Despite the RIAA's efforts to shut down file-swapping services, these 10 apps carry Napster's torch.

The P2P terrain changes more frequently than rockers and celebrities swap agents and Hollywood bungalows. Now that old faves Napster and Audiogalaxy are washed-up has- beens, rising stars Qtraxmax and Grokster have sprung up out of nowhere for a piece of the action. Meanwhile, well-established players such as Morpheus and iMesh change so much with each release that they seem completely new with every go-around.

To help you make sense of the current environment and ensure that you get the best file-sharing experience for your time, we've put together this P2P bonanza, which includes 10 reviews of the most popular file-sharing apps around. Make sure to glance over our features chart, which shows what each app has to offer.

So, which program should you use? Right now, only one app--Xolox--delivers the features and performance that we demand, with no adware or spyware to ruin the experience. If you haven't tried Xolox yet, it's time to check it out. An honorable mention goes to LimeWire, which provides first-rate features and strong search results. Mac users, take note: LimeWire is the only application in this roundup with a version that you can use.

Audiogalaxy Satellite 0.608

Editors' note: Due to legal action by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Audiogalaxy has been essentially shut down as a file-sharing service. It still hosts tracks from mostly unsigned bands, but that's only a small fraction of what it previously offered. Members can opt to join private groups within the site, then exchange files with other group members.

Audiogalaxy is one of a vast array of peer-to-peer file-swapping services that let you share music and video files with other online users. (Most of them have appeared since the rise and fall of Napster.) Audiogalaxy's Web-based service works with any operating system, but the file-sharing helper app, Satellite, which you need in order to download most songs, is for Windows and Linux only. Audiogalaxy employs copyright restrictions to keep you from downloading most popular songs but heavily pushes independent artists and unknown bands. So if you thrive on the mainstream beat, turn to LimeWire or KaZaa. Otherwise, Audiogalaxy is a fast, easy, no-frills file-swapping service.

Get this party rockin'
Installing Audiogalaxy Satellite is simple but involves some piggyback programs you may want to avoid--namely, Gator and Webcelerator. After installation, you can't begin using Audiogalaxy until you register via the Web site or within the Satellite application. Fortunately, the registration asks you for only a username, an e-mail address, and your city and state-- nothing too personal.

Satellite transmissions
Most of your experience with Audiogalaxy takes place on the Web site, which lets you search for files and review the results. However, you need the Satellite app to actually swap files with other Audiogalaxy users. The program has virtually no menus or controls--in fact, you use the Audiogalaxy Web site to control most Satellite functions. For example, to stop a transfer, you must go to the Web site and hit Stop instead of using the Satellite app. This setup makes for a small download when you install Satellite and is an unintuitive scheme.

Scanning the galaxy
Audiogalaxy offers two ways to search for files: Music Search and FTP Search. We prefer Music Search, which scans active Audiogalaxy users' collections. The more complex, less reliable FTP Search looks for FTP sites containing the files you want. To search for files using Music Search, enter the song title or artist into the search field that sits at the top of nearly every page on the Audiogalaxy site. Audiogalaxy maintains an index of all files shared by its users, so it returns search results in record time. Once the search locates the best results, it lists them by popularity or lets you re-sort them by song name (but no other criteria, such as bit rate or size).

Each search result lists a file's availability, the method you can use to download it (directly from a Web site or using Satellite), the artist, and the song name. Once you find the song you want, click the song name, and Audiogalaxy prompts you to select a version of the file. This screen can be confusing, but we found it most effective to choose, "Get most popular version." If the file is currently available (that is, the user is online), Satellite kicks into action and begins the download. One Audiogalaxy trait we love: if the file you desire is not online, Satellite will continue to search for it and will begin the download automatically once the file is available.

Audiogalaxy has developed a clever, albeit annoying, method to dissuade leeching. Like other file-swapping apps, Audiogalaxy opens specific parts of your hard drive to other users, and vice versa, unless you choose not to share your own files. When you use Audiogalaxy, however, you must share at least 25 files before you're allowed to download more than one song at a time. This stops users from hoarding their own music and taking what they want from others. However, sharing all those files can drain your bandwidth.

