Patchmaster:
There are many elements to a gnutella client: user interface, library management, TCP/IP communications.

I know. Indeed, the main reason for my decision is to "explore" a language having fun. I can build the client starting from small pieces (managing xml, establishing a connection...), and then put them together obtaining an application that works. I really hate coding only "proof of concept"

(and where your experiments won't have the chance to bring down a huge portion of the network)

well, I think I'm not so stupid
I wouldn't put anything in the network if I had the smallest suspect that something hasn't been fixed