One of the most important parts of the bit torrent network is obviously the trackers, cause without them, there would be no bit torrents. However, over the last couple of years, much change has occurred to the bit torrent client software, one of these changes is the DHT, or the ability to download a file without an actual tracker. Unlike other P2P networks, the bit torrent network relies on the torrent file which contains a sort of roadmap to the other computers in the network that maintain parts or whole files of that particular file you are looking for.

Although by technicality, you can download without the need of a tracker, the hardest part, is getting others to access the same file without some sort of centralization. This comes more into play when dealing with a file which for any number of possible reasons, may become no longer available. In this case, if the bit torrent file has been set up to allow DHT, the remaining computers can still connect with each other and continue the full download. So the DHT, is more fundamentally for the longevity of a bit torrent file rather than the ability to completely download without a centralized bit torrent indexing website.

Other forms of trackers, which are not as appearent is the us of an RSS feed style connection in which any and all clients in the network broadcast the files that are open for share to the other clients in the network. This allows you to search within the client side software to find the file you are looking for. Although this is more accurate as far as the number of available sources, it also leads to a higher level of legal responsibility on the developer of the P2P software.

One such program that utilizes this RSS style feature is the Ares P2P network. In this network, which is also capable of downloading torrents as well, you can also preview the file that you are downloading. For example, if you are downloading a movie file, you can preview it by pushing play, but instead of seeing the whole thing, you can only see the parts that you have already downloaded. The program itself, splices the pieces together to allow you to preview it.

But Ares is a P2P program and not technically a bit torrent protocol software seeing as it uses a different line of protocols more similar to that of eDonkey.

It is, no matter how you look at it, important to have some means to communicate between the various nodes, or client computers in any bit torrent or P2P network. It is within this communication that allows you to be able to connect with other computers to ensure that you can download the file that you are looking for. Unfortunately, just as the software needs these communications, or “road maps”, any person who is of a dubious nature can also access these IP addresses that the clients utilize in order to take advantage of your own personal computer as well as ISP.

Popularity: 11% [?]

To talk about the history of the bit torrent protocol and P2P file sharing, you cannot just simply start off with the P2P protocol, but rather like many stories, you have to start at the beginning.

1972 marked the birth of the file sharing revolution. This first form of peer file sharing was aptly known as Sneakerner due to the lack of interne access at the time. Sneakernet was exactly as it sounds, one would place a file on a floppy and deliver it in person or via mail.

It would be 6 years latter at the birth of the internet era that the first BBS would become available in 1978. Although back then the sharing of actual files was harder than it is today, the concept was there. It would not be until 2 years later that the BBS would evolve into the Usenet thanks to the development by Jim Ellis and Tom Truscott at Duke University.

1985 however, marked an important year to the file sharing idea. It was this same year that the File Transfer Protocol or FTP would be developed allowing people to share files via a centralized server.

Three years later the Internet Relay Chat was developed and replaced the MultiUser Talk protocol allowing for faster communications with others, starting the need for faster communications, this eventually led to the development of what is known as the World Wide Web today as it was developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1990.

The next big thing in the file sharing arena was not PC, but it was Mac. Hotline was the file sharing network as it was introduced at the MacWorld Expo in 1997 and became the number one file sharing vehicle for the various Mac users around the world.

1998 marked the birth of MP3.COM as well as the release of the world’s first MP3 player which led MP3 Newswire to become the first digital media sharing website. It was with the birth of the MP3 and the need to convert music tracks to MP3 that would lead to the birth of the digital copyright infringement.

A year latter, Napster was to take the central stage as a completely illegal website that allowed someone to make a MP3 file of their favorite song and share it with others, this led to not just lawsuits, but several teenagers now have criminal records due to their downloading habits.

It was not until 2000 when the first decentralized file sharing network was developed. This decentralized network was the Gnutella-network and led to the birth of a new idealism in file sharing around the world.

Two years later, the bit torrent protocol would be debut to the world, and eventually take a choke-hold on the file sharing technology around the world.

Popularity: 79% [?]

With the new emergence of the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing networks, there are many new capabilities to make your file sharing a more adventurous. For example, not only can the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing clients still operate in the old fashion to allow you to download almost any type of file, but you can also live stream.

Let’s take a look at the live streaming aspects of the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing clients. Let’s say that everyday, you favorite television show comes on at the same time. No let’s continue with this hypothetical scenario. Let’s also say, that around the world, there are many others who love that same television show, but can no longer get it on their television in their area. You can then simply plug your cable into that unused video input card, and simply stream that television show around the world with simplicity and ease thanks to the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing clients. To take it a step further, you could run the output of your stereo into the input on the soundcard of you computer and stream your favorite radio station.

Now I am in no way condoning the use of the peer to peer file sharing protocols for illegal purposes, but as a hypothetical situation, I have included these basically as an example for you. The people on the other end, could then tune into these streams just like watching a TV channel or tuning in a radio station on their home receiver.

