Acquisition

Shareware; $24

Current Version: 2.0 Build 208 (April 9, 2008)

Acquisition is a rare thing - a truly attractive Gnutella file sharing client for Mac OS X. It is reputedly better than LimeWire at returning comprehensive results for a search.

Version 2.0 Build 208 adds/changes the following:

• Connectivity improvements

Acquisition is shareware; registration eliminates "nag" messages, speed limits, and feature limitations, but the software otherwise operates very well in "free" mode.

Azureus

Donationware

Current Version: 2.5.0.4 (January 26, 2007) / 3.0.5.2a (April 21, 2008)

Azureus is a Java application that implements the BitTorrent protocol. It comes bundled with many features for both beginners and advanced users:

• Multiple torrent downloads
• Upload and download speed limiting, both globally and per torrent
• Advanced seeding rules
• Adjustable disk cache
• Only uses one port for all the torrents
• UPnP sets the forward on your router
• Can use a proxy, for both tracker and peer communications
• Fast resume
• Can set a default download dir and move completed files
• Can import torrents automatically from a set dir
• Highly customizable interface
• IRC plugin included for quick help
• Embedded tracker: host your own torrents, automate your shares (periodic scanning of a directory)
• Distributed hash table: host on it a completely decentralised torrent and/or benefit from it when the tracker is offline

Azureus may be extended using a plugin architecture.

Version 2.5.0.4 - the latest standard version of the Azureus BitTorrent application - adds/changes the following:

• 2.5.0.4 is a maintenance release to fix up a few minor, but relatively annoying problems with 2.5.0.2.

Version 3 was significantly redesigned and enhanced for use with the new Vuze service, and adds/changes the following from version 2.5:

• Includes all 2.5 features
• High-resolution content platform
• Browse, share, search, discover content
• Rich streamlined interface

(The Azureus Wiki explains the differences more fully.)

While no information is available regarding what's new in version 3.0.5.2a (presumably, it's a bugfix release), version 3.0.5.2 made the following additional changes:

• UIv3 | Ability to rate directly from rating reminder activity entry
• UIv3 | Added progress spinner animation for the LightBox
• Core | Don't auto-UDP probe on initial announce if tracker not known to support UDP - hit on second and remember outcome
• Core | Improve startup times by taking various torrent-load operations off main thread
• Core | Add reason-messages for update check failures
• Core | Use derived password to protect private key to allow us to persist password
• Core | Get plugin update URL from version server to support potential future switch
• UI | Run explicit tracker scrapes off UI thread to prevent blocking
• UI | Allow UI initialisation to proceed before plugin init complete
• UIv3 | Always start on "Dashboard" tab (unless Advanced UI chosen), instead of sometimes starting on "On Vuze" tab
• Plug | Ensure that DHT republish events are scheduled using absolute time so recover correctly from computer suspend
• Core | Handle some badly formed torrents more gracefully (corrupt announce-lists)
• Core | Handle multiple SSL certs from same URL
• Core | URLDecode torrent filenames
• Core | Fix non-crypto fallback outgoing connections
• Core | Better (esp for Vista) detection of and setting of Azureus' .torrent file association
• UI | Fix broken per-torrent upload speed setting via options tab
• UI | Fix alternating bg color not updating after changing in config
• UIv3 | Fix resource leaks related to light box (login window)

BitTorrent

Open source; $0

Current Version: 4.4.1 (February 9, 2006)

BitTorrent is a unique distributed file sharing system (written in the Python scripting language built into Mac OS X and other UNIX-based operating systems) that follows a slightly different paradigm than many other file sharing systems. Normally, when a file is made available using HTTP, all upload cost is placed on the hosting machine. With BitTorrent, when multiple people are downloading the same file at the same time, they upload pieces of the file to each other. This redistributes the cost of upload to downloaders, (where it is often not even metered), thus making hosting a file with a potentially unlimited number of downloaders affordable.

Version 4.4.1 - the latest available version with a graphical interface wrapper - is available for Mac OS X, making the following changes:

• Fixed kernel panics on OS X 10.3
• Universal Plug and Play port forwarding is not yet supported on OS X 10.3.
• Fixed the console log spew on OS X 10.4.

The online documentation has more details.

