File-sharing program

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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 BitTorrent. There are trade offs 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.

[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
    • 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

[edit] See also

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