WinMX
is a FREE file-sharing program like no other.
It allows you to connect, download, and share
files with MILLIONS of other users through the
decentralized WinMX Peer Network. Once WinMX is
installed, you'll have access to one of the largest
and most diverse networks of shared media files
in the world. And unlike many other 'peer to peer'
software providers, we respect your privacy and
will never sell you out to spyware. When you download
WinMX, you're getting WinMX and only WinMX, no
bundled spyware, no ads, no B.S.
WinMX Features
High performance peer-to-peer protocol
Share and DOWNLOAD ANY FILE TYPE
Multi-sourced downloading for maximum speed on
broadband connections
Auto-Complete feature continuously seeks out new
download sources, even after WinMX is restarted
Detailed bandwidth monitoring and throttling controls
Complete upload and download queuing system
Fully decentralized chat
OpenNap connectivity for expert users
Powerful docking window interface great for hi-res
and multi-monitor systems
Compatible with most LAN configurations
WinMX respects your privacy and doesn't contain
spyware
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Winmx
WinMX is a peer-to-peer file sharing program authored
by Frontcode Technologies and running on Windows
operating systems. The official WinMX website
and WinMX servers have been offline since September
2005 due to a lawsuit (see the "Decline"
section below), though the application remains
operable through third-party modifications.
WinMX began its life as an OpenNAP client capable
of connecting to several servers simultaneously,
although Frontcode later created a proprietary
protocol, termed WinMX Peer Network Protocol (WPNP),
which was used starting with WinMX 2 in May 2001.
WPNP version 2 was phased out as WinMX 3.0 and
its WPNP version 3 protocol came into existence.
Frontcode had operated several cache servers to
aid WPNP network operation.
Downloads can be very fast for popular songs
since the user can run a "multi-point download"
that simultaneously downloads the same file in
small pieces from several users. Some consider
WinMX a much safer downloading program than Kazaa,
partly due to the fact that no spyware and adware
comes with WinMX. The client application Lopster
used to have WPNP 2 support, although it was locked
out with the arrival of WPNP 3.
WinMX was very popular in Japan due to its ability
to handle 2 byte characters. By 2001 it was the
de facto P2P application in Japan. However, WinMX's
Japanese popularity dropped sharply with the arrest
of several users, and resulted in the development
of a semi-secure, encrypted, serverless application
called WinNY (N comes after M, Y comes after X).
WinMX is also especially popular in Italy and
Hong Kong.
In early 2004, rumors circulated in Hong Kong
that the Hong Kong Customs Department was prosecuting
people using WinMX to share copyrighted items.
This turned out to be untrue.
About P2P
A peer-to-peer (or P2P) computer network is a network
that relies on the computing power and bandwidth
of the participants in the network rather than concentrating
it in a relatively low number of servers. P2P networks
are typically used for connecting nodes via largely
ad hoc connections. Such networks are useful for
many purposes. Sharing content files (see file sharing)
containing audio, video, data or anything in digital
format is very common, and realtime data, such as
telephony traffic, is also passed using P2P technology.
A pure peer-to-peer network does not have the
notion of clients or servers, but only equal peer
nodes that simultaneously function as both "clients"
and "servers" to the other nodes on
the network. This model of network arrangement
differs from the client-server model where communication
is usually to and from a central server. A typical
example for a non peer-to-peer file transfer is
an FTP server where the client and server programs
are quite distinct, and the clients initiate the
download/uploads and the servers react to and
satisfy these requests.
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