Waxy.org is the sandbox of In case you missed the memo, the peer-to-peer application du jour is DirectConnect and its better open-source cousin, DC++.
Their website says a petabyte (1,024 terabytes) is being shared on the network and I believe it. On any given public hub, it's not uncommon to find individuals sharing 250 gigs or more of data; usually feature films, console games, and software. That's insane.
What makes it different from the countless other peer-to-peer apps out there? Instead of relying on a central server or networked nodes, DirectConnect looks more like IRC: public or private hubs of individuals, each acting as networked file servers. You can only search the files shared by people connected to your own hub, which means less files but increased security.
Plus, it's easy to create a private hub for your company or a group of friends, undetectable to any unwanted guests (like the MPAA). You can password-protect your hub too, for the very paranoid.
I'd love to set up a hub for archaic, out-of-print, or unavailable media, like Song of the South, abandonware, arcade ROMs, and bootleg remixes. Is anyone interested?
One caveat: I've heard rumors that BayTSP, the anti-piracy firm that works for the SPA/RIAA/MPAA, is heavily monitoring DC for pirated material. Watch what you share.
5:15 PM
Can you comment/explain more on monitoring? Can/do they monitor private/password-protected hubs? And this app is different than hotline type servers because all connected clients share as well?
12:34 PM
Yep, all connected clients *can* share data. Also, DC has less of a BBS or message board feel (like Hotline), and more of an IRC style thing going on.
1:43 PM
I'm on a private hub. They cannot monitor private hubs due to the username/password required to enter.
DC++ is getting better, with updates seemingly coming every week. Great features like SFV checking and oits small memory footprint make it wonderful for the mac, PC, or Linux.
8:19 PM
And it would seem fewer hubs are excluding the use DC++ clients lately. Thank goodness for that.
2:51 PM
which hubs do you guys use :P
2:40 PM
Hi! I'm trying to set up a private hub for the 400+ students living in one of the off campus halls of residence at Warwick Uni (UK) because our Internet connection to the outside world is slower than the Royal Mail :) and I figured sharing files amongst ourselves would be sooo much faster. I don't know how to do this, can you help please? I downloaded the dc hub software, entered my IP address and gave it a name and description but i still can't connect to it, i.e. my hub doesnt work!! How do I connect to it anyway? And what is my hub address. I'm a dc++ newbie so take it easy on me :)