Question

where did these networks get the name P2P
they allow users to search peer names
they allow individual computers to communicate with other computers so people can share files with other people around the world
peer companies were sued to get that name
they are used to illegally download music from peer companies

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The term "P2P" stands for "peer-to-peer." It describes a distributed network architecture where individual nodes, or "peers," can act both as clients and servers. This means that each participating computer can communicate directly with others without the need for a centralized server. The name reflects the nature of this network, where all machines are considered equal (or "peers") in their ability to share resources, such as files.

P2P networks became popular primarily for file sharing, enabling users to exchange files directly with one another. This technology does have a history of being associated with illegal file sharing, particularly in the early 2000s, when services like Napster and BitTorrent were used to download music and movies without authorization.

So to summarize, the name "P2P" is derived from the architecture of the network itself and does not stem from lawsuits or branding based on peer companies.