Carracho

Current Version: Client: 1.0b10r4 (August 3, 2004) / Server: 1.0b13 (September 24, 2004) / Tracker: 1.1.1 / Tracker X: 1.0

Carracho is very similar to the commercial Hotline series of products - an Internet/intranet, client/server system for chatting, electronic conferencing, and file transferral - all in one app. Once connected to a Carracho server, you can chat, send messages, and transfer files with other users. The latest versions are "Carbonized" to run natively in OS 9 and OS X.

Release notes are available online.

EasyShare

Shareware; $20

Current Version: 1.2

EasyShare is an elegant little application that allows you to share the contents of your Mac's clipboard or files with others on a local network, intranet, or the Internet. Operation is a smooth and simple as it should be; the interface is nearly self-explanatory. EasyShare is shareware, and site licenses are available. Version 1.2 adds native Mac OS X (Carbon) support.

FrostWire

Open source; $0

Current Version: 4.13.5 (February 28, 2008)

FrostWire is an open source, Java-based Gnutella client, created in 2005 by "concerned" developers of LimeWire's open source community. Its goal was to "protect the developmental source code of the LimeWire client and any improvements to the Gnutella protocol design." Features include:

• Free and open source
• BitTorrent support
• No spyware or adware
• Connects to more sources
• Creative Commons license support
• Maximum speed network connections
• Junk result filters
• Community chat rooms
• iTunes integration
• Firewall-to-firewall transfers
• Proxy support

Version 4.13.5 adds/changes the following:

• Faster peer discovery on connection bootstraping. No more “Starting Connection…” problems, first time users will connect faster without using the official FixConnecting.zip patch.
• Smiley Support to the chatroom.
• Fixed wording on Spanish and Polish translations.
• FrostWire Message Update System improved. Per community request, some announcements will not be shown more than once so the user is not annoyed upon every application launch.
• Fixed bugs on the media player and playlists on Preview.
• Fixed bug on search box auto-focusing while a search was running.
• Fixed i18n system error for systems which default language is not English.
• Potential bugs related to deprecated code gone.

iSwipe

Donationware

Current Version: 1.7.11 (February 4, 2008)

iSwipe is a novel concept: this (free!) program searches the Web, WWW, FTP, Hotline, Napster, OpenNapster, Gnutella, Carracho, OpenFT, iTunes, eDonkey and FastTrack (Kazaa, Grokster), BitTorrent, Ares and Seeqpod networks for files simultaneously. It includes a download manager that allows retries and resumable downloads, as well as an "AutoSearch" feature that maintains a list of files that you want to search for repeatedly. The software's interface, while simple, is a little clunky, but it generally works well and is best geared toward use when your demands for searching these networks are not as great as the demands typically placed on specialized (Hotline, FTP, Napster, etc.) file search applications.

Version 1.7.11 adds/changes the following:

• Support for the Seeqpod network.

Unfortunately, access to FastTrack, eDonkey and OpenFT through giFT and MLDonkey are only available for OS X users, and that's not likely to change in the near future.

Donations in excess of $10 will gain you a registration number, which is valid for all HMS software. It also entitles you access to e-mail support.

KDX

Current Version: 1.600 Client (October 4, 2004) / 1.600 Server (October 4, 2004) / 1.110 Tracker

KDX is similar to Hotline in that it is a complete client/server system that allows you to chat, send messages, and share files with other users. That said, this unique system from Haxial is not a Hotline clone; it is an all-new system that uses its own proprietaray protocol and has several features that Hotline currently lacks. It also features a slick interface, and integrates the formerly-separate NetFone product. Some highlights include:

• Encryption for chat, news, and file transfers.
• One copy of the program can connect to multiple servers; there is no need to duplicate the program and run multiple copies.
• Remote administration (server settings are configured using the client, allowing you to administer your server from afar).
• Cross-platform Mac OS and Windows support

Version 1.600 (Client & Server) added/changed the following (complete release notes also available):

