WinMx Effex

OpenNap - Spawned from Napster

The precursor to WinMx, OpenNap, was spawned from Napster.

Napster was a protocol for sharing files between users. With Napster, the files stayed on the client machine, never passing through the server. The server provided the ability to search for particular files and initiate a direct transfer between the clients. In addition, chat forums similar to IRC are available. OpenNap extends the Napster protocol to allow sharing of any media type, and the ability to link servers together.

An Open Source Napster Client

The original Napster file sharing peer-to-peer service was a protocol which allowed users to transfer files directly between their user clients. The protocol was then reverse engineered by a developer nicknamed Drscholl and several other programmers. The first OpenNap servers appeared in 1999, operating the same as Napster servers did. A client program connects to a centralized OpenNap server, in order to search for, download, and share files.

The OpenNap server keeps track of all available files updated, and provides clients the ability to search the entire index of available files and initiate a direct transfer between the clients. The files available through OpenNap servers are stored on the clients, never passing through the server. OpenNap extends the Napster protocol to allow sharing of any media type, and the ability to link servers together. Also, instant messaging and group chat services similar to IRC were available.

OpenNap servers can be interconnected with each other, to form larger OpenNap networks. In order to make available as many files as possible, many clients connect to multiple OpenNap networks. In 2000 an indexing service was created for all OpenNap servers, called Napigator. Napigator allowed server administrators to append the central list to add their own, so they could be easily (usually automatically) found by client software.

OpenNap  Servers

Most OpenNap clients require the addition of servers to connect to (with the exception of
AudioGnome). There aren't many websites around where you can find lists of current (valid)
OpenNap servers but a good website for this is GotNap.com.

 

An OpenNap client is a P2P application used to connect to the servers. While clients are not in
short supply, it is the servers that they connect to that are sparse. Check here for a
larger list of past & present clients.

An OpenNap Network is a collection of one or more servers within that network. Thus if a network is down, so are all of its servers. Simply put, an OpenNap server is a peer, or node - someone who is running a server on a particular network that is helping out in file distribution between all of the peers. SlavaNap is software that can be used by anyone who wants to run a server on an OpenNap network.

 

AudioGnome 

AudioGnome is a client that allows you to connect to multiple OpenNap servers and other related servers that are set up and run by music lovers. This is a throwback to the dinosaur days of Napster, however, at last check (Jan 2008) there were 16 500 users online (sharing 26 million songs) - proof that this is utilized by some serious hard-core music fans. PROs: Good columns for sorting music - bitrate/size/link speed. Much of the music is of excellent quality (320 bitrate/VBR). CONs: All connections are one-on-one with other users (no multi-source downloads like WinMx) and queued downloads are common.

 

The R.I.A.A. attacks OpenNap      

As the R.I.A.A began to successfully manipulate Napster in the end of 2000, the popularity of OpenNap began to surge. Even though it seemed OpenNap would become the next Napster, it suffered from the same weakness as Napster: centralized servers. When the R.I.A.A. finally dismantled Napster in 2001, it then aimed its focus to OpenNap.

During OpenNap's peak usage, in February 2002, the R.I.A.A., at the behest of its member companies, began sending "Cease and Desist" notices to the largest OpenNap networks. One by one, the networks began to collapse and OpenNap was reduced from a population of over 250 000 to little more than 50 000 users, in less than five months.

There are only a few private and public OpenNap servers still in existence.

When WinMX first appeared on the OpenNap networks, it was used solely as an OpenNap client.

 

Frontcode Hits the Scene 

Instead of crumbling along with OpenNap, FrontCode Technologies (the makers of WinMx) instead developed its own decentralized network. Within months, the new peer to peer network was rivaling the budding popularity of FastTrack. While the OpenNap portion of WinMX is fractional compared to the powerful WinMX WPN (WinMx Peer Network), there is still some value left in this community. Rare files can often be found there.

And from the ashes of the centralized OpenNap networks, was borne the new WinMx Protocol...