Abstract: A peer-to-peer system for distributing electronic documents in which each peer computer is configured for receiving operating sequence command data, and for accessing an electronic document over a network by downloading, via at least two separate downloads, a plurality of data segments that are associated with an electronic document and that represent an encrypted form of the document. The document is encrypted by the effect of the operating sequence command data determining the order of the data segments, and the data segments are not usable by a user as downloaded. At least one of the downloads is from the second computer and at least one of the downloads is from a third computer. The system is further configured for accessing reconstruction data over the network and for using the reconstruction data and the encrypted form of the document to make the document available for use in a suitable decrypted form.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the protected output of an electronically transmitted and stored document which is provided with or which is subject to electronic copy protection, comprising a storage unit provided on a local computer system, for storing the document and preparing it for output, a local processing and control unit which co-operates with the storage unit and with an external data processing installation by way of a data communication network, the processing and control unit being such that an additional operation and/or additional data can be linked to the document as a reaction to at least one online contact by way of the data communication network, and the linked document can be processed for output, an output unit which is connected to the local processing and control unit and which is adapted for appropriate output of the linked document, and an interrogation and checking unit which co-operates with the storage unit and the processing and control unit and which is adapted to detect a