Gnutella is a file sharing network that allows users to send and receive files ...

This is a distributed file swapping program developed by Nullsoft, which is owned by AOL. AOL attempted to shut down Gnutella, but once it was released...

A file-sharing protocol that forms the basis of a number of peer-to-peer networking products. Gnutella forms a loose decentralized network with each user able to see and access all shared files of other Gnutella users. Unlike Napster, Gnutella does not require a central server, and any file type can be exchanged. Gnutella was originally developed by researchers at America Online's Nullsoft group but the original implementation of the protocol was never publicly released. An open-source Gnutella preview appeared that resulted in a number of variations becoming available.