Abstract: A computerized system for advertising in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network of user modules within a global communications network. An advertising database contains associated advertisements that each include either local advertisement content stored in the advertising database or links to remote advertisement content stored elsewhere on the global network. A service module receives search criteria sent on the P2P network by a searching user module conducting a P2P search for digital media with other user modules. The service module then retrieves one or more of the associated advertisements from the advertising database based on the search criteria and communicates them to the searching user module.

Abstract: A process for determining the price of a digital media file for members of a service engaging in commerce in a peer-to-peer network having member controlled client systems and a service operator controlled service system. The client systems locally store digital media container (DMC) files encapsulating the digital media files and royalty amounts, and the service system stores pricing data that is applicable to sets of the members collectively and to sets of the DMC files collectively. The process comprising the invention includes selecting one of the DMC files hosted by one of the client systems of another member to be a DMC file of interest, obtaining the royalty amount from the DMC file of interest, obtaining the pricing data, and calculating the price based on the royalty amount and the pricing data.

Abstract: A computerized service for reviewing digital media in a peer-to-peer network. Client modules each reside in client systems controlled by members of the service. The client modules intercommunicate in the peer-to-peer network, locally store one or more digital media container (DMC) files encapsulating at least a portion of a digital media work and descriptive information about the digital media work, permit their controlling members to include a review of the digital media work in the descriptive information, deliver the descriptive information to other client modules via the network, and permit their controlling members to view a review already in the descriptive information received from another client module.

Abstract: A computerized service for commerce in digital media in a peer-to-peer network having client modules, controlled by service members, that intercommunicate in the network, locally store digital media container (DMC) files encapsulating digital media works, and deliver DMC file to other client modules via the network. A service module communicates with the client modules via the network to store member information for the client modules, store file information for the DMC files, accept purchase payments for DMC files purchased with the client modules, and credit royalty and/or commission accounts with portions of each purchase payment, wherein the royalty accounts belong to members of the service who are publishers of the DMC files and the commission accounts belong to members of the service who are distributors of the DMC files.