I am currently in the process of developing a gnutella servent, due most likely for release about the 28th Nov - 10th Dec (after uni exams
It is nearing feature completeness (i.e. routes packets, culls bad packets, performs searches, downloads/uploads).
The servent will be open source, to be hosted on sourceforge, and will be called Gnutelligentsia (couldn't think of anything better), and is written in C++
My question is this: What features would you like to see in a new gnutella client? What is missing in the clients you have used thus far?
I am working on an advanced search results interface, continuing on from that seen in clients such as gtk-gnutella (i.e. auto selection of similar results) - but search results will be contained in a tree, with files of the same name being child nodes in the same branch (get the idea?)
Anyways, I'll stop rambling, but I'd appreciate your feedback and comments..

Make a client with features better than LimeWire's anti-freeloader and xml-based meta information system, and I will love your software. :-) Other than that, here are a few things that are important:
-Make sure you can refresh a search or have the search results be updated automatically every once in a while (sometimes called passive searching)
-Make sure your software is able to easily accept new protocol changes and will not degrade the network with old Gnutella protocol.
-Make it simple, not simpler.

I know this may be a lot to ask, but you wanted suggestions.
;-)
Let us know how it goes, and Good Luck!

A search result refresh type feature is in the works (as I write this in fact I'm coding the callback
As for the limewire functionality - I'm looking into that.
As far as anti-freeloading goes I'm doing research. The best way to do this as far as I can see is to not propogate pongs with less than a predefined Kb limit... but then again - pongs can be spoofed, and it's exactly those ones we need to be looking out for... so what to do?

I guess It's time to run limewire some more and see what the fuss is about... Admittedly they have some good features from what I've seen...

Thanks for your suggestions

Another comment:
It's a great idea to make your software open-source, which obviously you have already done, and for that, I commend you. If your software becomes even slightly successful, there are many talented people out there who would be willing to contribute to the software and make it even better.
:-)

Hi, my idea/dream would be:
Split GUI strict from operative Gnutella code, highly object orientated.

That way it would be possible to have clients on multiple targets, e.g. have a KDE client (using KDevelop) for Linux and a MFC client (using MSVC) for Windows. Yes, I'm not a Java fan.
Also it would be possible to give a GUI for beginners (Xolox like) and a more nerd orientated GUI for those who need more control (maybe a console client, which you can control with shell scripts).

Hope it helps, Moak

I'm trying to split the gui code from the rest, and so far it has been pretty successful - basically I'm writing wrapper functions for all gui operations, seems to be the most useful way
And join the club - I'm not a java fan either. And I'm not saying that from inexperience, I had to write a multi-retargetable optimising compiler in it, not fun (boggle.sourceforge.net)

How about:

Tequilla (nice logo! yeah)
Schockotella (chokolate rules)
Gnugnu (kids like it?)
Miaooo! (peope like animal and pet logos)
ShareOfPrey (Klingon style)
DeepNetShare (more Startrek style, DNS)
SlipStream (faster than Warp!)
DrLoveShare (with Mr. Reggeamuffin logo)
BorgShare (running out of imagination... but this could be missed with Bearshare)

Greets, Moak

PS: and don't forget Gnoozilla!

Whew! No Java is a relief.

For a name........ how about 'Enter-X'? Wait.... that sounds kinda like anthrax. Maybe that's not a good idea...
;-)

Personally, i would like to see segmented downloads... it has been very useful for me (self-confessed Xolox user). I also like the configurability of Limewire, which Xolox admittedly left out to provide a simpler interface.

Perhaps a "Simple" mode for newbies and an "Advanced" mode for those of us who like to tweak with our performance settings.

You should also keep a client-side host list, and the ability to edit your preferred autoconnect list.

If i had any progamming knowledge or skill, I'd make one myself.

Good luck.