No stars at your fingertips
At first glance, Audiogalaxy returns an impressive depth and breadth of search results--but it's deceptive. Audiogalaxy strictly complies with music copyright law and therefore won't let you download every file your search turns up; this is especially true for popular music. You might get 1,000 search results for Britney Spears's "Oops, I Did It Again," but it's virtually impossible to find a match that you're allowed to download. But Audiogalaxy's main objective is to promote independent artists and no-name bands, which are prominently featured on the site's home page and often have no download limitations. That makes Audiogalaxy an excellent resource for indie music buffs. You'll have to get your mainstream kicks at LimeWire or KaZaa.

Click anywhere for help
The Audiogalaxy Satellite app and Web site are relatively stable and error-free. Even so, the Web site sports well-organized, comprehensive online help. Like most free apps, though, the service doesn't offer e-mail or phone support, but Audiogalaxy does host a slew of user groups and bulletin boards. You're sure to find an answer somewhere.

Step out of the mainstream
If you're an indie music fan or are just looking for the next up-and-coming band, Audiogalaxy could be your new best friend. It's a stable, relatively simple service that'll have you telling your friends you bought that CD way before it started getting all that radio play. For more traditional music fans, though, this service is a mirage; you can see the goods, but you can't get your hands on the songs you want.

FreePeers BearShare 4.0

After a complete redesign for version 4.0, BearShare takes its place as one of the most attractive, least cluttered file-sharing apps around. Running on the Gnutella file network, it returns results quickly, and it now comes with a built-in chat client and an ad-free paid version. Unfortunately, BearShare falters at its primary purpose: it's dog slow downloading files and is often unreliable. Use it as part of your assortment of P2P apps, but stick with LimeWire or XoloX for your bread-and-butter files.

Pay up; opt out
Install BearShare, and you'll discover a rarity among P2P apps: the installer actually asks your permission to install three adware or spyware apps, which send information about your surfing habits to ad companies that would like to send you more pop-up ads. If you don't want them--and who would?--simply uncheck the boxes. BearShare asked permission in previous apps as well, and we wish more apps (that means you, KaZaa) would follow suit. Unfortunately, we found that BearShare sneaks in audio ads, which we heard while searching, including one that calls out "Yahoo!" and sounds vaguely like moo-ing.

If you want to opt out of all ads, including banners and pop-ups, BearShare (like LimeWire) now offers a Pro version that, for US$19.95, nixes the commercials and offers six months of free product upgrades, along with e-mail support (the free version offers only message boards). But you don't get phone support with either version; nor do you get priority server access or any performance improvements. You can pay LimeWire just US$9.50 for the same perks, so BearShare Pro's price doesn't add up.

Simple searching; little success
Once you've installed BearShare, a setup wizard lets you specify where to save downloads and what folders to share with the public. When you're finished, BearShare opens onto a simple, well-designed interface. You won't need to spend time hunting for the correct place to download files, as you do with the latest version of Morpheus. Buttons along the top of the screen open onto BearShare's main areas: Search, Downloads, Uploads, Files, Chat, Community, Security, and Help.

We found BearShare's search results respectable and quick, especially when we looked for popular artists, such as Britney Spears and Madonna; this was similar in scope to LimeWire's results, although it brought fewer returns than KaZaa did. Search results display on the left of the screen, whereas the search box, which lets you filter out spam or restrict file sizes, sits at the top right. Sadly, our download success rate ran a pitiful 25 percent or less--far lower than the acceptable 60 percent that we got with KaZaa.

Look who's (not) talking
Several file-sharing developers, including Morpheus, have decided to graft a chat tool into their file-sharing apps. BearShare is no exception, and its new Chat button calls up a built-in client that runs on the DALnet IRC network. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the client to connect during our tests, and our efforts seemed unwelcome. As BearShare tried one server after another, each "autokilled" us "due to constant abuse from this site." Who, us?

