Methods and apparatus for peer-to-peer services

A machine accessible medium storing machine readable instructions, the instructions being structured to cause an apparatus to:

• present at a client a link pointing to data that resides at a first location represented by the link;
• recognize that the link has been selected;
• receive a representation of the first location;
• determine if a second location stores a copy of the data stored at the first location;
• receive a representation of the second location if the copy is stored in the second location;
• in response to receiving the representation of the second location, request download of the copy from the second location;
• and
• if the copy is not stored in the second location, request download of the data from the first location.

A download system adapted to download information to a client from one of first and second information sources, the system comprising:

• a client;
• a user interface adapted to present a link pointing to data stored at a first information source address represented by the link and to generate in response to a user input an indication that the link has been selected;
• a download component adapted to operate on the client to cause the client to:
• receive the indication that the link has been selected;
• receive the representation of the first information source address;
• determine if the second information source stores a copy of the data stored at the first information source address;
• receive a representation of a second information source address if the copy is stored in the second information source;
• in response to receiving the representation of the second information source address, request download of the copy from the second information source;
• and
• if the copy is not stored in the second information source, request download of the data from the first information source address.

A download system comprising:

• an information source including an indication that the information source is adapted to provide download redirection capability, wherein the information source is adapted to receive communication from a client, wherein the client is configured to:
• present at a client a link pointing to data that resides at a first location represented by the link;
• recognize that the link has been selected;
• receive a representation of the first location;
• determine if a second location stores a copy of the data stored at the first location;
• receive a representation of the second location if the copy is stored in the second location;
• in response to receiving the representation of the second location, request download of the copy from the second location;
• and
• if the copy is not stored in the second location, request download of the data from the first location;
• wherein the information source is further adapted to cause the client to enable a client component to enable download redirection upon the receipt of the indication.