P2P file-sharing basically involves a network, and a software that swaps files within that network. All P2P software have a paradoxical existence. The more popular a P2P software becomes, the closer it comes to quick death. Life-history of all file-swapping software, whether it is Napster, Kazaa, Grokster or something else, is always the same.
First, the software comes from out of nowhere to become extremely popular. Its popularity then causes it to run into legal problems with record companies. Then the courts jump in to shut the network down, or the software is altered by its creators to make the network more discreet. When the courts shut the network down, that is the end of it. When the software is altered, the new thing remains in circulation for a while. But as the very characters that made the software popular earlier are now altered, the users gradually shun the software, and it slowly falls off the popularity list. A new software coming out from nowhere becomes the new fad, to repeat the cycle.
There are two different types of P2P software available for file-sharing:
1.Softwares that take aid of centralized servers.
2.Softwares that do not depend upon centralized servers. These use the so-called Gnutella-like decentralized networks.
In the first type, the servers are either exclusive to the users of a particular software, or OpenNAP servers that can be accessed with a variety of software.
With exclusive servers, the user needs to log on using a previously registered username and password. Everytime a user logs in, the server fetches the details of files available with him for sharing, and maintains a centralized directory of the same.
When another user requests for a file, the server refers back to its centralized database to find out which other users have that file. It then prepares a list of such users currently logged in, and sends the list to the user who placed the request. From the list, the source for downloading is chosen, and the downloading takes place directly from source PC to the destination PC without involving the central server, through a HTTP link.
Because there is a centrally maintained directory, the search with server-based software for files is fast. But it is easy for the record companies and the courts to target such servers. Once they shut down the server, that is the end of the network(eg.Napster, and more recently Kazaa. For example, Kazaa was forced to shift its servers to Australia after getting shut down in the U.S. and Europe, and even that has not been a permanent solution). Furthermore, the server may provide out dated information if its directory is not refreshed periodically.
Popular file sharing applications which use a centralized server are, Kazaa(with its spyware free, ad free, tweaked varients like DietKazaa, Kazaa Lite etc.), Kazaam, Morpheus, Audiogalaxy, Grokster, WinMX(needs an associate program, NapMX, to locate the OpenNAP networks), iMesh, e-donkey, Amster, Audiognome, XNap(Java based), Voodoo Vision, The Qube, Swaptor, Teknap, Rapigator, Rapster, Overnet, SwapNut, Myster, FileShare, Filetopia, File Rogue, Direct Connect, Songspy, FileNavigator, Flipr, Blubster, Sharezaa, Jungle Monkey, Swapoo, VNN, ANAP(anonymous napster), Espra, .there is no end to this list!
Pitted against the server based P2P-software, are the software that use decentralized, server-free networks, also called Gnutella-like networks. The first amongst these was Gnutella. Created by a company called Nullsoft, its distribution was forced to be stopped by its parent company AOL hours within offering Gnutella for public distribution. But P2P enthusiasts who had downloaded the software by that time, made sure that it survived.
A software that uses server-free P2P networks, when requested for a file, does something called a'recursive search' to locate the specified file. A message that a particular file is wanted by a particular PC called'X', is passed on in a cascading manner to all the networked PCs, first to the nearest ones, then to the distant ones. Once the file is found on another PC called'Y', the information that the file is available with'Y' is transmitted back through the same cascading network to'X'. Then'X' will directly download the file from'Y'.
The reach of this network is potentially infinite and therefore the search also continues indefinitely. But generally the search is time-limited by the software, say for 1-5 minutes, and the results thus obtained are displayed. Because there are no centralized servers, it is difficult for record companies and courts to target decentralized networks. But the search is slower and time-taking as there is no'ready-made' directory. Also, it is found that as many as 80% of Gnutella network users do not actually share files, and because there is no'registration, ' they cannot be forced to share files.
The most popular Gnutella clones are, Bearshare, Xolox, Limewire, Mynapster(not to be confused with Napster), Furi, Gnotella, Gnutmeg, GT-Gnutella, N-tella, VB Gnutella, Gnut, and Gnucleus,
There is one program that works with both Gnutella and server-based networks, though not very perfect, called'Ohaha'.
Because of the crack down by record companies, creators of server-based software are now forced to introduce a degree of decentralization in to their networks. A recent example is the latest version of Kazaa, which now works on a'super node' based decentralized network. The directories of available files are now located on'supernodes, ' instead of one single centralized server. A'supernode' is nothing but a user having a high-speed connection. When you request for a file, your PC connects to the nearest'supernode, ' that to the next supernode and so on, finally bringing in the result to you.
My experience with file-sharing software started with Kazaa. But after reading that it is full of spyware, and has security problems, I shifted to a server-independent file-sharing program, MyNapster. But I soon got tired with the time consuming recursive searches, and shifted to the WinMX - NapMX combination. Amongst these, NapMX actually locates the OpenNAP networks alive at any given moment, and feeds that data to WinMX. WinMX then uses this data to connect to multiple networks for locating and downloading specific files. But then, I noticed that most of the OpenNAP networks remain extremely busy, and it takes a while to log on. So, when I came across this spyware free, reverse-engineered varient of Kazaa, the Kazaa Lite, I shifted my loyalties, and am using Kazaa Lite ever since!
You will have to try some of these programs and find what suits you the best. In case you do not prefer an OpenNAP based software and want to use one with an exclusive network, try a software which is known to be:
1.Preferred by most(so that you can get maximum number of'sources' to download),
2.Spyware free and advertisement free,
3.Bug-free,
4.Free from security loop-holes,
5.One with no bandwidth limit,
6.One that uses a network that does not remain'busy' all the time,
7.One that has auto-resume feature for partial downloads,
8.One that can download not just MP3 audio, but also video clippings, still images, software and data.
Happy swapping!
