UserPageajaksu
The SHRUG was aborted upon finding out about the wiki... still, its gonna be
left as a memorial here, as a things-to-avoid-in-guides guide :)
The Shareaza Help, Resources and User Guide - The SHRUG V0.0.0.0.0.0.0....0.3 10:51 (gmt-3) 11/07/03
1 About The SHRUG 2 What is Shareaza 3 Hitchhiker's Guide to P2P
3.1 Networks
3.1.1 Topologies
3.1.2 File Hashes
3.1.3 Security
3.2 Peers
3.2.1 Normal Peers
3.2.2 Special Peers
3.3 Downloading and Uploading
3.4 Filesharing and Copyright
4 Enter The Raza
4.1 Installing Shareaza
4.1.1 First Installation
4.1.2 Upgrading from a previous version
4.1.3 The Quickstart Wizard
4.1.3.1 User Interfaces
4.1.3.2 Internet Settings
4.1.3.3 Shared Folders
4.1.3.4 Editing your Profile
4.1.3.5 Choosing Networks to Connect to
4.1.3.6 Final Options
4.2 Hashing your Files
4.3 Getting Connected
4.4 Finding and Downloading Files
5 Knowledge is Power
5.1 Shareaza User Interface Basics
5.1.1 Normal
5.1.2 Power Mode
5.1.2.1 Tabbed
5.1.2.2 Windowed
5.1.3 Main Buttons
5.1.4 Main Menus
5.1.4.1 Network
5.1.4.2 View
5.1.4.3 Tools
5.1.4.4 Window
5.1.4.5 Help
5.1.5 Main Context Menus
5.1.6 Hot Keys
5.1.7 Sorting and Selecting Files
5.2 Detailed Interface Explanation
5.2.1 Home
5.2.2 Library
5.2.3 Media
5.2.4 Uploads (aka transfers)
5.2.5 Downloads (aka transfers)
5.2.6 Neighbours (aka network)
5.2.7 System (aka network)
5.2.8 Security
5.2.9 Host Cache
5.2.10 Discovery Services
5.2.11 Search Monitor
5.2.12 Packet Dump
5.2.13 Hit Monitor
5.3 Configuring Shareaza
5.3.1 General
5.3.1.1 General
5.3.1.2 Library
5.3.1.3 Media Player
5.3.1.4 Community
5.3.1.5 Web
5.3.2 Internet
5.3.2.1 Connection
5.3.2.2 Downloads
5.3.2.3 Uploads
5.3.3 Networks
5.3.3.1 Gnutella
5.3.3.2 eDonkey2000
5.3.3.3 Protocols
5.3.4 Skins
5.3.5 Advanced
6 Like TroubleShooting Fishs in a Barrel
6.1 Known Issues
6.2 Unknown Issues
6.3 Problem Solving Checklist
6.4 Getting More SHRUG
6.4.1 Shareaza FAQ
6.4.2 The Forum
7 Glossary
1 About The SHRUG
Hi, before we start, let me give you some words of wisdom: when in doubt, google. Googling can solve 85% of your computer-related doubts.
If you need some quick and dirty tech definitions, go here -> [1] and here -> [2] (that was an AND, not an OR... you can't trust a single quick and dirty definition). If you need a peer-to-peer related definition, aim at -> [3]. For a Shareaza FAQ, take a look at the help menu! All these sources are great for getting decent (=not like those found here) information on topics.
Searching whatis.com for "hashing" might even get you interested in
hardcore programming. This info is here because everyone should read the "about" part of any guide. Now those fools who skipped this will have
a much harder time bwahahahahahah!
The SHRUG is not. The SHRUG will be... The SHRUG is meant to make Shareaza's users' life a little easier, or at
least a bit funnier. There is some heavy evidence that both goals will most certainly fail in a miserable way.
Keep in mind that this SHRUG is not a "for dummies" kind of document.
Its more of a "by dummies" thing, depending on reader benevolence when choosing words to curse the authors.
2 What is Shareaza
Shareaza is a Peer-to-Peer client for Windows which allows you to
download files of any type found on several popular P2P networks. Shareaza is totally free: it contains no spyware or bundled products. Since its release in July 2002, Shareaza has come to be recognized as one of the most innovative P2P applications.
Shareaza's creator and developer is Michael Stokes, the same guy who
created the Gnutella2 network. It is very enlightening and entertaining to learn the history behind Mike's decision to create a different network, all the flame wars involving the Gnutella2 name, Shareaza's performance and
the beautiful crossfire that followed. Those gdf guys (Mike included) must
really love each other, despite the occasional low blows.
In addition to Shareaza's premiere Gnutella2 network and the (legacy) Gnutella(1) network, Shareaza 1.9 integrates eDonkey2000, known for its
efficient sharing and large file selection, and BitTorrent, known for fast access to very new files. That adds up to four P2P systems at your fingertips. While we are at that, it is worth mentioning that Kazaa's network, FastTrack, is proprietary so NO, Kazaa's network cannot be added to Shareaza...
3 Hitchhiker's Guide to P2P
We'll try to briefly cover some basics aspects of peer-to-peer (P2P) here. Chances are we'll fail biiiig time.
