The supernode beta basically got supplanted by our 1.8b beta, although you can still get it from:

http://www9.limewire.com/beta/supern...imeWireWin.exe

or

http://www9.limewire.com/beta/supern...eWireLinux.bin

or

http://www9.limewire.com/beta/supern...imeWireMac.bin

or

http://www9.limewire.com/beta/supern...imeWireOSX.sit


The values you noticed in your limewire.props file are there because we merged some of the supernode code into the main code base prior to releasing 1.8, although it is not active.

EVER_SUPERNODE_CAPABLE simply determines whether or not we have ever measured your machine to be capable of becoming a supernode or not. This is based on operating system, your measured upload and download bandwidth, the average amount of time you run the program on average, and your firewalled status. Note that this does not necessarily mean that you are incapable of being a supernode. Rather, it indicates whether or not we have ever determined that you are capable of becoming a supernode (specifically, whether you have done enough uploads and downloads for us to determine that you have high bandwidth).

I believe that the SUPERNODE_MODE key is a relic of the early code, and will not be included in the final supernode release. The SUPERNODE_PROBATION_TIME will also no longer exist in the actual release.

The CLIENT_ID is just a random number that uniquely (more or less) identifies your machine on the network (not to us, but to other Gnutella nodes). LimeWire knows nothing about this value. It is simply used to make messages work on the network.


As far as general Gnutella development goes, we do try to create as open an environment as possible by making all of our research documents publicly available on our web site and through forums like the GDF. The problem with participating in more general forums is that it starts to be very difficult to discuss technical details on a meaningful level unless the participants have a thorough understanding of the technology -- usually meaning that they have coded a Gnutella client themselves, or could easily do so. Basically, at some point it starts to become unproductive to open the discussion completely. Right now it's open, but you just have to be interested enough to find it, and technically savvy enough to understand it. If we had more resources, it might make more sense. Right now, however, we very much have our hands full!

Thanks.