Several other BearShare features prove less impressive than they seem. A button labeled Burn CD, which you would expect to launch a built-in burning app or something similar, actually calls up a Web page for a US$19.95 plug-in. Press the Security button, and you'll be asked to download a P2P security program from McAfee, which, at least, is free.

Stick with the basics
BearShare looks pretty on the surface, but next time, we're looking for a P2P app that skips the chat toys and offers a 90 percent download success rate. In the meantime, add BearShare to your P2P arsenal, but don't rely solely on it.

Grokster 1.6

You wouldn't want Grokster as your main file-sharing tool, but it's still a good one to kick around now and again. In our tests, this upstart always returned results quickly and has bragging rights to a pretty great download success rate. Sure, the built-in adware and spyware are troublesome, but at least Grokster is more up-front about using those programs than some other apps--we're thinking of one notorious piggybacker in particular.

Quick but skimpy searches
Grokster runs on the FastTrack network, so it returns search results quickly. Sadly, it doesn't come up with all that many files to choose from. Open the Options panel, and you'll see that you can set the number of results for any given search. That's right: the upper limit for any search is 200 files. While we got up to around 250 files for popular artists, that isn't much to write home about compared to the scads of files that you'd find via, say, LimeWire.

To its credit, Grokster served up a strong variety of results, so even though it didn't find many, it did ferret out more than just the most popular songs. Unlike LimeWire and WinMX, Grokster doesn't list your previous searches, so you can't go back and look at old results once you've run another search, which is a bummer. We had great success obtaining songs, though. A good 60 percent of our attempts downloaded right away, while another 30 percent came through after we highlighted them and pressed Resume.

Somebody's watching you
Be careful installing Grokster, or you might get more than you bargained for. The program contains both adware and spyware, so you'll routinely see ads displayed on your screen, and information about your surfing habits will be sent back to a central server. Most of those programs install by default, but you must uncheck the correct boxes during start-up, or you'll end up installing several other unnecessary and insidious programs. In Grokster's FAQ, the programmers claim that one "necessary" program called Cydoor isn't spyware because the company admits up front that it's there, and it serves only banners. But Cydoor does collect information about your surfing habits, and that makes it spyware, regardless of whether Grokster tells you about it.

Staying organized
Grokster's interface is well laid out in five different sections; tabs along the top let you navigate among them. First is the Start page, which bombards you with info about new artists, while the My Grokster page helps you organize all your various media files. The Theater page lets you play audio and video clips within the application, although it uses your default multimedia apps to do so.

Click the Search page to hunt for audio, video, or other files. Monitor the Traffic page to check out the progress of the files that you're downloading and to see whether other users are uploading from your shared file directory. You can send instant messages to other users through Grokster, and you can right-click other people's names to see what files they have in their collections.

Like most file-sharing tools, Grokster doesn't offer tech support, but it does have useful FAQs and user forums located at its main site.

A work in progress
Because it lacks advanced file-sharing features, Grokster feels unfinished. We hope to see user forums or chat rooms in the next release. A Mac version would be nice, too. Until then, stick with Xolox or LimeWire and keep Grokster on hand as a backup.

iMesh 3.1

First the good news: When it's humming along, iMesh is a pleasure to use. It often obtains files quickly, and it can pause or resume downloads at will. But version 3.1 of this program locates far fewer files than other file-sharing tools--we got fewer than 100 results, even for big-name artists such as Madonna. Add a profusion of pop-up ads and spyware, and you have a big time-waster. If you have an older version of iMesh, don't upgrade; if you've never tried it, don't bother.

Rocket-fast downloads...once in a while
Don't rush through the iMesh installation wizard, because if you do, you'll miss your chance to boot unwanted third-party apps by unclicking them during the install. Unfortunately, even if you're cautious, you'll still have to deal with a few unwanted piggyback programs, such as the ever-present BonziBuddy. Worse, iMesh installs adware and spyware, a combination that ensures a steady stream of pop-up-ad windows. It's worth noting that iMesh delivered more pop-up ads in testing than other adware-heavy programs, such as Grokster.

