I fully agree "We have a problem". But who wants to do better and faster job than "Some support" is doing? If you are the one, prove it by doing the better next version and get majority of the users into it.
There are performance issues and the program simply cannot cope with new Internet speeds and new file sizes. Internet speed at my home is 300Mbps real, no strings attached, but emule can only upload at 20-30 mbps maximum, some mods can do it better but way far below the current uTorrent speeds that can do close to wire speed. This is the main reason why there are long wait times etc., users not utilizing their wires. I think, performance is the very main problem, because the primary purpose of this program is to get file.
Another performance issues are related with AICH subsystem. Too many hashes for file sizes like 4GB, 8GB or even 20GB, the many hashes system itself is not needed anymore as its faster to push over network 9MB again than to try to keep a lot of information to recover parts of 9MB from many hashes. I believe chunks must be used in 9MB pieces only, so AICH must be eliminated and hashes replaced to SHA-512 based from each 9MB, or other reliable hashes, as MD5 only hashes are no longer safe. Just the idea, but the reason is speed, speed, speed. 1Gbps wire speed support is needed.
The secondary thing is new GUI interfaces coming, like new Metro GUI on Windows8, WinRT, and also rise of Apple customers. Linux unfortunatelly not managed well in this world, number of users (in %) decreasing over last years... features like chat or irc support look outdated (they never worked good anyway).
The problem is that we have no volunteers who can work to create best program in the world without payment. If there are any willing to revive eMule as best P2P program, everyone can do the fork out of current 0.50a, and release new program so that if its really better and simper to use, then the community will switch from old to new and keep going with new version ahead. Until this happens, say thank you for "Some support" for the free of charge job he is still doing time to time.
Myself I am using emule nowadays just to get some song, as the search is convienent and MP3 arrives in manageable time. Everything bigger than that goes via torrents only and I get close to instantly. Even torrents are not needed nowadays so much, especially for video that is replaced by streaming on demand instead of downloading. Even for music, its because of old eMule habit, because its probably simpler to find the song on YouTube, and download the song as MP3, thats how my kids are seldom downloading music, but usually they use online music services. They and their friends know nothing about eMule and do not want to, they see no purpose...
So the big question is if we even need better development than we have today. Emule is non-commercial project so there is no any purpose to waste development resources competing with other solutions that are already working better. Still this old nice program with lot of nostalgia will live here for some time, probably more and more as content archive tool for the "older generation"...
In other words, probably just feel free to use Skype instead of asking for someone to improve IRC window and chat window in the eMule to become better communication tool than the Skype. And this will continue unless someone will do it better than Skype does it today. Quite a challenge to do, without payments.
Lets not start a "word wars" here, this is just one opinion anyway, and it will change nothing. I wrote it just to pay attention that proposals to others to do free of charge job much harder usually will not work. We either must do the better and free of charge job ourselves, or we can only say "thank you" to those who are still working, trying to keep alive this old program with many sentiments.
BR,
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Test purpose: Compare the upload speed between eMule and Morph programs.
Used versions: eMule v0.50a and MorphXT v11.0
Test methodology: Two tests were performed.
Firstly we compared the speed of uploading only one file to one peer. The same file was shared by rotation in Morph and eMule clients and it was downloaded with eMule v0.50a. The configuration was identical in both clients and the file was uploaded to only one testing peer. Several tests were performed and the average upload speed calculation was made.
Secondly we compared the upload speed to many peers on public network. A popular files were shared on public network with Morph and eMule clients. Morph and eMule clients were ran by rotation and after 30 min. was taken reached upload speed and the amount of connected users. Both programs were ran in the same folder so the configuration and shared files in both cases were the same. Several tests were performed and the average data was calculated.
Disk was Intel SSD 2.5" 160GB.
Results:
First test (one file – one user): Average upload speed on Morph client was 5.6 MB/s, whereas on eMule 2.6 MB/s.
Second test (many files – many users):
Avg. Up. Speed Avg. Users
eMule v0.50a 2.9 MB/s 36
MorphXT v11.0 7 MB/s 30
For comparison:
uTorrent v.3.01 uploads close to gigabit wire speed, even with one peer (37MB/s on 300Mbps Internet link, above 80MB/s on gigabit link)
Findings: Morph program uploads files more efficient than eMule v0.50a. Both cannot upload close to wire speeds.