Shareaza

Shareaza is a file sharing client for Windows systems which supports G2, Gnutella, eDonkey2000, BitTorrent and DC . Furthermore it can be integrated as a download manager in web browsers. Shareaza is available in 30 languages, including German. The current version 2.6.0.0 was released on 3 June 2012. It is offered in both the SSE2 optimized as well in the "normal" compiled version.

Since 1 June 2004, the release date of version 2.0 of Shareaza, distributed under the terms of the free GNU General Public License is available to everyone.

History

The author Shareaza is Michael Stokes, integrated which, among other things, developed by him Gnutella2 network in the software. In mid-2002 he published the first version of a Gnutella client that he baptized " Shareaza ". After Stokes data it was from the beginning the aim of the development of its clients, to support features and develop the other clients did not have. For example, will the development of the " Swarmings ", ie of simultaneous downloads of file parts from multiple sources, a feature that is supported by all major file sharing programs, largely due to the work of Michael Stokes.

Over the next two years the program Stokes added support for eDonkey2000, BitTorrent, as well as a completely revised, gnutella -based protocol, which he called Gnutella2, added. This led to a split in the file sharing community into a gnutella and a Gnutella2/Shareaza-Seite, as the followers of the original Gnutella protocol Stokes accused, the name of his new protocol implies an update of the "original " or a superiority over him. The conflict was exacerbated when Stokes began to refer to the "original" gnutella Shareaza as " Gnutella1 ".

On 1 June 2004, Michael Stokes published the source code of the program under the GNU General Public License at SourceForge.net thereby founding, along with programs such as LimeWire and Gnucleus, a movement toward the source code for opening file sharing programs, which in the course of time joined by many programs. Today all the important and well-known representatives of this network programs are open source.

The sheaths of Shareaza main developer of the file-sharing community lay down gradually then the protocol name conflict and the division of the developer and user communities, even if reservations of some of the other gnutella developers against Shareaza have been preserved until today. For this reason, Gnutella2 is also often referred to simply by his initials as G2 today. This change is also reflected in Shareaza.

Since December 2007, the domain shareaza.com not heard the previous developers. The new owners have there now another client on who is wrongly referred to as Shareaza, but on a modified version of BearShare / iMesh is based. This is partly classified as malware / spyware, which is why security services such as warn, for example, the McAfee SiteAdvisor, before the website. Versions prior to v2.3.1.0 ask partly still in shareaza.com updates from and ask the user to install the fake client. This behavior occurs in versions no longer from v2.3.1.0. The project homepage of Shareaza was then moved to SourceForge.net.

Revision history

• The first open source version of Shareaza was released with V2.0.0.0 On June 1, 2004.
• Up Shareaza v2.3.1.0 contained an automatic update notification, the queried information on this subject on the old project domain shareaza.com. Following the acquisition of the domain and the sending of a fake update notification two days later, brought v2.3.1.0 January 3, 2008, in circulation, which fixed the security problem. Since this version Shareaza no longer has update notifications on new versions. This version is the latest official version of Shareaza with Windows 98/95/ME-Unterstützung.
• Version 2.4.0.0 was released on 1 October 2008. This version focused mainly on increasing the stability program, one of the weak points of the previous version, which is considered very unstable. Furthermore, the developer already gave the program an IRC chat access and significant updates to the BitTorrent support.
• Contrary to the original plan, which would initially provide a 2.4.1.0 version, it was decided to publish 31 October 2009 v2.5.0.0, which carries the most significant changes in the client account. v2.5.0.0 is significantly more stable and resource-saving than previous versions. Also included in BugTrap from now, allowing the automated reporting of program crashes in few clicks. In addition, continued work on the BitTorrent Shareaza support and, for example introduced selective downloads. Also gnutella and eD2k benefited from updates such as improved support for EGEP large files (> 4 GB) and client -to-client chat. The IRC implementing v2.4.0.0 has been completely revised and is since that version first really usable. To improve the use Shareaza as a download manager Internet Explorer integration has been implemented. Browser such as Firefox are supported using plug-ins such as FlashGot.
• Shareaza v2.5.1.0 was released on 1 December 2009. This is primarily a bug fix release, which, as all subsequent versions, greatly benefited from the implementation of BugTrap in v2.5.0.0. In addition, this version makes use of SSE instruction sets, which makes the use for processors which are older than Pentium III, Athlon XP respektiv impossible.
• As of v2.5.2.0, published on February 2, 2010 will be offered to older processors not be excluded for this reason SSE2 -based and " normal" builds. SSE2 is of processors from Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 support.
• Shareaza v2.5.3.0, published 13 June 2010, focused once more internal optimizations. The only major new feature is a scheduler that allows the automation of all key processes, such as bandwidth regulation at certain times of the day.
• In v2.5.4.0 by February 14, 2011 Shareaza is expanding its capabilities to the DC interface. This support is for the time being purely experimental in nature, which in particular, is evidence that there is in the program settings no direct options for DC . Only in the Network View, you can DC on or off by togglebutton. In addition, the UPnP code has been completely redesigned as well as some bug fixes done.

