# What is P2P? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 1, 2007, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434 "2007-12-01T06:47:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/1 "2007-12-01T06:47:54Z")
So with the whole banner ad stuff, I’ve noticed people mentioning that the board is now on P2P… What exactly does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/2 "2007-12-01T06:50:45Z")
P2P can mean a few different things. In this context, I believe it means “pay to post.” I have also seen it used on the boards meaning “peer-to-peer” as in bittorrent and other programs like that. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/3 "2007-12-01T14:22:51Z")
I have frequently used it as shorthand for ‘Pay to Post’. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/4 "2007-12-01T14:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=Winston Smith] I have frequently used it as shorthand for ‘Pay to Post’. [/QUOTE] I usually hear “pay to play”, basically the same meaning, though usable in contexts other then a message board. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/5 "2007-12-01T19:38:13Z")
Thanks for the responses. We’ve been P2P for some time. Are people using this term to describe the progression of matters on the board, or has something changed? Guests can still post for 30 days gratis, right? Non-members can view threads too - yes? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/6 "2007-12-02T00:33:31Z")
Pay to post. After thirty days-- ya gotta “p2p” Not to read, just to post. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/7 "2007-12-02T01:06:30Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] We’ve been P2P for some time. [/QUOTE] It’s come up again, because of the banner ads. It’s not new, it’s just been a while since the last time ‘we’re p2p’ has been an argument as to why something wrong with the board is a bad thing. The p2p abbreviation has been around…pretty much as long as we’ve been p2p. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/8 "2007-12-02T02:23:05Z")
2p or not 2p … ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/9 "2007-12-02T02:28:09Z")
Yea, verily, and forsooth! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-p2p/428434/10 "2007-12-02T20:42:28Z")
I thought so. Thanks for the responses… a mod can close this thread.