Exeem Open Beta Released

BrasOnMyGuitar writes "The file sharing application known as eXeem (made by the creators of the now-defunct file-sharing site SuprNova.org) has gone into public beta. The program is based on the BitTorrent protocol. However, it eliminates the need for trackers and decentralizes the user from the network. This allows for Kazaa-style searching with the speeds and benefits of the BitTorrent protocol." Reader Eeknay points out that Linux users can run it too.

Comments

Well...

[Neophytus]

It now does nothing really that new, apart from using the bittorrent protocol. Networks like the long lost WinMX have supported downloading from users with partially downloaded for years now.

I guess it just saves the client from searching for the peers itself, leaving that job to the supernodes.

Spyware

[FiReaNGeL]

Does it contain spyware ala Kazaa? I sure won't install it until I seen the source, eXeem being affiliated with Suprnova.org which was.... well, hosting tons of illegal .torrents?

Mini Review

[bgreg03]

As the guy above said, when you first open this program, it appears to be a very normal p2p program, like kazaa and ares. The ability to create your own 'torrents' is what will really set this service apart. Some of the downsides of the other p2p applications (including bittorrent apps) was the inability of the layman user to contribute and share things new and unique. I personally think you will see this take off VERY quickly, and will be the next level of p2p. Lets see how this turns out.

Re:Mini Review

[aero2600-5]

"The ability to create your own 'torrents' is what will really set this service apart. Some of the downsides of the other p2p applications (including bittorrent apps) was the inability of the layman user to contribute and share things new and unique."

I'm sure this has never occurred to you, but do you think it's possible that not allowing the average user to create their own torrents might be a good thing? Really, do I want to sift through 20 different torrents for the most recent episode of The Daily show because some boobs downloaded it from Loki and wanted to be the first to post it on Exeem? The reason why Suprnova.org was so great was that just about every torrent, unless posted by a regular submitter, was checked before making it onto the front page. Having people download from 20 different torrents instead of just one completely defeats the purpose of swarmed downloading.

I think Exeem will quickly turn into another Kazaa, except slightly better. It'll wind up being full of garbage just like Kazaa. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what will happen when you let anyone submit anything they want.

And before someone tries to lecture me on the comment system built into Exeem, and how it'll prevent all of these problems, it won't. For anyone looking for an example, the second most seeded file on Exeem at the moment is called 'Barbie web cam sexe.mpeg' It has 102 seeds, a rating of 81.6%, yet all of the comments say it's stupid and not worth the bandwidth. I'm glad the comment system is getting rid of all those worthless downloads.

I'll stick to the real BitTorrent, open-source and spyware-free, and I'll just continue to support the sites that aren't willing to cave like suprnova.org.

Aero

Interesting place for a company

[redshadow01]

Just looked up exeem.com on whois...looks like a caribbean island is a good place to be if the MPAA comes calling...take a look for yourself:

Administrative Contact:
Swarm, Systems Inc. contact@exeem.com
Swarm Systems Inc.
Suite 4 Tample Building, Main
Charlestown 1000
Saint Kitts and Nevis
304568187
Technical Contact:
Swarm, Systems Inc. contact@exeem.com
Swarm Systems Inc.
Suite 4 Tample Building, Main
Charlestown 1000
Saint Kitts and Nevis
304568187

eliminate trackers, doom bittorrent

[sbma44]

Hey! No need for trackers! Hurrah! Peers can just find each other automatically! Gosh, I wonder how that works -- could it be a standardized port range? And could that make it incredibly easy to throttle, track and persecute BitTorrent use?!?!

If my hunch is correct, these guys are morons. The nominal point of Exeem is to reduce the ability of copyright owners to sue pirates. Actually, it'll make it much easier for BigChampagne and others to track down users and prosecute them. Way to go, guys.

Please note that I'm not making a moral judgment about piracy -- please withhold the flames. My point is simply that the Exeem architecture, while created to fix BT's legal vulnerability, is actually likely to enhance it.

Re:Privacy of the person sharing?

[Anonymous Coward]

my first point is p2p in no way will ever be competely safe from tracking. first you need to know who to ask. seccond you need to send the data some where. the only way to protect yourself is to make a data haven that will route all traffic through and remove all identity info. but then why not just host the content in the data haven. unless you use the data haven for a cache that will kepp copys of the most popular content. now that would cost a lot for one person or people would have to pay to maintain that cache server unless you use the kast network. its protection is the deniability, you auto forward any thing you receive so you could say i did not know what was on this channel or i delete it if it is copyrighted and it did not start here. but that is a week defense. also one program called ant sent info through all sorts of relays (other users of the network) but that seriously cuts bandwith and so would any protected p2p. my seccond point is now what is the difference between this and any other popular p2p client kazaa, winmx. unless i dont know something.

the profiling they do for adverts would help RIAA

[CdBee]

a P2P company is going to be profiling its users - and you;re worried about spyware?

Can you imagine the legal field-day if the RIAA got hold of Exeem's user profiles, with records of everything they downloaded?

Re:First Thoughts

[Rei]

One has to wonder whether exeem will have the moderation of Suprnova.

I mean, it's possible to have moderation in a decentralized system - it's just a lot harder. Probably the easiest way would be a torrent extention or file associated with a torrent that holds digitally signed ratings from the previous suprnova moderators. Each user can then have their own list of public keys of moderators that they consider trustworthy, and can share those lists directly with friends. Instead of just a rating, you could do a full metadata system.

A much more complex, but more adaptable system, would be a full-featured self-organizing web of trust. But this would work in the meantime.

The protocol

[br00tus]

With all this talk of spyware, open source and so forth I've taken a look at the protocol, using WINE and tcpdump. I might use a tool other than tcpdump later.

Anyhow, I've booted it up a few times. When I click refresh on new files, it starts making TCP/IP connections to port 4000 of various hosts. I then send the TCP/IP header plus the packet itself. In hexidecimal value, these packets usually begin "02-04-05". Then I send "b4-04-02-08-0a". Then I send "00-XX-XX-XX-00-00-00-00-01-03-03-00". The X's change each connection - they seem to be incrementing. So that's my handshake. The response also begins "02-04-05" with 9 bytes after that. Then I send 10 bytes. That's when the remote host starts sending me big packets.

Well, I just started looking at it so it's still a mystery although I think I've seen some patterns. Anyhow, anyone interested in this can discuss it here, or go on the usual Freenode IRC channels (#p2p-hackers, #bittorrent etc.)

Re:First Thoughts

[I(rispee_I(reme]

Exeem Lite coming soon

Re:First Thoughts

[DarkMantle]

My favorite sites.....
http://www.lokitorrent.com/ - Requires Free Reg, I've got no spam from this (yet.)
http://www.bi-torrent.com/index.htm - Was a suprnova.org mirror, now is laid out similar (categories and such) to suprnova.
http://www.isohunt.com/ - classic from the days of IRC, still searches IRC as well
http://www.packetnews.com - another from IRC, does both IRC and torrent now.
http://www.torrentreactor.net/index.php - Been using it for a while. Pretty complete list of things available.