Run a search on iMesh, and you'll be disappointed, even when looking for the biggest names in popular music. Fewer than 200 results for the Beatles? C'mon. As in the previous version, the search-result lists display song names but not bit rate information, so you have to click each found tune to discover its sound quality--a rather tedious process that we could do without. Furthermore, unlike most file-sharing tools, iMesh doesn't group different copies of the same file together on your search-results list, so downloading takes longer than it should.

But iMesh isn't all scary gremlins and bad-news bears; it offers outstanding filters. You can specify track names or album titles, and iMesh gladly returns only the results that you want-- that is, assuming the tagging information is accurate on the files that you're searching.

Pretty as a picture
We have always admired iMesh's simple and pleasant interface, and version 3.1's is no exception. Icons along the left-hand side take you to the Search and Chat features. The Media Manager not only shows your files, it lets you indicate which tunes you want to share with other users by placing a check mark next to the folders that you wish to share in the Windows Explorer-like list. iMesh uses your default media player to play audio and video files within the app.

Nobody's chatting
When we first looked at iMesh a year ago, its community features were tops, and it was easy to exchange instant messages with iMesh cohorts during downloads. But version 2.2's intimate instant messenger has been replaced by a chat tool that we couldn't even get to work. We created a screen name, as instructed, and tried to log on. But our efforts were cut short by an onscreen message that said we needed to have another piece of software on our system to join chats, then gave us the e-mail address of the person that we could get it from. Not a Web address, but an e-mail address. What year is this again?

Watch your back
Spyware and adware aren't the hot-button items that they were only a few months ago, and nowadays, both KaZaa and Grokster users routinely put up with them. But still, iMesh has both spyware --which collects information about your online habits, then sends it to a central server--and unwanted pop-up ads, which quickly drain the enjoyment out of your music. In fact, these days, iMesh's ads seem to have gotten both more obnoxious (flashing different colors) and more persistent than those of other programs.

Version 2.2 showed promise, but iMesh 3.1 has almost nothing going for it. With too few search results and too many ads, we give it a big thumbs-down. You'll get more pleasure out of Xolox or LimeWire.

Sharman Networks KaZaA 2.0

Sharman Networks just threw a kerosene-soaked coal onto the file-swapping fire. Despite legal wrangling, the company released a leaner, cleverer version of its superpopular P2P app. The new KaZaa allows you to download groups of songs as a single item, search the Web from within the program, and includes a new rating feature that keeps you from downloading corrupt files--a move that counters efforts by record companies and movie studios to dilute networks with subpar records. Plus, 2.0 offers customizable skins (we couldn't wait to get rid of KaZaa's default neon-green interface) and integrated antivirus protection. Even though you'll still have to contend with the ick-ware that plagued earlier versions, this is one download you don't want to miss.

Watch the install
Downloading KaZaa is simple, but just as you should be cautious when you grab a rare bootleg from a user named Jack the Knife, don't speed through the installation wizard, or you could wind up with trouble. The install wizard lists five optional pieces of software (SaveNow, DelFin, MediaLoads, New.net, and b3d Projector) that don't have anything to do with KaZaa, so if you don't want your desktop littered with links to these companies, opt out now.

KaZaa 2.0 also installs Cydoor, a program that delivers targeted ads, which unfortunately, you'll have to live with. Take comfort in the fact that KaZaa isn't the only file-sharing program that drops these types of annoying programs onto your machine. Have a look at our file- sharing smackdown to find out just which app installs what. During installation, you can also customize KaZaa's filters (select the Family Filter if yours is a G-rated household) and choose whether you want additional icons.

Impressive search
Once you get past the gaudy installation screens, you'll find the same easy-to-navigate Windows XP-like interface as in version 1.6. Just like the--er--kazoo, KaZaa is a truly democratic instrument: anyone can play it. Plug in an artist or a software title in the left-hand search window, and you're on your way.

