ZeroNet: When the Web, Bitcoin and Bittorrent Collide
The beauty of open source software is that anybody with an idea has access to a large array of pre-existing open source codebases to work from. For "nofish", the creator behind ZeroNet, it was bitcoin and bittorent that allowed him to build such an interesting and unique project. Imagine being able to make a website that has no centralized server, but instead is hosted by the creator and its viewers automatically after they visit the site. In 2015, when it was mentioned in the /r/bitcoin community I was high on life, not only was the idea compelling but its aesthetic was pleasing to the eye. Immediately I went over to Github, downloaded the software and started my exploration through ZeroNet. Below are a handful of the sites (0sites) that stood out to me since its inception.
Play - 127.0.0.1:43110/1PLAYgDQboKojowD3kwdb3CtWmWaokXvfp
If you are a torrent user, then more than likely you remember the pirate bay. It was the place to go for all your data needs. Almost everything you can possibly think of was available on there. Once file-sharing became popular many websites were getting shut down left and right. Play is one of the most actively used movie torrent sites found on ZeroNet. It has a large selection of new and popular releases straight out of Hollywood. If you are planning to grab a movie for the night Play would be your best option. I would like to mention that if you are going to be downloading a newly released film make sure to use some form of protection. You might get an unwanted letter from your internet service provider.
Kaffiene Search - 127.0.0.1:43110/kaffiene.bit
Kaffine is the search engine of ZeroNet. In the beginning, users had to resort to using long 0site lists to find places to visit. Now you have the ability to type in keywords to look for anything your heart desires.
KopyKate Big - 127.0.0.1:43110/big.kopykate.bit
The Youtube of ZeroNet, although this one works a little bit different than the centralized one brought to you by Google. KopyKate has its users upload mp4, m4v, or webm video files for its viewers to host and watch. Personally this style has been something that I have been looking for when it comes to video distribution. If I liked a particular video I would want to help host that file so that others can get it as soon as possible to repeat that process infinitely. At the moment, there is not much unique content so if you want another place to promote you can start uploading there if you have the resources.
No Closed Garden
Besides having the option to enable Tor to mask your IP when using ZeroNet, regular internet users can peep at 0sites without having to download the software. This ingenious idea came from two members of the community who decided to build a meta-proxy site which you can visit here. It allows you to view and create links to 0net sites for outsiders who don't have the software. With this you can view almost all of the links I mentioned above. To me I find this being a beautiful connecting bridge between the two different types of web hosting styles. I am curious to see what comes next from this community.