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: 43% [?]

When peer-to-peer sharing of files first started, they utilized a centralized server to maintain the files. This was to become known as the first generation of P2P networks and is known as the server-client-protocol. When a client wanted a file, they would search the centralized server and in return the server would facilitate the client with a list of other users who have that file.

The two biggest examples of the first generation server-client-protocol P2P networks are that of Napster and eDonkey2000. Although eDonkey decided to become decentralized to update with the times, Napster instead chose the other option which was to become a paid-for service.

In general though, server-client-protocol networks were in existence long before Napster and eDonkey2000. Since the dawn of the internet era, small private communities could use a web server to store their files and facilitate the downloads to other members, but it was Napster who did this on a large enough scale to be noticed by the various copyright authorities who in-turn shut Napster down then began legal proceedings against various teenage youth who often used the network.

There have been numerous server-client-protocol networks throughout the hay day of the first generation of P2P networking. Some of these networks included Audiogalaxy who shut their doors in 2002, Napster who closed in 2001 then reopened as a pay-service, Scour Exchange who was Napster’s biggest competition but has been completely shut down as well as Soulseek which is still up and fully operational with over 120,000 members world-wide.

Although the first generation of P2P networks is considered to be out-dated, they still exist just like the old Atari consoles, their strong following and large community has allowed them to stay around for much longer than most people would have figured.

P2P networks are very popular with not just the young teenage crowd, but many people who you would never expect are involved with the various P2P file sharing networks around the world. You seriously have to think about it though. How would the average teenager get an advanced screening version of a movie before it is available in the theaters? Many of the pirated films of movies in theaters may even have been made right from the projection room.

Regardless of your age, you are always welcome to join in the P2P file sharing revolution and be part of one of the largest communities in the world, the bit torrent community. There are some internet service providers who might go as far as saying that more than 75% of the world is already active in the bit torrent P2P file sharing network. So why aren’t you? The more time goes by, the more you fall behind in the technology. It is changing almost daily and if you wait too long, you may just find yourself on a website looking up a term that is used by the program that you have no clue as to what it means.

Popularity: 25% [?]

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: 31% [?]

When speaking about a multi network file sharing application, you must first consider the simple fact that many of the file sharing protocols as well as the application software developed on them are free. Therefore it is not uncommon to be in the middle of a download, and glance in the “Peers Connecter” tab and see peers on other programs. It is this cross platform capabilities that have allowed the bit torrent as well as many other protocols to become so popular.

Since every person is different, their needs in the file sharing application are different as well. If they know ho to develop, they can then simply get the open source software code, and redevelop it to include the extras they wish to see added into the program. It is under these exact premises, that the many variations of the many file sharing protocols have been developed. This is the reason why you may see many other programs when you are connected to the network and downloading a file.

If you have a file sharing program and do not know how to develop, all you have to do is figure out which protocol your client uses and do a search with the protocol as one keyword or phrase, and the extra that you are looking for. You may be able to find that version that works best for you.

This is the concept behind the multi-network file sharing protocols. It is basically an open source application that has been modified slightly to include the things that the person who did the modifications wanted to include into the program. There is a client out there for everyone, and even if you cannot find what you are looking for on one protocol, you can always try another protocol till you are satisfied with the application.

The most popular of these multi network file sharing protocols is of course the bit torrent protocol which is the largest the largest community in the world. Not to mention the fact that there are literally hundreds of variations in the application software itself, in many different programming languages. It is quite possible, that you may be on a program that uses the bit torrent protocol and not even know it.

To complicate it even further, there are just as many cross protocol applications out there as well. One such popular cross protocol application is Ares Galaxy, which uses mainly one type of protocol, but is also capable of downloading torrent files as well. Ares even goes a step further and allows its users to view the file as it is being downloaded. Basically, if you are downloading an MP3 file, you can play it even if it has not fully downloaded. The program does this by taking the randomly downloaded parts that have either been completely downloaded or even partially, and splices them together allowing you to preview the file. Not only is Ares a cross protocol file sharing application, it is also a multi network program since it is open source. There are many other programs available exactly like Ares and just like the bit torrent applications, you can see what programs your peers are using to connect to you.

Popularity: 18% [?]

There are two major forms of the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing protocols, both of which conform to the ideals of live streams. Whether you are talking about the RSS syndication of broadcatching, or the broadcast of the iPod (podcasting), the general consensus is that your are talking about the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing networks.

Broadcatching was first brought to realization by Fen Labalme back in 1983, when he described the term as being an aggregated feed of data. The aggregator could then automatically receive and filter this data based on a set of variables determined by the independent user from multiple sources. Again in 1987, the tem was used again in a book by Stewart Brand as a means to help describe the concept of artificial intelligence and its interaction with the world. But it would not be until 2003 when Steve Gillmor came up with the idea of combining the concepts of the bit torrent protocol with an RSS feed as a means to continuously subscribe to media files from a given source. After many years and theorization, it would not be until 2004 when Andrew Grumet would officially integrate an RSS feed with a bit torrent peer to peer file sharing client.

The other form of live streaming peer to peer file sharing protocols is that of the podcast. The podcast actually derives its name as a conjunction of the iPod and broadcast, but that does not mean that you have to own an iPod. The concept of podcasting is very similar to broadcathing but it does not require a bit torrent peer to peer file sharing client rather it can accept the RSS feed straight through a website. The major difference is that accessing a podcast through a website allows one to download the media and place it on virtually any type of portable media device.

Regardless of the forms that are available, the 4th generation of peer to peer file sharing networks is here and you may have used one without even knowing it. For example, if you have ever used You Tube, then you have used one of the more basic forms of this generation of file sharing networks. Although you cannot actually download the file unless you have a download helper like one of the many add-ons available for Mozilla FireFox. But the entire You Tube network is available via an RSS feed right to practically any place you want it and that includes right to your desktop if you wish it to be so.

The point is that the peer to peer file sharing networks, regardless of which generation you prefer, are here to stay. As long as there is software and media files being made for the general public, and as long as the costs are too high, the file sharing networks will not be going anywhere other than up. As each new technology is created to prevent these programs from working, another technology is created just to counter it. It is a never ending battle between the copyrighters and those who believe that data should be shared freely amongst the others of the world.

Popularity: 6% [?]