KaZaa 2.0's search function will please both hard-nosed reference librarians and greedy file- sharers alike. You can hunt for music, video, software, images, or documents while keeping your search as broad or detailed as you'd like. For example, if you're looking for audio, you can expand or limit your search based on title, artist, album, category, language, year, quality, and size. Come across a particularly bad cut of a Britney Spears video? Version 2.0 introduces a new rating system that lets you collaboratively filter the wheat from the chaff so that others don't make the same mistake you did. Of course, just like filtering-software manufacturers, which rely in part on consumers' reports to keep its database of offensive content up-to-date, the usefulness of this feature depends on the efforts of its users, which hopefully, will improve with time. In our tests, only a few files had been rated. Still, we like the idea.

Download en masse
For power downloaders, KaZaa 2.0's most exciting feature is the ability to let you search by playlist and grab whole albums in one fell swoop (a record-industry nightmare). Search results weren't too shabby, either. While you won't get as many files as with, say, Blubster, our tests found more quality results with KaZaa than in recent searches with LimeWire and Morpheus. However, purists take note; together with a company called Altnet, Sharman now offers a paid search-listing program to companies looking to boost the placement of their files in results. While this isn't a big deal right now, it's something to watch as more companies sign on.

Also new, antivirus protection now comes with KaZaa so that your shared folders are automatically scanned each time you log on to the service or initiate a download. While file sharing still poses a risk, we appreciate that Sharman is watching our back. You can also customize KaZaa's look by downloading or creating your own skins--nice.

KaZaa, ja!
Although programs such as Blubster return more results, KaZaa 2.0 solves some annoying problems that plague many P2P apps. When you want to take a break from downloading files one by one on a network that's littered with junky search results and uses an interface that looks like it was designed by a 13-year-old, try KaZaa.

LimeWire 2.6

While one-time competitor Audiogalaxy has bought the farm, LimeWire is alive and kickin'. Version 2.6 of this popular file- sharing app retains the good looks and ease of use of its predecessors but lacks some of the bugs that marred the younger crop. And you can register an ad-free version, LimeWire Pro, for just US$9.50. But despite all there is to love, LimeWire comes up short where it counts: in our tests, search results weren't so hot, installation was a bear, and downloads dragged on for what seemed like decades. Although you shouldn't abandon LimeWire just yet--especially if you work on a Mac, in which case this app is your best bet--turn to Xolox first for now.

An enviable interface
To search for music using LimeWire, enter a search term in the box on the left side of the screen. You can limit your search to a specific media type (programs, documents, audio, video, or images) or search for all of the above. LimeWire organizes your results in tabs along the top right of the screen, while tabs above the window let you view your download library or monitor other users' search terms.

Unfortunately, LimeWire doesn't excel at its most important job: seeking and downloading files. In our tests, Java-based LimeWire, running on the Gnutella network, returned results more slowly than its competitors, such as KaZaa Media Desktop and BearShare. We found a decent number of results when we searched for top-40 artists such as Britney Spears and The Beatles, but far fewer when we looked for oldies or classical artists, such as Stravinsky. KaZaa and iMesh both offer fuller song libraries.

Although you can search for all the files you want, you're not guaranteed a successful download. Success depends on the number of other users who are sharing files at the same time and the speed of their connection--and yours. We managed 50 percent with LimeWire using a high-speed cable modem, but KaZaa and iMesh, by comparison, completed at least 60 percent of downloads. One nice touch: if you search for a file that is hosted by two or more users, LimeWire, like KaZaa, groups the results for quicker downloading.

Expect the unexpected
As with any P2P app, expect unwanted guests at installation. LimeWire's Windows version includes a customized version of bundled adware called Cydoor, which you can't dump when you uninstall LimeWire. In fact, it continues to run in the background and doesn't show up in the Add/Remove Programs control panel. Plus, LimeWire litters your desktop with aliases for other products, and even if you opt out during installation, the app still installs a shortcut to its shopping network, LimeShop. Happily, the OS X-compatible Mac version, one of the few big- name P2P apps that runs on Macs, doesn't include any unwanted programs or aliases, and LimeWire also runs on Linux.

