I share 60 files, all >200mb, all good quality, am I a freeloader? no.

Yet while I'm sharing, I cannot download from the jerk who set his threshold at 1000, so that in my eyes makes HIM the freeloader, since he CAN access MY files.

I have a better solution, ratios. voluntary ratios, using a PGP public key/private key(gnotella client) and the client keeps the log encrypted. you lose your log, you must start over.

Dont give the option to exclude ANYONE, as that just gives the freeloaders a /tool/ to freeload with, like Mr. 1000 files above.

At least this way, heavy sharing would have verifiable bragging rights.

Another solution, allow customization of the Webpage, then people would have a little incentive to share, knowing that 5000 people will see their "Bill Markus is a cool dude" message.

Also, what I would like to see is a log of the ratio of successfull downloads made from someones client, so that I can see beforehand that I'm about to d/l from someone that aborts 99% of downloads requested from his client. (again this would be voluntary, but if someone has a %100 completed log, you know your d/l will most likely be good)

oh, and by the way, how about advanced search features? I'm talking really advanced, with "> , < , # , $ , * , = , /@" operators like the good ole AmigaDOS. that would let a blind man find a needle in a haystack during a thunderstorm? (we NEED this tool to filter out the "brittany spears sex sex warez.exe" files that turn out to be links to paysites and banner ads. Not to be too critical, but in the year 2001, you'd thing a cutting edge piece of software would have better search capabilities than a 20-year old DOS from an extinct Amiga with 512k of ram.

How about COMMENTS so that users would stop sharing files named "really_cool_screensaver_get_me_now.zip", and leave the filenames intact? this could be implemented optionally if a user, say, creates a {filename}.GNT text file with the description THERE instead of in the original filename. Granted, this feature would only work with other clients who have this, but it would still be compatible with other clients anyway. This file could also optionally be used to keep track of how many times it's been downloaded, if the user so wishes.

FEEDBACK, how about a quazi-mail server, so people can send me messages in text, that get stored as text files in a specified directory? This would prevent me from having to share my email address with every loser on the net just so I can recieve messages about corrupt/worthless/misdescribed files I may inadvertantly be sharing. I should be able to limit the size/quantity of these messages if I prefer for security/spam reasons.

The option to make the above messages optionally PUBLIC so that people can see I'm not a freeloader by looking at my "thankyou" messages.

Scripting, something usefull like a semi-featured conditional scripting launguage so I can download something IF it shows up somewhere without me being here to do it.

messaging, and the forming of SIG's for people of like minds with similar files.

The possibilities are endless, and it seems progress is stagnant, hell, noone has even bothered to fix the *OLD* "error closing socket" nonsence under windows 2000 yet, sigh.

Here's innovation, adding "servers" to this "serverless" network transparantly and at my option, remaining compatible with the existing Gnutella framework, Here's how...
I, at my option, decide to dedicate my fat network pipe to the cause, so I set up a repeater/cacher that does a search at a predefined interval for {*.*}.GNT files (described above) that have logged >X (predefined by me) download requests, and my client will download and mirror these heavily requested files. My "server" will also consult other volunteer servers for their list of "high demand" files and share files with them if my supply/their demand or vice versa are in sync.

The clients could even have an option to conduct "banwidth friendly" searches that would ONLY consult these servers lists of pre-cached searches, saving alot of gnutella bandwith. This again would be optional and voluntary, thus keeping gnutella compatible, and able to operate serverless.

The server could optionally be open to public "send me a note if you see this file" requests, saving the user from letting his machine search continously, eating up bandwidth on the 'gnunet.

I've got myself all worked up now, time to fire up VC++ and start a beta version, anyone interested in helping? if so, send me a note at ogg_david@hotmail.com and lets rock. So far, all these clients are simple and could have been put together by a 13 year old with a flexible bedtime and unattentive parents and a warez copy of visual basic. Lets show the world what a difference some creative programming can make. Beer's on me. Time to lead, follow or get out of the damn way, and let the files FLOW!