Netmess, a new file sharing client, promises anonymous p2p file sharing without any ip address or user name being shown.
http://netmess.levillage.org/modules...ews&file=index
What do you think?
Can we do this with a Gnutella client?
Should developers create a "cross network" interface to connect to them?
Windows and Linux versions available, it uses Java.
other info
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/article.../06082002c.php

I wonder, how does one connect to another node over TCP/IP, if TCP/IP needs an IP but you don't send one?

Looking through their source code, it definitely sends and receives IP addresses:

and

So even if it is encrypted, you need a way to unencrypt it. So how can you unencrypt if you don't know how it was encrypted? You use a uniform, publicly known encryption. So there you go - it defeats the purpose because anyone can still unencrypt it and know the IP address.

That may be, but if the RIAA or MPAA cronies circumvent even the simplest encryption to find out what files you're sharing and who you are, they are actually breaking the DMCA, and are therefore invalidating any case they could build against you.

It's using their own weapon against them.

If high speed people would simply let others share THROUGH their node, then it would be very difficult to say you are 100% sure it's on someone's computer.
Even if people never use the pass through feature, since you can't tell if someone is using it or not, then there is still no 100% way to know where it's coming from.
You also need a way to block IPs from passing through, let's say you only allow certian IP groups because you have nothing better to do.
Why do that? because you could use another client and try to connect & pass your files through, and if it doesn't happen then you can say "that guy isn't passing through". But maybe, just maybe that guy is only passing certian IPs he likes! So no 100%.
Looks like users have to demand this feature, I don't see any developers adding this yet.

Oh, and if you say "that would make trading too slow", you haven't been paying attention.

Ever heard of "probable cause"?

• Probable cause is where known facts and circumstances, of a reasonably trustworthy nature, are sufficient to justify a man of reasonable caution or prudence in the belief that a crime has been or is being committed. (reasonable man definition; common textbook definition; comes from Draper v. U.S. 1959)
• Probable cause is what would lead a person of reasonable caution to believe that something connected with a crime is on the premises of a person or on persons themselves. (sometimes called the nexus definition; nexus is the connection between PC, the person's participation, and elements of criminal activity; determining nexus is the job of a judicial official, and it's almost always required in cases of search warrants, not arrest warrants)
• Probable cause is the sum total of layers of information and synthesis of what police have heard, know, or observe as trained officers. (comes from Smith v. U.S. 1949 establishing the experienced police officer standard)

"what would lead a person of reasonable caution to believe that something...."

And a reasonable person would say that it MAY have come from somewhere else because everyone has this feature built into their client.

Now, if you want to sue EVERYONE who uses Gnutella, and call it a conspiracy, that might work but it's a long shot.

By the way, probable cause is used for search warrants, do you really think the police are going to issue a warrant when the RIAA simply asks? This is a civil issue (as in $$$, fines etc...)

In this situation there is more probable cause to believe that the file is NOT on this guy's computer. And the more common knowledge about this feature is given out by everyone, the more likely a warrant wouldn't be issued!

Now, are there substantial legal uses for this?
Are there any legal uses for Gnutella in general?
Are there any legal uses for the web?
Are there any legal uses for anon remailers or anon surfing?
Do people use these anon systems? Could it be millions every day?
How about proxies? How about anon proxies? How about public proxies?
So why not anon Gnutella?

The guy who programmed those anon features for the web should go to jail and be sued by RIAA/MPAA or the like ! How dare he!

Not sure, RIAA/MPAA damn near bought the US government, did they not? Microsoft has taught them well.. hehe..