Picture a network built specifically for the transfer of files from user to user. Picture
Napster without the weak link of a centralized server and the ability to handle
much more than MP3 files. Got a clear picture yet? What you're seeing is Gnutella, an easy-to-use yet extremely powerful tool in the ongoing hunt for MP3s, mpeg video clips, and just about anything else you can think of.
Gnutella began life as a little side project by a couple of the guys over at Nullsoft, the AOL-owned company that brings you all sorts of audio fun in the form of Winamp and Shoutcast. Shortly after the program's first beta release, the Gnutella site was taken down and development was halted. Word on the street is that AOL didn't want to be associated with anything that could be confused as being even remotely Napster-like, so it pulled the plug on the project. But thanks to a dedicated group of programmers, the Gnutella protocol was quickly reverse-engineered, and a bevy of Gnutella clones are now available. Mysteriously, the official Gnutella binary is still being maintained, though the people behind the recent releases are remaining well out of the spotlight.
OK, enough with the history lesson. The purpose of this feature is to teach you the fastest and easiest way to use Gnutella to download music. But before you start typing your favorite band name into Gnutella's search box, you're going to need to learn the basics.
