EDonkey

The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. The correct title is eDonkey2000.

eDonkey2000 is a peer-to-peer file sharing application developed by MetaMachine, using the Multisource File Transfer Protocol.

The eDonkey file sharing network is decentralized like many other file sharing networks. Two kinds of applications connect to the network: client and server. Clients allow users to connect to the network and to share files. Servers act as hubs for the clients. Both client and server are available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux and other UNIX variants.

EDonkey uses a compound MD4 hash checksum to identify files. This function allows identification of identical files with different filenames. Another feature of eDonkey is that it shares file segments before the download completes; this speeds up file distribution throughout the network.

Users on eDonkey predominantly share large files, such as CD images, videos, games, and software programs. Some websites list the checksums of sought-after files to ease file searching. Some of those websites also have lists of active servers for users to update.

The Network is based on a decentralized server network. Anybody can set up a server. Because the server network is changing very often, there is a need for server lists.

There are numerous open source and free software clients for the eDonkey network. eMule is an open source Windows client, and xMule is a port to Linux; aMule is a client for Linux, Solaris, and *BSD platforms, aimed to support Win32 and Mac too; MediaVAMP (later changed to Pruna) is a Korean only client; MLDonkey is a free software client that runs on many platforms and supports numerous other file-sharing protocols networks as well; and Shareaza is another multi-network client that has recently added support for eDonkey. As of 2003, the only free software server is provided by the MLDonkey project.

The inventor of eDonkey invented another file-sharing network called Overnet, which interoperates with the eDonkey network, but without the use of any servers. Most eDonkey Clients now also use the Overnet Network.

In 2004, MetaMachines announced it would stop the development of Overnet to concentrate on eDonkey2000.

See also: Ed2k link