File-sharing program

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A file-sharing program is used to directly or indirectly transfer files from one computer to another computer over a network (e.g. the Internet). While the term may be used to describe client-server disk sharing (also known as shared file access or disk mounting), it is more commonly used to describe file sharing using the peer-to-peer (P2P) model.

Peer-to-peer file sharing typically operates using a network, such as Gnutella or Bittorent. There are tradeoffs to using one network over another network. A variety of file-sharing programs are available on these different networks. It is common for commercial file sharing clients to contain abrasive advertising software, or spyware.

1 Categories of clients
2 Applications
3 See also

[edit] Categories of clients

Centralized Clients: OpenNap
- Benefits: Faster searching and downloading
- Negatives: Often more vulnerable to legal and DDOS attacks

Decentralized clients: Gnutella
- Benefits: Usually more reliable and rarely shut down
- Negatives: Generally slower than centralized systems

Decentralized tracker-based clients: Bittorrent
- Benefits: Very fast due to concentration of bittorrent networks on a single file, is principally used to offer new, large files for download, many tracker sites available
- Negatives: Not centrally searchable, tracker sites are often closed down from legal suits or fail, not truly anonymous

Multi-network clients
- Benefits: allows connection to more than one network, almost always on the client side.
- Negatives: often playing catch-up to individual networks' changes and updates.

Anonymous peer-to-peer: Freenet, GNUnet, MUTE, I2P, GigaTribe
- Benefits: allows for the uncensored free flow of information and ideas
- Negatives: due to anonymity it allows for questionable or illegal material to be exchanged easier than other networks, often slower than regular p2p because of the overhead

Private file-sharing networks

[edit] Applications

[edit] List of file-sharing programs by network protocol

FastTrack protocol

OpenFT protocol
- giFT
- KCeasy
- Zeus

EDonkey network protocol
- eMule
- MLDonkey
- eDonkey2000
- Overnet
- Hydranode

Freenet protocol
- Freenet
- Entropy, (P2P)

GNUnet protocol
- GNUnet
- Freeway(p2p)

Gnutella protocol
- Ares Galaxy (no spyware/adware)
- BearShare (includes spyware/adware)
- Cabos (no spyware/adware)
- DM2 (no spyware/adware)
- FrostWire (no spyware/adware)
- Gnucleus (unsure)
- Kazaa (no longer includes spyware/adware)
- KCeasy (unsure)
- Kiwi Alpha (includes spyware/adware)
- LimeWire (unsure)
- Morpheus (free version includes spyware/adware)
- Shareaza (no spyware/adware)
- XoloX (unsure)
- Zeus (no spyware/adware)

[edit] Miscellaneous protocols

Bit Torrent (decentralized dynamic network of users)
MUTE
I2P
Diino - tries to keep all you files available online
GigaTribe [1]

[edit] User agents

[edit] Depot channels

[edit] Miscellaneous

- Servers
  - Apache HTTP Server
  - BarracudaDrive secure private peer to peer
  - IIS Microsoft Internet Information Services
OpenNap protocol
- Directory servers
  - OpenNap Server
- User agents
  - Napster
  - Gnapster
  - WinMX
- Espra
Anywhere
Audiogalaxy
iMesh
Direct Connect
- Clients (user agents)
  - NeoModus Direct Connect
  - Valknut
  - DC++
    - BCDC++
    - StrongDC++
    - fulDC
    - Reverse Connect (aka RevConnect)
- Hubs (servers)
  - PtokaX
  - YnHub
SoulSeek
Mnet
(open)ssh based systems:
- scp
- sftp
- rsync (now commonly uses ssh as the successor to rsh)
Revision control systems are specialized file sharing systems.
- CVS
- Subversion
PowerFolder - An easy, secure and private file sharing program. Covers also project file repository usage.
General tools:
- Netcat, a networking pocketknife.