Food for thought 'bout the Winsock.

[Lior]

Hi...
Since we're all using the Winsock control for giving our app the net features, I ask:
Is there a chance for a product based on the winsock, to be sold at stores? (and leave the Serv-U FTP SERVER program).
I mean, for example, let's say the ICQ was based on the VB's Winsock, would it had such a success, like it has today?

Food for thought.

[KENNNY]

i expect icq uses winsock API calls, which are just wrapped by the control, so why can't something made with winsock be a success?

[Lior]

Nice theory...
Any other opinions?

[oetje]

I think that all a program needs to be a success is publicity. Napster is a big succes. There are a lot of other programs like Napster, but why does everybody use Napster. Not Scour, Gnutella, etc? I think that's because Napster has got a lot of publicity.

[Lior]

Sounds right...
But I wanted to hear more about the ability aspect.
Lets say that I hire the best team for the product publicity.
I would ask it differently, Could Napster be made with the Winsock of VB? is there a way to share files between users logged on to one system, using the Winsock control?
Is there a way to create a users-comunity at all by using Winsock?

[oetje]

I think so, Napster also uses Winsock. Actually, the Winsock dll's. Maybe the Winsock control is a bit slow, but if you need speed you can call the Winsock dll's directly. (like Napster does)

[KENNNY]

all napster is is a client, which logs into the server, and sends the names and details of the files you have to the server.

then when someone searches, the request goes to the server and it looks through all the files online currently, and finds matches. then it sends back file information, along with whom each file belongs to (with their IPs probably - so if you want to download a file, you just click on it, napster talks to the person's napster, and transfers the file).

that's how i presume it works anyway

so its easy to make a napster, but you need to think of it *first* and publicise it

[Edneeis]

The winsock control is just a tool, what your talking about and what gets used are programs. No one really cares what tools the programs use as long as the get the job done.