Unlike Napster, every computer on the Gnutella network can work independently, so shutting down one computer can never kill the entire network.įigure 2-5: When searching on Gnutella, every file request goes through every computer connected to the Gnutella network. To prevent this from happening again, Gnutella eliminated the central server and created a completely decentralized network where all computers on the network could communicate directly with each other, as shown in Figure 2-5. By shutting down this central server, the authorities managed to shut down the entire Napster network.įigure 2-4: When searching on Napster, every file request first had to go through a central server, which could be shut down. Napster’s fatal flaw was relying on a central server to connect computers together, as shown in Figure 2-4. Gnutella emerged shortly after the demise of the original Napster. Many client programs are free but come loaded with adware or spyware programs that may bombard you with pop-up ads or track your movements on the Internet. Note Be careful when choosing a client program to tap into a file sharing network. (Just don’t run two client programs that use the same network, or you’ll just be searching the same network twice.) Here are some of the more popular file sharing networks:
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The client is what you use to search for and download files from the file sharing network.īecause the file sharing networks don’t share files among themselves, your chances of finding a particular file are much better if you tap into one of the larger networks or use multiple clients to tap into multiple networks. Each file sharing network has its own dedicated client program if you want to use the FastTrack file sharing network, you need to use the Kazaa client.
A file sharing network is like a television network, while a client program is like a television that tunes in only to a particular network. When it comes to file sharing, there are the networks themselves, and there are the programs that actually run on your computer (the client programs).