Broadband Tech > Filesharing Software > Napster? Try Hotline

Napster? Try Hotline

hotline can be good, but in my experience, i've found that many of the servers make you go on wild goose chases to access their files. i'll stick with napigator, but it's nice to see many other solutions out there.

reply to jDyno
most people can't run servers on their broadband connection, its against the AuP and they can get in trouble if they do.
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reply to jDyno
This is a double post so all may gain this knowledge. I also posted this under the topic, "Imesh. Napster alternative." If this is bad juju, a moderator can just delete this post. Thanks.

You want Hotline tips to get around all the banner clicking and spam? You got it. First, let me preface this with saying that I have been using Hotline for years, and I have downloaded gigs and gigs of stuff with never having payed a cent or given my email address out. It can be done. Here goes...

First of all, use the tracker no2banners.dhs.org. This is a tracker run by a guy (group) that wants to return the sharing spirit to hotline. He actively bans servers that list on hist tracker that require banner clicks and the like. Here are some tips on using this tracker to its full advantage, straight from the guy that runs the tracker:

1. Always start reading our tracker list from the bottom up, the sites at the top of the server are usually always banner sites.

2. Type No Banners in the search box. This will elimate most banner servers because they usually don't false advertise.

3. When you see a server that looks good. See how many users and what the description says. If the desicription seems to have a bunch of info piled into it such as T1,Cable,DSL,OC-3,56k,warez,apps,games,pron,porn,xxx,movies,vcds,divx,photoshop,etc.etc.et c.
it's a banner server Why because banner servers know people use the search box, but since they have so much stuff listed its hard to miss em which means their server gets more hits and make more money off those innocent companies. So go for sites that say Jim's Cool Files Come in and leech NO BANNERS. Also, the quickest way to find out if a server is a banner server is to goto the files, click something random and try to download it right when you enter the server, if you can't it's a banner server, or they want you to upload. Personally, in my opinion places that make you upload are worse then places they make you click a simple banner. I wish I woulda made the tracker free downloads only, so you can walk into any server and download, no questions asked. But it's too late. Who's knows maybe I will

4. And the last tip. This is a good search box tip not many people know about. Typing say -warez will eliminate all the sites that say warez in the name or description. That will work with any name. So -xxx will get rid of all those xxx sites that have xxx in there description.

Also, when you load the servers on this tracker, the first server listed is called "Neverending Story" This is the server that runs the tracker and the server where I got the above 4 tips. Give it a look.
There is also an app, which you can get from the aforementioned server, called Hotwire. This app connects to a separate server where you can find posted bookmarks to servers that require banner clicks to acquire the login/password. The trick: the bookmarks also contain the login/pass. It's a cool little app, and is available in both Windows and Mac versions. I still prefer to just use the actually banner-free sites, out of principle, but where there is a file you absolutely need, this can come in real handy.

Another tip, and this relates to the spirit of hotline, is to gain membership to a server via uploading. Some don't agree with servers that require uploads for download access, but I am not one of those people. My take on it is that you should give back to those that share with you. And it isn't much trouble to spend 15 minutes uploading a file, to gain access to possibly hundreds of files you want.

On the same subject, I strongly encourage all to upload to servers that they find that they like. Encourage nice admins/sysops with good files to keep their servers free by uploading. Leeching is the main cause of good servers going to the banner-click paradigm.

That's all for now. Happy hunting. I am always willing to help, if you need it. So, just message or email me. I'll get back to you.
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When sleep has not yet come and wakefulness vanishes, being is revealed. - Shiva

reply to AllAlone0
Good point. Always check your AUP.

Wouldn't this also apply to setting up your computer for access via Napster? Even though it's not a conventional FTP or HTTP server, it's the same idea, and I would guess, if your ISP won't let you run this type of server, they probably wouldn't like you setting up Napster. Just a guess, though.

reply to jDyno
Thanks for the tip's Hotline is great.