WinMX is a program that you have just downloaded. Its purpose is to join computer users together over the Internet who want to share their files with others, and to find interesting files that others wish to share with them. WinMX can seem scary and complicated to the newcomer. I hope this little cheat sheet will get you started.
The basic concept behind WinMX is FILE SHARING. In other words, by becoming a WinMX user, you implicitly enter into an agreement to share your own library of files in return for the privilege of getting files from other users. Some users - known by the disagreeable label "leeches" - try to take without giving. However, experience says that sharing will improve your WinMX experience. WinMX has tools that allow users to see who shares and who does not, and I promise you that if you decide not to share, others will be far less willing to give you the files you want.
Let's get started. What is this daunting display of buttons and readouts all about?
The Transfers screen
Think of the transfers screen as your home base in WinMX. This is where you see all the files you are working to get, all the files you are downloading, all the files others want from you and all the files others are getting from you.
Go to the transfers screen by clicking the "Transfers" button. It is the one with two green arrows pointing up and down, and it will be located near the top of your window.
Notice that the transfers screen is divided into two main sections. The upper section contains information about what YOU want, while the lower section concerns what others want from you. Since you are a brand new user, both of these sections are unsettlingly quiet - nothing at all is happening. So let's go to work and make something happen now! This means we have to leave the transfers screen and explore another part of WinMX. But don't worry, we'll come back here - this is home base.
The Search Screen
Click the "Search" button now. It's the one with the magnifying glass symbol. This will take you, predictably enough, to the search screen.
Think of a song that you would like to get. It can be rock, classical folk, whatever you want - but let's use "Yesterday" by The Beatles as our example. In the "Artist and/or Title" field, type "Beatles Yesterday". Click the "Audio" button that appears beneath what you just typed. Now click the "Search" button to the right of what you typed. In a few moments, you will begin to see a list appear in the large black field. WinMX is showing you the files it has found that fit your request.
This search field has a lot of information about the files available to you. In the FILE column are the file names. In the BYTES column are the file sizes. The TIME column tells you how long this song is in minutes and seconds. The BITRATE column refers to the audio quality of the file (most users will settle for 128 or higher for most songs). The USER column tells you the name of the user who has this file. The STATUS column is important, and we'll talk about that below in QUEUING.
Queuing
The STATUS column is there to give you an idea of how long you may have to wait to get this file. Here is what the numbers mean: A red number tells you how many people are waiting in line (queued) to get a file from this user. In other words, if you see a red 11, then you would be number 12 in line if you chose to request this file. A green number, on the other hand, tells you that (in theory) you could get the file now with no wait.
Now it's time to choose a file. Request one by double-clicking it.
Now back to home base! Click the "Transfers" button to return to the transfers screen. You will notice that now there is something happening here. If you selected "Beatles - Yesterday", with a queue status of 11, you will see the file in the upper screen, and you will see that you are number 12 in queue. As long as the host user stays online, that queue number will drop as those ahead of you get their files. When the number finally drops to zero, PRESTO! The file turns green and you are now downloading a song.
If something interrupts the transfer of this song to you, it will turn red. Don't worry, this happens a lot. As you work in WinMX, you will develop a "red list" of songs or other files you are trying to get. Section two below describes how to go fishing for songs using your "red list".
II. Casting a Wide Net for WinMX Loads
Unpack the Net
At the beginning of each WinMX session, go to the transfers screen and click the Load Incomplete button. This will place all the songs you've requested on your visible "red list" on the upper half of the transfers screen. Now you are ready to put these requests to work, let them rest, or destroy them forever, whatever you want!
Clean the Net
Starting at the top of your red list, look at your requests. Is there one (or more) that you no longer want? Get rid of any dead fish in your net by right clicking the file, and selecting delete. This removes it (and any percentage previously downloaded) forever from your red list, and from your hard drive. Unless you do this, you will go on collecting these dead fish forever, using your computer's precious memory capacity.
Cast the Net
One at a time, address the remaining red list items. Click the item to highlight it. You now want to tell WinMX to automatically search for a source for that item from time to time. Do this by clicking the auto find sources button above. In the drop-down menu, select the interval between searches, in minutes. Pick a number high enough to allow WinMx to go all the way through your red list. I choose 60 most of the time - but pick a smaller number if you are especially anxious to get a particular file.
Now tell WinMx how patient you are. How deep in another person's queue list are you willing to be? Click the auto enter queue button above. From the dropdown menu, select a number from 10 to 100. I generally select 100, go to bed, and then see what happens!
Repeat this process with each file on the red list until there are no more Ns (nevers).
Sit back, and watch WinMx turn your requests yellow, one at a time, looking for sources.
Being Choosey
Sometimes you want halibut, and not swordfish. What if a load starts that you really don't want to run right now? Simple. Right click it, and select one of two choices: Cancel will throw the item back in the red list. It will also reset the auto search to N (never) on that item. You can change this setting any time you want. You can also clear the item. This will kick the item right off the red list. You can get your cleared items back any time by clicking "load incomplete" again.
But I want THAT file!
"I wish it would get to THAT file in its auto search!" Easy. Click the much-wanted file and hit the button placed there for impatient people like you, called find sources now. WinMx will turn it yellow and see if there any souses for it at this very moment.
III . A Few More Tips
Browsing
Suppose you are downloading a file, and you find yourself wondering what other great stuff this user offers for share. Well, you can find out! Right click the little "+" symbol to the right of the name of the file you are downloading. The host user's name will appear just below. Right click the user's name and select "Browse". A new screen will open, and a list will build showing you everything this user has to offer. You can double click files in this screen to queue them.
Messaging
You can talk to a WinMx user by right clicking the user's name and selecting "send message". A message screen will open. Be courteous and praise the user's impressive library - WinMx hardcores love that!
Managing Uploads
The information in the lower part of your transfers screen concerns other users who are interested in your files. They queue and transfer in the same way as your downloads in the upper part of the screen.
As god of your own share library, you have a great deal of control over who gets what and when. Use this power sparingly - the idea behind WinMx is free and open sharing.
Suppose a user is far down on your list, but you don't want that user to have to wait. You can start the transfer immediately by right clicking the user name and selecting "start transfer".
With experience, you will begin to get a good idea of which users share their files and which do not. Most WinMX users cancel 'leeches'. Do this by right clicking the user name and selecting "cancel". If a persistent leech keeps queuing and won't leave you alone, then maybe it's time to get serious and lock that user out. Right click the user name, select "whois", and then click the "ignore" button. That user is now bounced!
This is by no means a comprehensive guide to WinMx. You will learn many other of its features as you play with the bells and whistles. Have fun! If you find errors here let me know at chunte_shagowin@yahoo.com.
