Azureus
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| Azureus | |
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| Developed by | The Azureus Team |
| Initial release | June 2003 |
| Stable release | 3.0.5.2 (April 15, 2008) [+/−] |
| Preview release | 3.0.5.3 B38 (June 7, 2008) [+/−] |
| Written in | Java |
| OS | Cross-platform |
| Platform | Java |
| Available in | ? |
| Genre | BitTorrent client |
| License | GNU General Public License - with modifications. |
| Website | azureus.sourceforge.net www.azureus.com |
Azureus Vuze (formerly Azureus) is a BitTorrent client. Like other BitTorrent clients, it is used to transfer files via the BitTorrent protocol, a mechanism for peer-to-peer file sharing over a network. Azureus is written in Java programming language .
In 2003, the core developers of Azureus formed a company called Vuze, Inc. (formerly Azureus, Inc.) Vuze, Inc. offers legal downloads of content over the BitTorrent network, some free and some for sale and protected by WMV DRM.
The program's logo is the Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates azureus). The Azureus name was given to the project by co-creator Tyler Pitchford, who uses the Latin names of poison dart frogs as codenames for his development projects.
Azureus was first released in June 2003 at SourceForge.net, mostly to experiment with the Standard Widget Toolkit from Eclipse. It is now one of the most popular BitTorrent clients.[1] Released under the GNU General Public License, Azureus is free software, though parts of the recently added Vuze platform carry more restricted licensing terms.
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[edit] GUI
Azureus allows users to download multiple files in a single graphical user interface (GUI). The program also features detailed statistics and a large number of user-configurable settings. While downloading a file, the user can view several different statistics including:
- Current download and upload speeds and estimated time remaining
- The percentage of each file completed and information on the "pieces" (small parts of the complete file) still needed including the piece number and availability
- File names, sizes and levels of completion for specific files within the download directory (BitTorrent allows a user to create a torrent file for an entire directory). It is also possible to prevent certain files from downloading.
- Peer data including IP addresses (and country with the use of a plugin), the speeds at which you are downloading and uploading to/from them, the port they are running BitTorrent on, and the BitTorrent client they are using
- The total and average "swarm speeds"[2]
Since version 3.0, Azureus starts with an interface designed to promote Vuze content. It is possible to switch to the classical user interface and bypass the Vuze layer by selecting Tools/Options/Interface/Start/Display Azureus UI Chooser.
[edit] Features
Azureus allows users to specify maximum upload and download speeds and is configurable. Azureus also allows users to open some files that have been completed before the entire torrent from within the program. Additionally, Azureus can serve as its own tracker, allowing users to share their own files with others without uploading it to any site. Azureus also supports tracker-less torrents via DHT. Azureus supports Message stream encryption, an anti-throttling method, peer exchange and the magnet: URI scheme are supported. An integration with the Nodezilla Grid Network is implemented as a plugin, enabling the anonymous storage, sharing and publication of torrent files. Azureus also features multiple ways of viewing a file, such as Swarm, Peers, and Pieces.
Unlike all other popular BitTorrent clients, Azureus supports the I2P and Tor networks, allowing users to transfer files over the BitTorrent network anonymously.
[edit] Plugins
Azureus also offers a range of plugins designed to make using the program easier or to give the more experienced user more options and more advanced tools with which to configure Azureus.
[edit] DHT
Azureus version 2.3.0.0 introduced the Distributed Database function (a form of DHT, namely Kademlia), which is a decentralization of the BitTorrent protocol, making it more independent from trackers. For users of Azureus 2.3.0.0 or newer, this allows a user to download a file from peers even when the original tracker is unavailable or has been shut down. The downside to this is that private tracker operators, with membership requirements, are required to explicitly alter their torrent files so that the Azureus client knows not to share peer information about that swarm. Some critics also say that this is simply "reinventing the wheel," referring to earlier peer-to-peer protocols and programs the weaknesses of which BitTorrent was praised for overcoming. Others see it as an evolution of the BitTorrent protocols to circumvent enforcement actions of the entertainment industry. Azureus uses its own form of DHT incompatible with the official BitTorrent client offered by BitTorrent, Inc.. All of the other clients, including BitComet and µTorrent, support the official DHT[3]. For compatibility purposes the mainline DHT is available to Azureus users as a plugin.
[edit] License
Through version 2.5.0.4, Azureus was distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL); beginning with the version 3 distribution, the license presented upon installation changed. While it still states that the "Azureus Application" is available under the GPL, completing installation requires the user to agree to the terms of the "Vuze Platform", which include restrictions on use, reverse-engineering, and sublicensing.[4] These restrictions of use include the prohibition of use of Azureus 3 by people "under the age of 18".
[edit] References
- ^ SourceForge Top Projects
- ^ Main Page - AzureusWiki
- ^ µTorrent - FAQ
- ^ Azureus 2 / 3 and Vuze from Azureus Wiki
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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