Not to Worry, File Sharing is Here to Stay

Post-Napster resources

Never mind Napster, just another .com failure

The phenomenon it helped to create, though, is likely to last. Here’s why:

Gnutella: http://gnutella.wego.com/

Surfy! Gnutella: http://www.surfy.com/page/nut. php3 — A web-based front end to searching the Gnutella network.

Gnutella for Macintosh: http://gnutella-mac.n3.net/ — Information site for Furi, a Java Gnutella client for the Macintosh and OS/2.

Mactella: http://www.cxc.com/ — Macintosh client for Gnutella.

Gnutellanet: http://www.zeropaid.com/ gnutella/, http://www.zeropaid.com/ gnusearch — Zeropaid’s "filesharing portal"

Gnu-World: http://www. surfacelayer.nu/gnuworld/basic.shtml — Links, downloads, message board and full explanations of Gnutella client software features.

Gnutty: http://www.gnutty.co.uk/ — A Gnutella news and information portal aimed at non-technical people as well as programmers.

Beginners guide to Gnutella: http://music.zdnet.com/ features/gnutella/ — Five-step guide to using Gnutella client software.

Other Systems

Freenet: http://freenet.sourceforge.net/ — Anonymous, decentralized filesharing.

CuteMX: http://www.cuteftp.com/ products/cutemx/ — Client-to-client media exchange program from the makers of CuteFTP.

FileFury: http://www.filefury.com/ — Distributed file sharing with no central node.

FileSwap: http://www.fileswap.com/ — Allows users to search for and share mp3, video, images and other files, as well as chat and messaging features.

Freebase file sharing community: http://www.oreality.com/ — Freebase allows users to share any type of file. Instant messaging and Gnutella compatibility is currently being added.

FreeNet: http://freenet.sourceforge.net/ — Distributed system for semi-privately storing documents.

iMesh: http://www.imesh.com/ — User-to-user exchange community.

Konspire: http://www.csuglab.cornell.edu/Info/People/jcr13 /HardenedCriminal/konspire/konspire.html — A searchable, distributed file sharing system with resumable file transfers.

Scour Exchange: http://www.scour .net/Software/Scour_Media_Agent/ — Napster-like for all formats.

Some perspective on the issues

Andy Oram: Gnutella and Freenet Represent True Technological Innovation — http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/network/2000/05/12/ magazine/gnutella.html

Andy Oram: The Value of Gnutella and Freenet — http: //www.webreview.com/pub/2000/05/12/platform/index.html

Taken from the Nettime list.