Although in general, the concept of web based file sharing can be directed towards the use of 1 click FTP or HTTP file downloading, however, only the FTP allows uploading since the HTTP version is strictly downloading.

Along came the P2P and bit torrent file sharing protocols. The P2P network was the first to arrive on the scene, but unfortunately it was still a centralized file sharing network. Napster was one of these networks in which a server handles the storing of a file for others to download.

Following the P2P’s centralized network was the decentralization by the bit torrent protocol. But this was not enough for many people as their internet connection may not be fast enough for the download of a file. In response, a PHP based web server application was developed to allow someone to turn a high bandwidth server into their bit torrent client and once the file was downloaded, they could simply access it via FTP.

When this web based bit torrent client application was released, it did not have a sufficient amount of extras, so many people would make their own hacks. These hacks included the changing of lines of code as well as adding lines of code to the base PHP script. Although this issue would become overwhelming as people would add more hacks, they would also have to maintain logs of changes so they could do future hacks as well.

In response to all these issues involved with literally hacking the lines of PHP code, another person sat down and rewrote the entire install program to utilize all off the more popular hacks to this web based bit torrent client application.

This does not mean in any way shape or form that the web based bit torrent client is an attempt to recentralize the file sharing networks, but rather aide in the faster transfer of files amongst its peers. A user who has a dial-up connection, can install this bit torrent client application on a free hosted web server that offers PHP and databases, and once the download is complete, they can access it via FTP, which on some connections may be a sufficient amount faster that their standard dial-up access.

One of the major downfalls though, is the fact that using a server to download torrents of a dubious nature can make you more visible. Of course the number one reason some may opt for this selection though is not for their personal speed capabilities, but for the throttling that their ISP may do to their bit torrent connections. However you decide to access the bit torrent network, just remember that some files may be under copyright and therefore one must take into account the possibility of getting caught with pirated intellectual data.

Popularity: 100% [?]

The first generation of peer-to-peer file sharing died leaving room for the second generations to come forward and take its place in the world of P2P file sharing networks. Originally, the first generation of P2P networks focused on a centralized server that maintained the data to be down load, while the second generation made room for a decentralized structure in which the files would be maintained on the clients personal computers then transferred others through a redundant virtual network.

The first such attempt to decentralize the network was done by the Gnutella right after the fall of Napster. Gnutella was developed by Justin Frankel who was part of the Nullsoft development company. The fist working model ended up being an almost complete failure as the entire network would bottle neck due to the onslaught of ex-Napster users who came looking for a place to share their files.

The main reason why Gnutella, at first, bottle necked was due to the simple fact that Gnutella made all the nodes equal. Soon FastTrack would create a new development that allowed certain nodes to be more equal than some of the other nodes on the network.

Gnutella picked up this development and implemented it into their own system which then created the Gnutella network that we all know of today. It was this development by FastTrack that allowed for the true decentralized peer to peer networks. In the network, some nodes become super nodes and have higher priority over others. They do this because they then become basically indexing nodes that maintain a track of the less than equal nodes attached to them.

Later, the second generation peer to peer networks also added the Dynamic Hash Tables to allow for file transfers without the need of the tracker file even further decentralizing the file sharing networks.

With over 10.3 million users, not including the bit torrent protocol, world wide, the FastTrack developed method of file sharing in the second generation has grown a quite respectable reputation.

The bit torrent and various other file sharing networks are not going anywhere, nor are they just going to disappear. As long as there is a need to share virtually any type of file with a complete stranger on the other side of the world, the file sharing networks are only going to grow in size.

The file sharing and especially the bit torrent network is quite literally the largest community in the world with hundreds of million members in virtually every county world-wide. How do you join the world’s largest community? You can simply download any bit torrent client software for free. Sit back and let the program bring the file you want directly to you. The faster your connection and the more you share, the faster you can get your files. It basically that simple!

Popularity: 26% [?]

The eDonkey P2P file sharing network began quite simply as a first generation server-client-protocol network, but became eDonkey2000 as part of its decentralization process. It no longer uses a centralized service as it did in the past, but unlike Napster who stayed centralized as a pay service, eDonkey became a totally different machine.

When eDonkey first began, it was sponsored by the MetaMachine Corporation who has since gone out of business, but the network still remains as a proprietary freeware based network that still runs on the original protocol developed by the MetaMachine Corporation. eDonkey2000 is a C++ based file sharing client application which was slightly modified from its original form to accommodate the decentralization process. The original server set-up used a closed-source C coded program that was developed by Lugdunum. Although the network is decentralized, it still utilizes its own servers to store the meta data much like the bit torrent indexing servers do.

Basically, the major difference between eDonkey and bit torrent, is that unlike bit torrent which you can get the .torrent file almost anywhere, the eDonkey network requires their tracker to be on their servers. Likewise, rather than the clients themselves making independent connections to each other autonomously, with the eDonkey Network, your client program first contacts the server who in turn will match your client up with another. All of the eDonkey file sharing is done in this “shaking hands” mannerism which basically requires the use of the servers.

Although it may be considered to be decentralized, the fact of the matter is that due to the necessity to shake hands with an eDonkey2000 server, it still falls under the first generation of file sharing networks, and may even be considered an out-dated technology by many. Unlike the bit torrent network, with eDonkey there is absolutely no privacy what-so-ever. Since each client has to shake hands with a server, these servers can then keep logs of all the clients around the world, as well as what files they have requested and what files they have completely downloaded.

Although eDonkey has a fairly good following that comes by means of many years of devoted users, eventually, due to the requirement to shake hands, their network will eventually disintegrate into an oblivion. eDonkey is considered by many to offer competition to the bit torrent network, but in reality, there is no competition because the number of users around the world is no where near being closely matched.

The truth is, that the bit torrent file sharing network is the largest community in the world. With literally hundreds of millions of users world-wide, this network is considered by many internet service providers to take up a large chunk of the world internet bandwidth usage.

Popularity: 5% [?]