It can be proved that in certain scenarios peer-to-peer (P2P) systems are superior to centralized systems. For example, in a centralized file sharing system, when the number of users grows, the only way to sustain the quality of the service is to add more and more new servers and increase the bandwidth. The more users there are in the system, the more resources are required. However, in P2P systems, the quality of the service grows as the number of users grows. The more users there are, the easier it gets to download a certain file.

Let's apply the same reasoning to a system like a search engine. Putting an exponentially growing web on a single central system is not successful in the long run. It's true that by investing in hardware and software more and more computing power can be added but again the system will reach a point after which it will not be possible to maintain the quality of the search engine. The only solution to a growing web is a decentralized, peer-to-peer (P2P) search engine.

Well, at least in a theory, a P2P search engine must work better than its centralized counterpart. A P2P search engine must deliver better result quality at lower costs while maintaining the simple handling and the speed of conventional search engines. There would be no centralized server and no centralized index. Every user of the search engine would be a part of a distributed index.

W can discuss theoretic aspects of a P2P search engine endlessly. However, smart folks behind FAROO have already started developing a P2P search engine and it looks like they have progressed pretty well. I said looks like because at the moment it is not possible to download the search client or whatever piece of software there will be. The FAROO web site is the only source of information at the moment. However, the web site explains quite in a detail how the search engine will function.

Finally, I would like to mention that the FAROO search engine is being developed by a German company FAROO GmbH.

I'll keep an eye on FAROO and dedicate a future post once more information becomes available.