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A program that allows users to share their favorite media content including images, videos and music for free

A program that allows users to share their favorite media content including images, videos and music for free

Vote: (350 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Slsknet

Version: 2018.11.16

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(350 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Slsknet

2018.11.16

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • No illegal content
  • Platform for unsigned and indie music artists
  • Helps with matching people

Cons

  • Searches do not always works
  • Not every file is always available

Soulseek is a free peer-to-peer file-sharing platform.

As more and more people join the World Wide Web, it is becoming increasingly important to have clear roads of traffic to transport files all over the world as fast and as easily as possible. To solve this problem, peer-to-peer sharing platforms were created. There are many P2P programs currently available, but Soulseek is one of the most unique.

Soulseek is a completely free-to-use P2P sharing platform, but its dedication to "free" does not stop there. Soulseek is also free of advertisements and free of spyware. It is hard not to take notice of a program that takes so much care into being truly "free". When one compares Soulseek to other programs of its type, one aspect in particular that is most noticeable is Soulseek's community-centric features. For example, Soulseek has a number of areas in which users can easily talk to one another such as virtual rooms. These virtual rooms comprise of area in which people are free to meet with people who share the same ideals or interests. Chatting between users is facilitated through the uses of real-time messaging, both private and public. Soulseek also has a built-in matching system with will group people together based on commonalities. This makes Soulseek a great way to download files and to find virtual friends.

For tech-savvy users who are worried about Soulseek's legality, Soulseek does not condone or endorse in any way, shape, or form, the distribution of copyrighted material without permission. The only files that are allowed to be shared and downloaded over Soulseek are files in which the original copyright holder has expressly articulated permission for such activities. By using the Soulseek network, all users, downloaders and uploaders alike, promised to abide by Soulseek's "no illegal material" policy. Therefore, if you are worried about being in any way involved with potentially illegal activities such as copyright infringement, Soulseek is the P2P program for you! While other P2P file-sharing programs ignore illegally shared material, Soulseek has developed itself as a platform for unsigned and independent artists to find their audiences while nestled in a supportive environment where ideas can be shared and music can freely be created. Soulseek is a platform that very openly re-brands itself as something wholly different from other P2P file-sharing networks and does not offer any protection for users who do decide to use the program for illegal activities and are prosecuted under the law.

For all of its advantages, both technical and moral, Soulseek does continue to have a number of issues that made this P2P-sharing platform strictly run-of-the-mill. Firstly, the Soulseek's interface is bland and it can take a novice user some time to get used to where all of the options are hidden. There are many instances in which looking for results of a query failed due to connections problems that originated from the program itself. Even when the searches could run, the return speed was very slow at times, and many of the files that were returned were actually unavailable! As a completely free P2P platform, it is a good beginner program, but power users will want to seek alternate programs.

Pros

  • No illegal content
  • Platform for unsigned and indie music artists
  • Helps with matching people

Cons

  • Searches do not always works
  • Not every file is always available