How much is ripple decentralised and p2p

Question

I don't understand this

Even if Opencoin should close, the ripple network will continue. Because the ripple is a P2P >network, it is not operated by Opencoin but by the combined efforts of all the computers >running the ripple server software. The ripple network can not be shut down without shutting >down the entire Internet.

so what is there are still ripple users but no ripple servers? Will all XRP and all stored money vanish? is all ripple clients also a server so that they can process transactions.

Also, I would like to ask do all people that use ripple form a p2p network, or only the ripple servers form a p2p network, and users connect into it?

Thank you :)

Answer 1

Ripple is an internet protocol. It's ledger is kept on servers all over. In fact, I am in the process of installing RippleD and connecting my server to the broader network.

Watch these short youtube videos:

Here's an overview of Ripple ...

Here is an explanation of Ripple in 60 seconds ...

Here are two more videos:

Here is a video to help you understand how a Gateway works ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M16ZatXbmLg

Here is a video to help you understand how the consensus ledger works ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj1QVb1vlC0

Then you should do a search on the Ripple Wiki and give it a read. (I'd send a link, but again, they're limiting me to two :-S )

Cheers!

Answer 2

Even if Opencoin should close, the ripple network will continue. Because the ripple is a P2P network, it is not operated by Opencoin but by the combined efforts of all the computers running the ripple server software. The ripple network can not be shut down without shutting down the entire Internet.

Because Ripple is open source software, the former OpenCoin (now Ripple Labs) could disappear and the Ripple network would continue operating, especially now that the Ripple server software was released as open source in September. Ripple Labs doesn't own or operate the Ripple network.

The most interesting way the peer-to-peer network operates is that it's created instantaneously when the network looks for a path for a payment, based on trust lines among users and gateways. So if I have USD and you want BTC, the Ripple network figures out the path between us to make that happen.