3.1 Networks
3.1.1 Topologies
Put simply: peer-to-peer networks can be centralized (special peers are
dedicated servers) or decentralized (special peers are elected among
common users). Each configuration has its advantages and drawbacks:
centralized networks tend to have faster searches, while demanding dedicated hardware/software to run servers. Decentralized networks are harder to
shut down and have less need for powerful machines, but suffer from slower
searches. Usually, centralized networks have a larger horizon, but that's not always the case.
Of the networks that Shareaza can handle, eDonkey2000 and BitTorrent are
centralized, while both Gnutella and G2 are decentralized. One could say that BT isn't actually a p2p network, and also that Overnet makes ED2K partially decentral. So what? Let one say what one wants to say, I'm not listening...
The largest network at time of writing (about 4:30 am) is FastTrack, Kazaa's network. However, while it's a 4 million users network, it has a pretty small
horizon (about 10k users). That is a proprietary network. Shareaza shall not
add FT support. Did I mention that (legal) FT support (for free) is impossible? For a even more mind numbing explanation,
visit -> [4]
Read some well written stuff after that to avoid your brain becoming irrevocably lazy (like mine).
3.1.2 File Hashes All kind of hash are derivative of some raw ingredient: there's hash made of marijuana, and there are File Hashes (made of files, kinda useful, but less
entertaining).
Let me tell you about Marijuana Hash. Wait! No, File Hashes it is. A Hash is a code generated to (uniquelly) represent a file or a portion of a file. How are Hashes made? First, you get some marijuana... Actually there are many ways of producing a hash code for a file. Each way has its pros and cons, but the basics include sampling some values from the file, performing many
calculations and generating a value based on this process.
Why is this useful? Well, if you want to download a file called
"IWannaHash.doc", how can you be sure if the download was successful? If
the source you got the file from also tells you its hash code and how it was
calculated, you can later generate a hash code (using the same method) for the file you got and compare it to the original hash code: it is much faster than comparing the two complete files and its much more reliable than simply comparing some parts of the file. Then you throw that marijuana away... it's illegal, you know?
3.1.3 Security There is no such a thing. All and any security is a illusion. Feel better now?
3.2 Peers
Ever wondered what would a peer-to-peer network be without peers?
3.2.1 Leaves
3.2.2 Special Peers
We all have special peers, right? So why shouldn't our p2p networks have
theirs?
3.3 Downloading and Uploading 3.4 Filesharing and Copyright
4 Enter The Raza
4.1 Installing Shareaza Installing Shareaza should be a painless operation. If you feel any kind of
pain, dizzyness or loss of teeth during the install, visit your doctor pronto!
4.1.1 First Installation All you need is a installer (get fresh ones from
[5]), some free hd space and MS Windows. Download the installer and run it. Choose where to install the program and when the first step is complete, go thru the Quickstart Wizard to get Shareaza running like a mad beast. A fast-running-mad-beast, that is.
4.1.2 Upgrading from a previous version Don't uninstall your previous Shareaza version. Just install on top of it and
everything should be ok. Don't try to install to a different folder, as that might create a rift in the space-time and that is messy.
4.1.3 The Quickstart Wizard
4.1.3.1 User Interfaces
4.1.3.2 Internet Settings
4.1.3.3 Shared Folders
4.1.3.4 Editing your Profile
4.1.3.5 Choosing Networks to Connect to
4.1.3.6 Final Options
4.2 Hashing your Files
4.3 Getting Connected
4.4 Finding and Downloading Files
5 Knowledge is Power
5.1 Shareaza User Interface Basics
5.1.1 Normal
5.1.2 Power Mode
5.1.2.1 Tabbed
5.1.2.2 Windowed
5.1.3 Main Buttons
5.1.4 Main Menus
5.1.4.1 Network
5.1.4.2 View
5.1.4.3 Tools
5.1.4.4 Window
5.1.4.5 Help
5.1.5 Main Context Menus
5.1.6 Hot Keys
5.1.7 Sorting and Selecting Files
5.2 Detailed Interface Explanation
5.2.1 Home
5.2.2 Library
5.2.3 Media
5.2.4 Uploads (aka transfers)
5.2.5 Downloads (aka transfers)
5.2.6 Neighbours (aka network)
5.2.7 System (aka network)
5.2.8 Security
5.2.9 Host Cache
5.2.10 Discovery Services
5.2.11 Search Monitor
5.2.12 Packet Dump
5.2.13 Hit Monitor
5.3 Configuring Shareaza
5.3.1 General
5.3.1.1 General
5.3.1.2 Library
5.3.1.3 Media Player
5.3.1.4 Community
5.3.1.5 Web
5.3.2 Internet
5.3.2.1 Connection
5.3.2.2 Downloads
5.3.2.3 Uploads
5.3.3 Networks
5.3.3.1 Gnutella
5.3.3.2 eDonkey2000
5.3.3.3 Protocols
5.3.4 Skins
5.3.5 Advanced
6 Like TroubleShooting Fishs in a Barrel
6.1 Known Issues
6.2 Unknown Issues Unknown issues are very hard to track, since everytime they are reported
they become known. The best aproach is to make unknown issues known, then
deal with them properly... even tough not troubleshooting a unknown issue
anymore, you'll have decreased the number of unknown issues by one. And that must be good, right?
6.3 Problem Solving Checklist
6.4 Getting More SHRUG
6.4.1 Shareaza FAQ
6.4.2 The Forum
7 Glossary