Registration nation
In addition to its cross-platform nature, LimeWire breaks the mold by offering a paid version, called LimeWire Pro. For US$9.50, you can avoid the banner ads, eliminate bundled software and desktop aliases, and get e-mail tech support (nonpaying users can use only online discussion boards). You'll also get six months of free updates and a slightly smaller app. That's nice, but registration doesn't offer, say, priority server access or more search results, so we don't recommend ponying up.

We're happy to see LimeWire's bulked-up online documentation, which now serves up more tech support than any other P2P site does. We especially like the well-moderated forums, where users discuss bugs and LimeWire forum moderators offer advice.

Too few extras
Despite LimeWire's ease of use and ample support, we wish this app offered more goodies. For example, KaZaa lets you browse the libraries of other users, and iMesh lets you instant- message songs to your friends; LimeWire offers neither and seems bare by comparison. Add the free tool to your stable of P2P apps, but if you have to pick just one, stick with Xolox or iMesh.

StreamCast Networks Morpheus 2.0

After a turbulent year, Morpheus has come roaring back with a new version worthy of its former good reputation. When Streamcast first moved to the Gnutella network and released version 1.9, it also inadvertently moved its client out of the top spot among peer-to-peer file-sharing apps; Morpheus 1.9 just didn't have the chutzpah of earlier versions. Now, with version 2.0, Streamcast regains its position among competitors such as LimeWire and iMesh.

Cartoonish interface
Downloading and installing Morpheus took less than five minutes, thanks to wicked-smooth wizards. The first thing you'll notice about version 2.0's interface is the new, colorful Superman-style M logo, which gleams and changes colors while you're searching. Overall, the interface looks great and is well organized. You'll find big buttons for searching and managing media, and despite the lame icons--two of them look like boomerangs or bats, we couldn't tell--they're easy to use. Originally part of version 1.9's US$9.95 Premium package, Morpheus Messenger, which lets you hold videoconferences and chat with folks on AOL Instant Messenger, is now free, but its features didn't exactly bowl us over. When you first click the Messenger button on the top right, nothing seems to happen, but no worries; the buttons initiate a download. Once the messenger app is installed, Morpheus launches it immediately.

Slow start on searches
With Morpheus 2.0, you'll notice full-featured searching capabilities--the heart of any file- sharing application. A power meter tells you how many servers you are connected to, while search results show how likely you are to be able to download any given file. You won't find a column for bit rate, but you can easily access that info by clicking an individual file. Morpheus also lets you refine your search for audio, images, video, documents, and software, and it allows you to run multiple queries.

Our first searches after installation took an extraordinarily long time to return results, but once we got going, Morpheus delivered. Subsequent launches returned results more quickly. The program also installs Morpheus Shopping, a branded version of BuyersPort.com powered by Wurld Media. If you register for this service, direct marketers can access your information and purchasing data. However, Wurld Media claims that it doesn't share your information with third parties. (For more information, please refer to BuyersPort's privacy policy on WURLD Media's site.) Three cheers for Streamcast--we didn't have to contend with a single browser pop-up ad while we ran the program, and Morpheus limits advertising to unobtrusive banners.

Getting better all the time
Morpheus 2.0 is more than competitive with other Gnutella clients. It gets big props for its clean interface and lack of ad-related interference. Give this music file-sharing app another try.

QTrax Qtraxmax 1.0.4

The hot new kid on the P2P block, Qtraxmax, turns out to be a one-trick pony. This Johnny-come-lately pares away a lot of the extraneous features--such as forums or chat rooms--that you'll find in most file-sharing tools to pursue one objective: getting files quickly. And while it can download files like lightning (if those files are hosted by multiple users), Qtraxmax's lack of user-friendly amenities make using it a bore and a chore.

Do one thing and do it well
Installing Qtraxmax is simple and quick. Once you have it running, you'll see a main screen divided into three sections from top to bottom: a search-results box, a box showing your downloads, and a jumbo-sized area reserved for banner ads. We love that Qtraxmax is free of spyware--as is WinMX--but we hate forking over a good amount of screen real estate for ads.