• New access privilege "Can See All Volumes". Turn this on for your account and then refresh the base of your files, and it will change to a list of the volumes on the server computer, and you can navigate inside them, giving you access to all files.
• You can also Get Info on a volume using the context menu.
• Added a "1 Up Q For All, 1 Down Q Per Server" file transfer queuing option in the client that is good for people with large download bandwidth, but capped/low upload bandwidth.
• The preview text in the Font Chooser window now displays samples for a number of languages, not only English. You can also type into it.
• In future, warnings about the client and server versions being different will only be displayed if there is sufficient difference. Minor upgrades with no compatibility issues will not cause a warning.
• Fixed a couple of bugs when changing the admin login via the local settings window in the server.
• Fixed top secret feature for Jin.
• Mac: As per Apple's convention, added .app to the names of the program files. The differing file name will cause remote server upgrade to fail this one time, sorry. Don't forget to upgrade KDXUpgradeHelper to the new version as well.
• Mac: Does not always display the correct icon for volumes, despite 8+ hours trying to solve this single problem, due to pathetic Mac APIs.
• Mac: Fixed a memory leak noticeable when cataloging (thanks Searcher!).
• MS Windows: Fixed bug which sometimes caused an endless stream of errors when disconnected from a server.
• Unix: Fixed bug with deleting files.
• Unix: Remote server upgrade now preserves the unix RWXS/UGO access permissions on the server program file. This is important if you use SUID.
• Mac Unix: Fixed problem with unicode file names with diacritical marks.
• Mac Unix: Hide ".DS_Store" (annoying little files that the Mac Finder creates everywhere).
• Mac Unix: Empty Trash now empties the real Mac Trash instead of ~/.Trash, thanks to special mac-specific code.
• Mac Unix: Moving a file to the trash (deleting) now uses the real Mac Trash instead of ~/.Trash.
• Mac Unix: Fixed bug with times in Process Monitor.
• Mac Unix: Support Mac file/folder comments (more special mac-specific code).
• Mac Unix: Fixed bug with Shutdown Computer command, but still requires root access.
• Mac Unix: Launch Program command now launches the file exactly the same as if you had double-clicked it (uses the MacOS "open" shell command).
• Mac Unix: Renamed program file to correct file name extension (was ".app" should have been ".command"). Consequently, you can now simply double-click the program file and it will open in a terminal window.
• Mac Unix: Added support for View/Control Display.

Version 1.110 (Tracker) adds/changes the following (complete release notes also available):

• Updated for Unicode and KDX 1.2.
• Minor bug fixes.

LimeWire

Freeware/Shareware

Current Version: 4.0.10 (March 9, 2005) / 4.16.7 (April 24, 2008)

LimeWire is a Java-based Gnutella client that is available in an easy-to-use (but, at over 4 MB for "Classic" Mac OS, rather large) installer. LimeWire claims to be the first Gnutella client to totally block website and web browser access, allowing access only to those who are sharing files on the network (preventing "lurkers" from hogging resources without giving something back).

Version 4.0.10 - the last release for "Classic" Mac OS - addressed the following:

• Fixed flaw in magnet handling

While no information is available regarding version 4.16.7, the most recent major release for Mac OS X (presumably, it is a bugfix release), version 4.16.6 brought the following enhancements:

• Make dos2unix fixes.

While LimeWire is free, there is also a "Pro" version available which which has no ads, no bundled software, and 1 year of free updates for $34.95.

MacFreenet

Current Version: 0.3.9.2 ("alpha 8") / 0.5.2rc2

MacFreenet is a Mac implementation of the The Freenet Project's client/server software (version 0.3.9.2 for "Classic" Mac OS and ). Freenet is "a distributed decentralised information storage and retrieval system. It is designed to allow the free distribution of information on the Internet without fear of censorship. To achieve this it provides anonymity to those placing information into Freenet, and those accessing information from Freenet. It is also totally decentralized, nobody is in control of Freenet, not even its creators. This makes is virtually impossible to force the removal of a piece of information from the system. Further, Freenet provides many efficiencies over more conventional means of information distribution such as the World Wide Web through its dynamic caching and mirroring of content." Freenet is a Java-based system, so the "Classic" version of this software requires a copy of Macintosh Runtime for Java, which is available from the Orchard's Helper apps page, if you don't already have it. Much more information about Freenet in general is available at the Freenet web site.

Panorama

Current Version: 1.1.1

Panorama (formerly Master Hotline Socket, or MHS) is a relatively new (2001), well-regarded, feature-filled clone client for the Hotline system. Some of Panorama's most intriguing features include:

• 1.5+ news support, allowing you to read and post news at 1.2.3 and 1.5+ servers.
• File Previewing.
• You can fully customize the colors and fonts in chats, news, and messages.
• AppleScript support.
• Multiple tracker support.
• Customizable chat window.
• Iconlist support. Just name your icon set "MHS Icons" and put it in the same folder as MHS.
• TIDE Protocol extensions. Send files directly to your friends, bypassing the server totally.
• You can ignore people in chat. Control-click the hand icon to see a list of people you've ignored.

