, and music.  

Mashup is a term (derived from similar use in popular music) that describes web applications that combine content from more than one source into an integrated experience, typically accomplished using a public interface or API. An example is housingmaps.com that combines house listings from craigslist with Google Maps.

MySpace (http://www.myspace.com) is an online community that lets members meet friends and share photos, journals, music, and their personal interests. Members can see who knows who and how they are connected. Most people will find they really are less than six people away from Kevin Bacon.

Open API (Application Program Interface) enables you to write your own user interface to a web site or service. For example, Google Maps, Flickr, del.icio.us, and many others all allow programmers to build applications using data from their sites and even updating information with proper authentication. See Mashups.

Open Source is both a philosophy and a methodology in which developers of software or media share, rather than protect, their work. The source code is made available to the public, enabling anyone to copy, modify and redistribute the source code without the requirement of paying licensing fees or royalties. Open source evolves through community cooperation. Notable examples include Linux (a popular operating system), Apache (Web server used by a majority of web hosts on the internet), Firefox (the most reliable and secure web browser); WordPress (a popular blogging and podcasting platform) and Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia).

Podcasts are audio or video content provided on a subscription basis and implemented as an RSS feed using a media file enclosure. A “podcatcher” like iTunes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/) or Juice (http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net) is used to download and listen (or watch) the content. There are thousands of podcasts available including everything from personal rants to popular radio shows produced by NPR, PRI, WNYC, etc. In contrast to streaming media that download and play synchronously in real-time, podcasts are downloaded asynchronously prior to being played.

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML file format that allows Internet users to subscribe to web sites that provide access to their content on a subscription basis. This makes it possible for end-users to read news headlines from many different web sites using a single news reader or aggregator like NetNewsWire (http://ranchero.com/netnewswire/) for Macintosh or FeedDemon (http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/) for Windows rather than surfing to many different web sites.

Video blogs (or vlogs) are weblogs that include video attachments, for example, Rocket Boom (http://www.rocketboom.com/vlog) and Steve Garfield’s video blog (http://stevegarfield.blogs.com).

YouTube (http://www.youtube.com) is an online community enabling members to watch, upload, tag, and share personal video clips through the web. Sharing is accomplished through blogs, e-mail, and personal video networks.

David Tamés is Program Director, Digital Filmmaking at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University and Co-Producer of ArtFilmDesign (http://www.artfilmdesign.com), a podcast of interviews with creative people. For more on group forming networks and related writings see David Reed’s web site (http://www.reed.com/dprframeweb/dprframe.asp)