Ads aside, you can choose to search for video files, songs, images, or all of the above. Unfortunately, Qtraxmax doesn't list your old searches, so there's no way to rerun searches or mine previous results for libraries to browse. And unless you click the Reset button in the upper-right corner before running a search, Qtraxmax groups results from different searches into the same window, which creates a jumbled mess that's a pain to sort though. Also, Qtraxmax doesn't list the bit rate at which songs were encoded--a huge omission.

Even so, this file-sharing app returned speedy results from the Gnutella network, continuing to search for your request as long as it's open (if you keep the default settings), so your results list will grow in time. Qtraxmax works by pelting the Gnutella servers with a barrage of requests--a process called hammering --which reportedly strains servers and irritates the open-source developers of the Gnutella network.

Lightning doesn't strike twice
Run a search on Qtraxmax, and you'll see that results are grouped by popularity, or the number of Gnutella users that currently host the file. Qtraxmax lets you sort your results this way since files hosted by many people download faster. We got fantastic speeds on popular files and completely hit-or-miss results with tunes held by only one person.

You'll probably need to click the Help button in the upper-right corner to understand Qtraxmax's setup options--we certainly did. Call up the Setup menu, and you'll find settings for Friendliness, Partition Count, and Check Quality. Apparently, Friendliness translates into the number of users who can download from you at one time. Partition Count is the number of chunks that a file can be broken into while downloading. (Qtraxmax saves time by breaking files into parts, then reassembling them when the transfer is complete.) Check Quality will fix tunes that have been slightly damaged by repeated transfers and would otherwise be unplayable. By the way, the Help page is the only support that you can get with Qtraxmax. There's not a phone number, an e-mail link, or even a measly user forum.

Too little
While some file-sharing tools, such as Morpheus, often overload the user with superfluous features, Qtraxmax errs on the side of sleekness. Besides the aforementioned deficiencies, you can't chat with other users or see what files are in their collections, the latter of which hampers the discovery of new songs. Nor can you play files from within the app, as Qtraxmax uses your PC's--sorry, Mac users--default player. Don't bother with it for now; instead, go with Xolox or LimeWire and hope that version 2.0 has a lot more to offer.

Frontcode WinMX 3.22

WinMX isn't a great-looking program, but don't let that stop you from making the most of this fast and very capable file-sharing app. Its customization tools alone won us over. Is this still not enough to get your blood boiling for WinMX? Check this out: it doesn't contain any spyware! Sign us up.

Powerful, purring engine
To begin using WinMX, you'll need to walk through a start-up wizard to specify your connection speed and the files that you want to share. When you finally launch the app, you might feel overwhelmed by the number of buttons on the screen--not to mention the gray, boxy interface, which looks more like internal corporate software than a way to discover new tunes and movies. But don't worry, because using WinMX's basic features is actually simple. Buttons along the top highlight the main areas: Network, Shared Files, Chat, Search, Hotlist, Transfers, and Bandwidth.

To look for files, head to the Search area and type in a request. A pop-up window lets you specify what type of file you want. You can even stipulate the sound quality that you're after; for example, you could search for an MP3 with a bit rate of at least 160Kbps. Each of your searches appears in a different box along the top of the main screen, so you can easily toggle among results. The boxes don't list the number of files in each search result though, as LimeWire's tabbed interface does. In most of our tests, WinMX quickly brought up plenty of results--a giant plus in our book.

Click the Network button to start or stop your connection to the Internet. You can also choose a primary connection for high-speed Internet or a secondary connection for dial-ups. Though we were connected to the network through a cable modem, WinMX couldn't work around our router, so we had to settle for a secondary connection to the slower WinMX Peer Network.

Chat worth talking about
A current trend in file-sharing apps is the inclusion of a chat tool, and while some P2P chat apps (Morpheus, we're talking to you) add mere frills, WinMX integrates its chat tool in a way that improves the quality of the program. The chat channels are largely focused on music and movies--and, naturally, on l'amour. When you're in a chat room, you see not only the other chatters but also their connection types and how many files they're sharing. Right-click a user to browse his or her collection, then download what you like--a great way to find stuff that you didn't even know you were looking for.

