Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 4934185

Joost this week announced that it's dropping its desktop P2P client, redirecting users to access videos via its Web site instead.

"As of December 19, Joost's Windows and Mac software clients will cease to work, and instead will invite users to visit the company's site if they want to get access to its catalog of over 46,000 music videos, TV shows, movies, and short films," writes Ars Technica's David Chartier. "A recently released iPhone client will apparently continue to work."

"Part of the buzz surrounding Joost's launch - aside from the fact that it involved the creator of Skype - was that the company planned to use peer-to-peer networks to distribute video rather than the client-peer network it has switched to now," notes Wired's Scott Gilbertson.

Multichannel News' Todd Spangler reports that "Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey said the development means that peer-to-peer 'as a platform for legal consumer video is dead.'"

More here from Contentinople ... more here from Digital Trends ... more here from Technologizer ... more here from Lifehacker ... more here from The Industry Standard ... more here from BetaNews ... and the announcement is here.