Today, I thought it would be nice to have a requiem for these obsolete applications/networks that brought us so much joy.
USENET (1979 - Present)
In the days before Napster, one of the few places to find pirated music and applications was on Usenet newsgroups. Newsgroups were essentially gigantic bulletin boards on which one could leave messages as well as large files. Unfortunately, Usenet peaked in popularity during a time before the widespread use of cable modems and DSL. This was fine if you were downloading a 10 mb rip of King's Quest V, but it was the kiss of death if you wanted to download entire albums. Nobody wanted to deal with 3+ hours of dropped connections and inconsistent download speeds.
Usenet is still very much alive, though not in wide use.
Things we learned: If this whole "internet" thing was going to catch on, the connections were going to need to be quite a bit faster.
Key tracks discovered: None. I was working with a 56K modem, and didn't have a profusion of hard drive space to begin with.
NAPSTER (1999 - 2001)
Introduced around the same time that high-speed internet started becoming commonplace.Napster was the first program that introduced the masses to the idea of free (albeit illegal) music. It was also the first program that brought the file sharing problem to the attention of major labels. The program worked very well before it became clogged with users, at which point, the main Napster servers became slow and unreliable. Third-party Napster servers sprung up to remedy this problem. Eventually, the recording industry shut down the program. It would later return as a legal version (a subscription service), though never experienced the success or popularity of its original incarnation.
Things we learned: Not only was file-sharing a viable means of obtaining records, but it was easier (and cheaper) than going to a record store. Furthermore, the selection was far better than your average Sam Goody. We also learned in the wake of the recording industry's anti-Napster campaign that Metallica just wasn't cool (though for the record, I had already known that for a very long while). Further proof of Metallica's lameness came with the release of 2003's St. Anger.
Key tracks discovered: Through the program, my initial interest in post-rock was sparked. The Swords Project's debut EP (which would have been impossible to obtain on the east coast at the time) and tracks from Mogwai's Ten Rapid (suggested to me by some Brits in a Napster chatroom) stick out in my mind. I also found "Fazon" by Sopwith Camel - a track that has since become a favorite - and got into surf rock for the first time. Most notably, I obtained an advance copy of Radiohead's Kid A about three months before its slated release - and bought it on the day it finally came out.
GNUTELLA (2000 - Present)
Following Napster's demise, Gnutella was promoted as the new frontier for file-sharing. Decentralized, massive, and supposedly easy to use, the program was supposed to be the savior. Unfortunately, it had its problems. For one, the searches never quite turned up as many results as Napster did. Furthermore, many (if not most) of the transfers were either slow or impossible to start in the first place. The network's inefficiency made it undesirable for serious music collectors.
Things we learned: Some degree of centralization is necessary for most P2P applications. Without it, we are faced with slow transfer speeds, fewer search results, and general inefficiency.
Key tracks discovered: None. Gnutella never really worked all that well for me, despite my best efforts. The only music I was able to find was mainstream pop. If I wanted that, I could have put on the radio.
AUDIOGALAXY (2001 - 2002)
To this day, I still miss Audiogalaxy. It may have been my favorite file-sharing program of all-time. The site's concept was excellent: the program itself was a little satellite application that ran in the background. All of the searching was done on the Audiogalaxy site. Users would select files for download in a queue, and Audiogalaxy would automatically connect them to the fastest possible download option. It was an extremely efficient and extensive database. Unfortunately, it was also perhaps the most blatantly illegal of all the P2P networks to date.
Things we learned: The greater the centralization, the more efficient and successful the network. Unfortunately, centralization was also the fastest way to being sued by the RIAA.
Key tracks discovered: Lots of odds and ends. Tons of post-rock and math rock, particularly from Chicago. I first heard tracks by Don Caballero, June of 44, the Shipping News, and the Mercury Program on Audiogalaxy.
SOULSEEK (2001 - Present)
The source for obscure music. Soulseek started as a community sharing avant garde and undergound music - particularly electronic music - and it has retained its independent edge. It was developed by Nir Arbel, a former member of the Napster team. The application isn't exactly the best place to find the new Linkin' Park record - though you're able to find mainstream material, there are far more efficient ways to do so from a file-sharing perspective. Perhaps Soulseek doesn't belong on this list, as it's not yet obsolete - nonetheless, I felt the need to address it.
Things we learned: The community aspect can make or break a file-sharing network. There are few people looking for mainstream pop on Soulseek's servers, and thus the server isn't clogged with junk.
Key tracks discovered: Lots of old music (psychedelic, soul, soundtrack) that hasn't been released on CD. Many vinyl rips. If you can't find a record in stores or on any other networks, chances are you'll eventually find it on Soulseek. You just need to know where (and when) to look.
BITTORRENT (2001 - Present)
On its own, the Bittorrent client does nothing. But coupled with a good tracker (OiNK and Demonoid were my favorites before they were shut down), it can be a force to be reckoned with. As such, Bittorrent itself does not seem to be in an legal danger - only the trackers that supply its users with content. The beauty of Bittorrent is that while there is no one centralized network, the client provides the opportunity for many different trackers to cater to their own specific user bases.
Things we learned: This one is still up in the air. OiNK and Demonoid have been shut down, but both look as if they may be back sooner rather than later (providing they find server space in a country sympathetic to their respective plights).
Key tracks discovered: I found an advance copy of TV on the Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain several months before its release on OiNK. This is probably my most significant Bittorrent coup.
LIMEWIRE (2001 - Present)
A traditional centralized P2P network, Limewire is most famous for its allowing users to download a file from multiple users at once. This technology makes for blazing fast download speeds. Unfortunately, the Limewire network is populated almost exclusively with mainstream pop, and its users have been targeted by RIAA lawsuits. Furthermore, due to the network's popularity, there are often viruses and irrelevant download links on its servers.
Things we learned: If you don't want to get sued, don't share your copies of Britney Spears albums on Limewire. Also, don't download any executable files.
Key tracks discovered: None. You don't look on Limewire for new music, you look for songs that everybody already knows.
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