No peeking
Some file-sharing tools, such as iMesh, record your mouse clicks and sell them to advertisers, so it's refreshing to find a powerful tool that contains no spyware. More importantly, there aren't even any blinking ads. If the people behind WinMX are making any money, we're not sure how. But whatever the case, we're glad that there's one app that people can feel secure using.

Half-empty, half-full
The real test for any file-sharing program is how many tunes it delivers to your desktop and how quickly it can do so. Here, WinMX comes up short. On average, we got 50 percent of the files that we requested the first time we searched. Download speeds were occasionally quite slow, but after we adjusted the bandwidth and file limitations, we received slightly better results. To make up for any problems that you might have when downloading, WinMX does tell you if there's a line to get files from a given user and what your place in that line is.

If you have tech questions when using WinMX, you're pretty much out of luck. No ads or spyware translates to zero tech support, even by e-mail. There's not even an FAQ page; you'll have to do with skimpy help documentation and a Usenet group.

WinMX isn't pretty, but it's powerful. It might not be the speediest program around, but it's a top competitor. Sadly, there isn't currently a Mac version of WinMX, so if you don't use a PC, stick with LimeWire.

XoloX 1.2

Although its name suggests space aliens or trendy antidepressants, Xolox is actually an exceptionally straightforward file-sharing service based on the popular peer- to-peer Gnutella network. Like KaZaa or Morpheus, Xolox lets you search for and download data--anything from health and fitness advice to audio and video files--from other Gnutella users. Stripped down and utilitarian, Xolox skips amenities such as an integrated media player, but it also spares you piggyback marketing campaigns and pop-up ads. For search speed, we still prefer BearShare, but the no-charge Xolox offers no-frills, spyware-free file sharing, a rookie-friendly design, and an impressive download success rate.

Trim download; smooth design
Xolox weighs in at a slim 600K and requires no registration before you install. Even better, Xolox skips unwanted piggyback software and leaves nary an icon on your desktop, unlike KaZaa or Audiogalaxy, the latter of which bundles at least two ad-serving apps. Xolox is also exceptionally easy to operate. Its interface consists of five Explorer-style screens that take you to the Xolox Web site, a search field (where you enter search terms and choose from among Document, Audio, Video, Program, Image, Search Web, or Web Address), a transfer-progress screen, and a list of completed downloads. The fifth screen, tacked on a little oddly, links to the Internet movie site iFilm and its entertaining collection of cinematic shorts.

Host with the most
Though it displays banner ads throughout and relies upon third-party media players to preview and play files, Xolox is still a joy to use. It permits peer-to-peer chatting and automatically resumes its tasks when you log back on after a dropped connection. Plus, Xolox lets you download concurrently from multiple sources and even intelligently moves on to other hosts if it finds a problem or a delay with earlier sources. This theoretically increases download efficiency, and we did notice consistently faster download speeds than with LimeWire or BearShare. In our tests, Xolox successfully downloaded about 50 percent of our test files, although we experienced significantly higher or lower success rates depending on the number of hosts sharing a given file.

Smart searching
Xolox features a satisfactory but unspectacular search tool. Although it returned substantially more hits than LimeWire in our tests, it ran noticeably slower with fewer results than BearShare, although BearShare generally delivered more inactive downloads. Even the program's optional adult content filter behaves smartly, returning hits for bands such as The New Pornographers when we searched for porn but ignoring most undesirable material. Still, even with the filter on, Xolox returned more adult content than LimeWire.

Just the basics
Like most freebie file-sharing apps, Xolox does not offer telephone support. The site's discussion groups proved a good source of information, however, and its e-mail tech support answered our test queries within 24 hours.

Though Xolox may prove too fundamental for some, it succeeds at its primary function with much less hassle than with competing applications. If you're new to file sharing or just want a no-nonsense sharing experience, put Xolox at the top of your list.