Microsoft develops Avalanche p2p program

Microsoft's researchers have developed p2p software that they say overcomes the scheduling problems that exist on other protocols such as BitTorrent. They claim their protocol is faster than other protocols, but they also state that it should only be used to spread legitimate content.

The researchers claim download times are between 20-30 per cent faster, using their network coding approach, than on systems that only code at the server, and between 200 and 300 per cent faster than distributing unencoded information.

More info about Avalanche can be found at The Register and a detailed PDF file can be found here