Decentralization - leads to increased performance, scalability and disruptiveness.

As a network grows bigger, all centralized points will become weak points in its infrastructure. Example: The internet and the DNS system, or transatlantic peering points.

Opposed to the traditional client/server model of standalone ftp/http/mail/etc. servers, peers are constantly connected to the network and constantly exchange information.

Peer-to-peer...

• can utilize the unused resources of machines "at the edges of the internet" (PCs, dialups with dynamic addresses)
• is designed to handle unpredictable routing topography and data flows
• often creates addresses and metadata for things other than machines. Example: Freenet creates addresses for the same content intentionally copied and spread across multiple machines ("superdistribution").
• often means information will be exchanged over an untrusted public network.