Ares Galaxy

From Encoresoup - The Ultimate Guide to Free/Open Source Software

Ares Galaxy is an open source peer-to-peer file sharing application that uses its own decentralized supernode/leaf network. It was spun-off from the Gnutella network in 2002, and is currently hosted on SourceForge.net. Ares Galaxy has a simple, quick access interface with a built in audio/video viewer. The latest versions also support the BitTorrent protocol and Shoutcast radio stations.

Contents 1 The Ares Network 2 Hashlinks 3 SHOUTcast 4 Alternatives 5 Awards 6 References 7 External links 7.1 Official Sites 7.2 Other Sites

[edit] The Ares Network

Ares development began in the middle of 2002 and was originally operating on the Gnutella network. Six months later, it switched to its own network with a leaves-and-super nodes architecture. Its protocol is more difficult to identify than that of other popular P2P programs. As a result Ares is sometimes the only P2P client that works on restricted networks, such as some university campuses. However, it is not impossible to block, and many organizations are now doing so. From version 1.9.0, data sharing was enabled between two peers behind a firewall. This may be due to mediating peers.^[2] The Ares network was, at one time, largely free from fake and corrupt files, unlike others like FastTrack. However this has changed as its popularity as a file sharing network increased. Since late 2006, several anti-piracy groups, including MediaDefender and BayTSP, working for the RIAA, have started hosting fake MP3 files on Ares that never start downloading. These files are hosted from multiple computers using extremely high-bandwidth connections and therefore appear at the top of the list for any search query that returns them as a result. Some users report that the reliability of establishing connections can be difficult and erratic. From version 1.9.4, Ares included basic support for the BitTorrent protocol.

For some changes in the network, Ares is not able to discover new peers all by itself. Copying and pasting an special hashlink in the Address bar is needed to import super nodes into Ares.Cite error 3; Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

[edit] Hashlinks

Ares has "hashlinks" functionality. It is able to search for peers with files pertaining to a hash and download from them. Some sites have begun to post verified Ares hashlinks. Hashlinks can be decrypted and encrypted online: a website that supports Chat channel hashlink encryption and decryption can be found on http://www.devilworks.co.uk/hashlink .

[edit] SHOUTcast

From version 1.9.9, Ares Galaxy has experimental support for the SHOUTcast internet radio.

[edit] Alternatives

The following stand-alone alternative clients are known to connect with the Ares network:

• Warez P2P (development of an Ares compatible version has been discontinued)
• FilePipe and KCeasy connect to the Ares network, in addition to OpenFT and Gnutella.
• FileCroc connects to the Ares network and the BitTorrent network.
• iGotcha! connects to the Ares chat network and is designed for Mac OS X.
• Poisoned, a Mac OS X client

In addition, an Ares plugin for giFT has been released to provide access the Ares network. However, there have been problems with the plugin regarding certain issues like connecting to the network.

Although Wine is able to run Ares Galaxy, giFT with the Ares plugin should work fine, ask in your distribution's IRC channels about it.

[edit] Awards

Ares has been reviewed and awarded in several magazines and websites, some of them are:

• Softpedia Pick
• Uptodown Editors' Choice

[edit] References

1. ↑ SourceForge.net: Project Member List
2. ↑ Ares Introduces Firewall to Firewall Transfers

[edit] External links

[edit] Official Sites

• Ares Galaxy at SourceForge (Inconsistently updated)
• Ares Galaxy download page (Up to date)
• Ares Galaxy Official Forum

[edit] Other Sites

• Arca Eclipse (Arca Eclipse Server Website)
• AresForum.net (Forum offering Ares support with many 3rd party applications)
• Aresusers.org (Forum containing different stuff, skins and 3rd party apps for Ares)
• Devil Works (Website with home made apps and code related to Ares)