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% [?]

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% [?]

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% [?]