very much that Gnutella cannot evolve. It's capabilities are only for searching... the regular Internet is used to download...

Gnutella would have to make such a radical change as to no longer be compatible with the current incarnation... that means it will become a new protocol (and therefore, no longer be Gnutella).

There are two new protocols in the works (and surely more to follow!)
www.projectelf.com
www.freenetproject.org

Although I wouldn't advise moving immediately to one of these, they're certainly important to watch...

My website
members.aol.com/VbHydroPhonic/index.html
will have much info on it... (under construction... "Future of Gnutella section's up tho )