You don't have time but yet you want to program a gnutella client from scratch?
And then you waste your time because no one would want a slow, unusable client that is written in BASIC.
So why not start with a advanced already written client and just add the few things you want to do that are special to you?
If you spend the time you would have wasted writing things from scratch and learn a little C, then you will be worth more in the "marketplace" because you can develop REAL products that are professional and usable in a business, instead of stuff for play.
What I really don't understand is why you think it will take so much time to learn C. You haven't even tried but yet you think it will take away from your TV or party time, that would be sad indeed.