WinMX
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| Developer(s) | Frontcode Technologies |
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| Stable release |
3.53 / July 2, 2004
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| Preview release |
3.54 Beta 4
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| Development status | Abandoned |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Platform | Pre-XP. |
| Type | File sharing |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | http://www.winmx.com/ (Offline) |
WinMX (Windows Music Exchange) was a freeware peer-to-peer file sharing program authored by Frontcode Technologies that ran on Microsoft Windows operating systems of the time, created in 2000. According to one study, it was the number one source for online music in 2005 with an estimated 2.1 million users. Frontcode itself abandoned development of WinMX in September 2005, but a community of developers brought the service back online within a few days by releasing patches or new host files. In North America, WinMX has been eclipsed by other networks such as gnutella and eDonkey as well as to the file transfer protocol.
In 2009, the author released Tixati, an ad-free freeware p2p file sharing program based on the protocol, enhanced with a unique channels function where users can chat, share lists of web and media links and stream audio and video media with all communications being encrypted.
In May 2011 the WinMX WPNP network came under attack that caused WPNP network searches to return random results. Many users of the WinMX software are still utilising the OpenNap functionality which remains unaffected by the attacks. Efforts are still under way to develop a new client that will be compatible with the old one, which is believed to no longer be affected by such WPNP specific network attacks. In July 2016 the attacks ceased and it became clear that the userbase had shrunk during the attacks. There have been clear signs of a slow userbase recovery in the form of increased chat room listings and chat room participants.
WinMX began its life as an OpenNAP client capable of connecting to several servers simultaneously, although Frontcode later created a proprietary , termed WinMX Peer Network Protocol (WPNP), which was used starting with WinMX 2 in May 2001. Frontcode had operated several cache servers to aid WPNP network operation.
Downloads could be very fast for popular songs since the user can run a "multi-point download" that simultaneously downloads the same file in small pieces from several users. Some considered WinMX to be much safer than many other file sharing software, mainly because no spyware or adware came with WinMX. Note that only sharing of individual files was supported. Folders could not be shared. For music albums this led to wrapping all the tracks into a single file. Or ripping the album into a single file.
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