Operating Systems

Shareaza is an application for Windows. It also works on Linux using Wine.

Work is in progress in several independent projects on a port of the functionality of Shareaza on UNIX -based systems. The most important are Sharelin, which mainly focuses on the functions of the Gnutella2 network, and Quazaa that wants to implement nearly all functions Shareaza using the Qt library.

Networks and protocols

The Gnutella2 network includes support for a variety of metadata, such as file reviews or file properties. Also efficient searching for metadata is possible. During the search allows a real -time statistics, the course of the search ( and so searched hubs) to overlook. Furthermore, it is in the Gnutella2 network - unlike gnutella - possible to browse the entire network and therefore (in theory) to find each file have to be the query in the network. Larger files can be exchanged meaningful ( swarming, partial file sharing, efficient locating sources). Each user can create a user profile with nicknames and other information such as the geographical position create. Also, chat with other network users is possible.

In addition, the networks are Gnutella, eDonkey2000 and BitTorrent support ( but not the Kademlia -based KAD ). File parts can be ordered at the same time even from all networks, to download such a file faster. Also the simultaneous upload to all networks is possible. This torrent uploads are preferred to all other networks, which is not changed, but can be limited in the latest version of the software.

Also, HTTP and FTP downloads dominated Shareaza. The user can use this way in Shareaza all of these networks and protocols and down - or upload files from different networks simultaneously. Shareaza can even be used as a download manager, so it using an Internet Explorer plug-in (BHO ) accepts all Internet downloads. Support for other browsers, such as Firefox, is possible via third-party plugins.

For reliable identification of files Shareaza supports both eD2K, and magnet links, which - may be provided by link pages or communities - similar torrents. Since these magnet links contain several different hash checksums, which identify a file on the network clearly, thus the quality of the downloaded files can be ensured. In addition to these links, just as BitTorrent files, can be created from the file manager context menu Shareaza out.

Other Features

In addition to the usual file-sharing functions Shareaza offers a download file preview, a built-in media player and a feature-rich file management library. Since version 2.4.0.0 also an IRC client is integrated in the program.

For experts, the program has a so-called " power mode ", which offers a variety of advanced features, such as editing downloads and use the scheduler, as well as access to advanced program settings. Also it allows to monitor the functionality of the program using various windows and access the security manager.

Furthermore, the way the program can change extensively: three viewing modes can be selected ( a simplified, a tab and a window - view), also can be with so-called "skins", the appearance (file extension sks based on XML. ) modify the user interface almost at will.

Use by anti - P2P companies

Shareaza is used in a modified version by companies to detect copyright infringements to automatically search exchanges for copyright works and to monitor the IP addresses of providers may result in prosecution. The program called fakes or bait will be provided in P2P file sharing networks of these companies also. But fakes are spreading further hardly, since the files in question can be rapidly characterized by the integration of metadata. This use of Shareaza can be attributed to the release of the source code.