what about this new client that is charging $5 if you want to pay? You think people will pay and keep this company alive?
Why can't gnutella exist because open source code is all done and written because a few people gave a little time for free?
Isn't it the commercial interests that are causing all these changes in a effort to match or catch up to illegal trading systems (for profit systems that put up servers full of illegal MP3s so their network looks like people are sharing).
If people would be satisfied with the way things are now, you search, get a file and be happy, then we have the code and it's done.
Everyone thinks this is some sort of sports event where you have to "win". Gnutella will never become the #1 trading system, because illegal systems will always be better. But Gnutella will always be there because it's open and honest (people really "trade" with it).
No need for greed because the code is all done and anyone creating a "new" client and charging $$ would look like a fool.
So maybe it's greed that is creating more greed.