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A comment on Ask HN: Why does P2P encrypted messaging still suck?. Parent comment

Re:Ask HN: Why does P2P encrypted messaging still suck? by dilippkumar on Wednesday April 04, 2018 @05:21PM (#16759250)
AFAIK there isn't a modern word to describe the common architecture that you describe.

About a decade ago, the phrase "hub-and-spokes network" was thrown around to describe an architecture with a central server that acted as the mediator. The term "p2p" became popular in this context. (

Napster, bittorrent, tox are all "p2p" because they don't connect to single server. Skype is not "p2p" because all packets go through the skype servers.

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Re:Ask HN: Why does P2P encrypted messaging still suck? by sliken on Wednesday April 04, 2018 @10:07PM (#16761200)
Skype used to be p2p, except for the original auth/login. But since then microsoft bought the company and push everything through their servers.
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