xMule is a clone of the eMule client for the eDonkey filesharing network. It supports Linux/Unix/BSD platforms, and MacOS and Windows versions are under development.
"eMule is a well known P2P client, since it's web based," says Expose. "You click a ed2k link in a web forum, the download starts in the client and this way, you know what you're getting."
It can be used to download just about anything, including movies and music, and therein lies the problem.
Naturally, if you're seriously into p2p, you'll want to check it out, but when you reach the web page you'll see, "Slashdot shut down the site far faster and more effectively than any gov'ment agency because the last 5 companies i have contacted have said xmule is a 'high risk server' and the backup servers i was planning to implement literally within MINUTES of being slashdotted have since canceled the accounts and refunded my money."
Un-Thesis is talking about the Slashdot titbit which ran, "Two bits of news in the ongoing battle between the RIAA/MPAA and the rest of the internet: One P2P company, apparently based in Palestine, has thrown down the gauntlet to the movie industry. Meanwhile, a developer of another P2P tool who unwisely chose to live in the USA has been shut down (mirror) by the RIAA."
Not to worry. "I was personally kicked in the nuts by the Feds, but have since regained my posture and am already coding the next version (1.6.0 of xmule) and plotting my legal moves," he states. "I am now *completely* free of all obligations and interruptions (no email, work, social life, games, etc :-) and am currently totally dedicated to making sure that a near-future version will work seemlessly on MacOS, Win32, and UNIX minus gov'ment and corporate spying.
"Keep it real and please support the real client and not the various imitations that have cropped up in recent weeks ..."
To download xmule, go here, and for temporary forums hosted by Simon Moon, go here.
In the meanwhile, "I've been personally shut down," said Un-Thesis here .
"Apparently I have been subpoenad, personally, on 8-17-2003 by an as-yet unknown entity under the DMCA clause, because of xmule, when it went on to gov'ment radar w/ the e-matters.de alert :P The subpoena lasts, suposedly, until Dec 6, when i must stand infrotn of a federal appellet court
"100% of My job is online
"100% of My school is online
"100% of My friends are online
"100% of My hobbies are online
"and if i can't use a comptuer at all, they might as well put me in a federal prison taht allows me to read and purchase any book i want...
"As of 7:43AM MST (-7 UTC) my personal internet connection was shut down due to 'unacceptable use'. It took me 6 hours to finally contact my ISP customer support, a local cable modem provider, because they were swamped with MSBLASTER calls.
"I was redirected to a 1800 number who redirected me to some other number, etc, until i finally reached a federal clerk's office in Washington, D.C. who informed me that it *seems* as though I have been personally subpaened by the USA Gov'ment on behalf of the RIAA. They told me that they were limited in their search for information due to the late hour (8PM EDT (-4 UTC)), but that the prosecuting body that issued under hte auspicies of the DMCA and NOT in the same category as the other 8,000+ copyright violation affidavits issued by the RIAA in recent months.
"Additional bad news: xmule.org has reached 90% of its allocated monthly bandwidth. It is the 19th. I am very incapable of rectifying this decision w/out knowledgeable outside assistance in the United States (due to telephone communication required). If you can help me set up the other webserver, please contact me at 520-296-3408.
"Unless DRASTIC action is taken within the next 48 hours, or my internet connection is restored, xmule.org forums will be permanently shut down until the bandwidth issue can be resolved.
"Supposedly, the subpaena was filed on 8-17-2003. For those that know, the e-matters.de published xmule ni its security bulletin, thus, probably, raising us to teh level of teh RIAA's notice for the first time. Since I am the only american developer, and since i am really the only main developer, it seems they struck at the source.
"I have not received written or otherwise announcement of the subpaena, and i still do not know the ramifications of my injunction. I may be able to use dialup or even DSL, cable is certainly out, or I may be completely barred form teh internet (this message might be illegal)
"At this point i *know* i will need to hire a civil rights attorney, and if I am not liable to a prison sentence, then I might be able to leave the United States to either Mexico or Canada, at which point i will also need money to relocate...So any donations are greatly appreciated. PLEASE use the Amazon donation box, since it requires no online access by me, while paypal erquires a connectino.
"I wont' know what my options are until some time tomorrow or later. Development of xMule seems to be the most likely target of me, since I have downloaded very little copyrighted material over the last, o, 6 months. I figured that before i found out i was banned completely from the internet i would send this mesasge...
"Keep it real...weclome to the Fourth Reich of Amerika.
"Un-Thesis"
And Oh Yeh - EarthStation 5? It's a glitzed up, second class app that's using its location (Palestine), its contrived public defiance of the MPAA and the gullibility of the mainstream media to promote something that would otherwise receive very little attention.