The version 1.1 series - "Carbonized" to work under OS X - makes a huge number of changes that are fully detailed in the release notes included with the download.

Poisoned

Donationware

Current Version: 0.5191 (August 8, 2006)

The Poisoned Project's "Poisoned" is a beautiful, flexible and powerful file sharing application for Mac OS X. Unlike applications like LimeWire or Kazaa that connect to only one file sharing network, Poisoned can connect to several seamlessly. Unlike Kazaa and several other file sharing applications, Poisoned contains no spyware and no adware. In addition, Poisoned, is free and open-source software.

Poisoned connects to the FastTrack network (Kazaa, Grokster, iMesh), the Gnutella network (Limewire, Acquisition), and OpenFT. This is all made possible by something called the giFT daemon (http://gift.sf.net), the same people behind the OpenFT network. The different networks supported in Poinsoned are actually plugins for giFT. Right now, network plugins being developed for two high-profile networks: OpenNapster and eDonkey. This means that in a little while, Poisoned will support 5 networks within one application, all with a low strain on your system. Poisoned supports multiple source download, so your files will download quick and painlessly. Poisoned integrates with iTunes beautifully, automatically importing into iTunes and deleting the original file if iTunes manages your music library.

Version 0.5191 adds/changes the following:

• Update To Gnutella
• Update to Fasttrack
• Update to Ares
• Fixed the update system for updateing nodes lists.
• Cleaned up several network issues.
• Fixed some of the options.
• Updates to nibs and everything releated to Ares.
• Improved some of the connection related code
• You should see much better responce from Poisoned now.

ShareWay IP Gateway

Commercial; $39

Current Version: 3.0 (October 25, 1999)

Open Door Networks produces the ShareWay IP Gateway software that lets any AppleShare-compatible server provide Macintosh file service using Internet protocols.

ShareWay IP is standard Macintosh file sharing, but using TCP/IP rather than AppleTalk. ShareWay IP runs with Mac OS 7, 8 or 9's built-in File Sharing to enable Macintosh file sharing over your home network, intranet or the Internet. ShareWay IP is the only way to have Personal File Sharing on a pre-X system share files with Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4), since Tiger cannot access AppleShare files shared over AppleTalk. (Apple included a limited version of ShareWay IP with Mac OS 9. When you check the "File Sharing over TCP/IP" checkbox under Mac OS 9, you are running a basic version of ShareWay IP.) If you are running Mac OS 9, the "full" version includes additional security features and bug fixes.

Transmission

Open source; Donationware

Current Version: 1.11 (April 7, 2008)

From the Transmission web site: "Transmission has been built from the ground up to be a lightweight, yet powerful BitTorrent client. Its simple, intuitive interface is designed to integrate tightly with whatever computing environment you choose to use. Transmission strikes a balance between providing useful functionality without feature bloat. Furthermore, it is free for anyone to use or modify.

"Transmission runs natively on over five operating systems. Seamless configuration of your network, intelligent banning of peers who send corrupted data, and built in Peer Exchange are some of the features which enable Transmission to download your files as quickly as possible. All this is done in the background, without the user having to worry about complicated settings.

"Transmission is fully open source, with most code licensed under the liberal MIT License and with select code licensed under the GNU General Public License."

Version 1.11 adds/changes the following:

• Fix visual glitch with the tracker inspector tab when there is no scrape address
• Only make the progress status string clickable on multi-file torrents
• Traditional Chinese localization, updated Russian localization

XNap

Open source; $0

Current Version: 2.5r3 (July 28, 2004)

XNap is a pure Java OpenNap file sharing client licensed under the GNU Public License that works particularly well. XNap was formerly known as JNapster then forked as XNapster but is now actively maintained again and one of the most efficient OpenNap clients available. It provides a modern "Swing"-based user interface (and also supports the Mac OS X "Aqua" look and feel) and console support that runs nicely on every platform with a recent JRE or JDK (1.3 or higher), such as Mac OS X. Features include:

• plugin architecture
• supported protocols: OpenNap, giFT, gnutella (cvs only)
• multiple concurrent searches
• fine grained result filter
• resumable auto downloads
• bandwidth throttle support
• socks and http proxy support
• integrated file preview (pluggable) and mp3 player support
• integrated command line

Version 2.5r3 comes with updated server list providers, because napigator.com (the site XNap used to fetch servers from), has been down for some time.