The concepts of tree structures no longer exist in the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing networks, as they have all converted over to the bit torrent network’s style of swarm structures in the file sharing networks. This makes the ease of sharing simpler and more cross compatible.

But the question now is, “what client should you choose?” No one can answer this except for you, as each client has its own pros and cons associated with its use. Just like any of the previous generations, you and only you will have to try out the different peer to peer file sharing clients and networks till you find one that works for you. There are too many clients to list, since there are still many different networks to choose from and a plethora of different modified clients available for each network. Every time someone gets a client, but feels it may be missing some option, they then get the open source source code and make their own modifications to that source code then release it as a new extended version of the original program.

Popularity: 30% [?]

When file sharing through a peer-to-peer network first started, it was very centralized. In other words, a user who wished to share a file with others, would then have to upload that file to a server so that others could access it through that same server. Back then, there were no nodes, one computer would not talk and download a file from another computer, unless you are counting the server as that other computer.

From there, if you were looking for a file, you would basically type in your search requirements and if it was available, you could start downloading it directly from the server as the file was located there and not on the creator’s personal computer. Napster was probably one of the most famous of these centralized servers.

Napster became immensely popular shortly after the development of the MP3 file format, and subsequently, allowed people to share their favorite song with others via the MP3 format. Unfortunately, this was piracy and illegal. Eventually Napster was shut down, and several teenage users faced criminal prosecution for their “piracy.” Since then, Napster has then changed to a paid service and now offers high quality MP3 soundtracks for it clients. Napster today is still centralized, but due to the fact that it is now a paid service, it can no longer be in the category with the peer-to-peer file sharing. Once upon a time, it was sharing of files, but today, you are buying the files.

There are a number of services out there today offering the same centralized service, but this is not to be confused with file sharing. If you have to pay for the file, then you are not sharing it you are buying it. Some of the “Non” file sharing services now include Napster, Lime-Wire, Real and I-Pod. By technicality, these are not file sharing, as if they were sharing the file, you would not get charged for it.

File sharing is free, if you pay for it, regardless as to the price, you are paying too much.

Basically, according to these standards, you have only a few remaining protocols that can fall under file sharing. Obviously, the bit torrent protocol falls under file sharing, regardless as to the name of the application. Another is Magnet, while at the same time, another program called Ares allows for file sharing, the program is free, it allows you to not only view the movies and hear the music files, but it allows you to do this while you are in the middle of the download.

There are also a number of other protocols out there today, but the less know the protocol is, the smaller the network is. The bit torrent network is the largest in the world. On one popular file alone, you can expect to see over 1,000 if not ten times that amount of sources available.

Use your head when using a bit torrent though. If you decide to download files that you know are copyrighted, do not be surprised if some day, you get a nice little letter from the owner of that data.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Over the years of the World Wide Web, many forms of file sharing protocols have both come and gone, however, bit torrent seems to be not going anywhere any time soon. There are literally countless variables and possibilities associated with the areas of use that one could benefit from the bit torrent protocol.

If you want to see a movie, but do not have the time to go out and get it, you can simply start a download, go to bed, and when you wake up, its there waiting for you. The biggest problem though, is the simple fact that most people do not want to watch the public domain films, instead they want to see the latest blockbuster release. This becomes an issue due to the fact that the latest blockbuster release is under numerous copyright laws. By downloading this file you make yourself open to possible legal actions.

But lets forget about the movies, lets go way back to the beginning of the bit torrent protocol and its original intended use. Software! Around the world, there are literally millions of newbie software developers producing programs to make their life simpler. Once they try these programs, and are satisfied with the results, they could then offer it to the world under a GNU license. Unfortunately, if they were to pay for a server and host a website to offer this new program, they have to also fork over the money to cover the costs imposed by the ISP and webhoster.

Thanks to the bit torrent protocol and indexing websites, that same programmer, could go to the indexing site, take some time talking about their program in the comments section and then offer the program through the torrent protocol. Move ahead a couple years, and now not only can they go by the torrent way, but they can also find a free web hosting service that offers database and PHP services, place that program on the server along with an online web-based bit torrent client and they are set to go with out the massive overhead associated with the venture.

This is important as items released under GNU, are free to use and therefore, the programmer does not make the money from the program to cover the added costs. Then if you take also into account that the various bit torrent indexing websites also get frequented by the search engine bots more frequently than you could get to a personal website, you could very well be sharing your program with the world within a matter of days instead of months or years.

This is just one of the many possibilities one could come up with in using the bit torrent clients for their file sharing needs. There are many more, but due to the overwhelming number of possibilities, it is easier to just tell you about one and let you decide what areas that the bit torrent protocol will work best for your personal needs.

Popularity: 36% [?]