DC++
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| DC++ | |
DC++ 0.667 Public Hub List under Windows XP |
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| Developer: | Jacek Sieka (arnetheduck) |
|---|---|
| Latest release: | 0.698 / October 10, 2006 |
| Preview release: | 0.699 / December 18, 2006 |
| OS: | Microsoft Windows |
| Use: | Peer to peer |
| License: | GPL |
| Website: | dcplusplus.sf.net |
DC++ is an open-source, peer-to-peer file-sharing client that can be used to connect to the Direct Connect network or to the ADC protocol. It is developed primarily by Jacek Sieka, nicknamed arnetheduck.
As of 2005, no official statistics exist to verify the proportion of DirectConnect users using DC++. However, it is generally believed to be the most extensively used by a large margin; administrators of popular public DirectConnect hubs generally agree[citation needed] that DC++ is the client used by a significant majority.
DC++ is an open-source alternative to the original client, NeoModus Direct Connect (NMDC); it connects to the same file-sharing network and supports the same file-sharing protocol. One of the reasons commonly attributed to the aforementioned popularity of DC++ is that it has no adware of any kind, unlike NMDC [1].
Many other clients exist for the Direct Connect network, and most of these are DC++ "mods": modified versions of DC++, based on DC++'s source code. A partial list of DC++ mods is given below. Some of these clients were developed for specialized communities (e.g. music-sharing communities), or in order to support specific experimental features, or perhaps features that have been rejected from inclusion in DC++ itself. An example of an experimental feature is hashing, which was initially implemented in BCDC++ and later adopted by DC++.
As of 2002, DC++ was still not accepted into some hubs because the number of slots is shared by all the hubs that the client is connected to. When the DC++ tag was added to the client, a hack was to remove the tag in an attempt to mask the identity of the client.
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DC++ supports hub addresses in the following forms: dchub://example.com[:4012], with an optional port, and adc://example.com:12345. The dchub:// text indicates a hub using the NMDC protocol whereas the adc:// indicates an ADC protocol based hub. In the example, 4012 is the port where you can access the hub; the default port for NMDC hubs is 411.
An advantage of the open-source nature of DC++ is that several derivatives (mods) have been released which add features to the original client.
Many users send patches to DC++ which are included in future releases, but some features are rejected by the developer. Stated reasons for rejecting a patch are because they are coded poorly, or that the feature is frivolous, abusable or overly specialized, and does not belong in the main client. Examples include: upload bandwidth limiting (many users feel that upload bandwidth limiting is a form of cheating, while other users not using a full-duplex network connection can only achieve reasonable download speeds by limiting uploads), colorized chat, specialized operator functions (e.g. client/share checking).
The developers of some mods contribute features and bug-fixes back to DC++.
Below is a list of well-known mods and their features:
Features:
- Automatic active mode IP configuration (on hubs that support $UserIP2)
- Bandwidth limiting
- Chat coloring (e.g. nickname highlighting)
- Custom description (tag) setting and DC++ emulation (abusable and often cited as a problem with BCDC++)
- Lua scripting support
- Winamp, MPlayerC and iTunes "Now Playing" messages (ability to use a command to send the currently playing media file to the chat)
This client is the spiritual successor of oDC.[citation needed]
Features:
- Chat colorization (nick and custom highlighting)
- Chat log rotation (deletion)
- Popups on certain events (PM, hub disconnection)
- Search enchantments in download queue
- Total time left in transfer window
- Skiplist Download
- Skiplist Share
- Refresh Incoming/Share
- Free slots file extensions
- Max sources for match queue
- Shortcuts to popular web sites through chat commands
Features:
- BadExes control
- Skiplist Download
- Skiplist Share
- Search skip files
- Clear chat button in PM
- Prefix patch
- Customizable tab style
- Multiple selection of styles
- Options to shutdown upon completion of download
- Shutdown button to force the PC to shut down
- Password for favorite hubs obscured on disk
- Checkbox in PM to enable or disable sound
- Synchronization with NTP server
- Suspend monitor
Features:
- Segmented downloading
- Kademlia
- Partial File Sharing
- Credit System
Features:
- Automated PC shutdown
- Segmented Downloading
- Balloon tips for events
- Target folders by file type
- Fake detector
- Filter of search results
- Chat emoticons
- Tool for getting TTH of any file
- Bandwidth limiting
- Grouping search results by TTH
- Customizable appearance
- Display MP3 information before downloading
- Partial File Sharing
- Customizable Sounds
Based on StrongDC++ 2.
Features:
- Peerguardian support
- Can find your external IP
- Chat formatting (bold, italics, underlined)
- Seed files to a hub with intelligent chunk spreading (super seeding)
- Customization, themes, Vista-type general user interface.
- Tray password protection
- State what away messages are displayed at specified times
- Ability to use Stealthy's progress bars
- Permanently ignore users
- Hide share on specified hubs
- Huge range of per-hub customisations, including showjoins, email address, away message
LinuxDC++ is a Unix port that is based on the core of DC++. It has a rewritten user interface based on the GTK+ toolkit. It has not been released yet, but it is being developed actively and is available through CVS. Even though the name implies it is Linux-only, it works on other POSIX compliant operating systems, such as NetBSD and FreeBSD.
- McDC++, features: changeable icons, changeable emoticons
- CZDC++, Czech language and emoticons
- DCDM++, based on BCDC++, an operator-specific client that tries to detect malevolent clients
- DDC++, Icelandic DC client based on iDC++ [Community Quit]
- IceDC++, based on ApexDC++, designed with Kiwis in mind, peerguardian plugin
- LanDC++, mod for IceDC++, designed for LANs where hashing is not desirable
- ApexDC++ Speed Mod, based on ApexDC++, extended functionality of "Favorite Users" page (limit upload speed for user, ignore PM, ban, etc).
- iDC++, Operator Client, segmented downloading
- SababaDC, Israeli mod with Kademlia support
- More can be found on: DC++ FAQ: Windows clients
- ^ Annalee Newitz (July 2001). Sharing the Data. Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper. Metro Publishing Inc. Retrieved on December 21, 2006.
- Direct Connect network
- Retroshare_Instant_Messenger
- eDonkey network
- eMule
- Kazaa
- Napster
- Overnet
- Soulseek
- BitTorrent
- DC++ (Official Website)