XDCC

(UTC)XDCC ("Xabi DCC" a.k.a "eXtended DCC") was initially a script written in 1994 for ircii by Xabi. This script extends the ircii DCC command.

Now XDCC refers to IRC bots running file sharing programs. XDCC bots serve one or more usually large files for download using the DCC protocol. Though it is widely understood to be a protocol by which illegal content (usually MP3s or other forms of warez) can be listed and, subsequently, downloaded it is also used in the legal sense.

Frequently, warez groups utilize connections with fast upstream speeds (Colleges and Universities around the world) in order to mass distribute their releases (usually ISO images compressed using the RAR compression algorithm, with other files (NFO and SFV) packaged together as a tar file). XDCC is quickly gaining popularity over older methods of computer piracy such as newsgroups and fserve. Unlike peer-to-peer transfers, XDCC is often hosted on connections with massive upstream bandwidth, the most popular dumps (server computer with massive ammounts of pirated software) are usually connected to sites with 100Mbit (or more) connections.

To use XDCC one can send a private message (query) or send a CTCP command to a bot using an IRC client. The user can ask a bot what files it has by private messaging "xdcc list" to the bot. However, this feature is often disabled as to not attract too much attention. When a user wants to download a packet, or file, from a bot the user would type something such as "xdcc send <number of packet>" to the bot. The bot will either start sending the user the packet or the bot will place the user in a queue, or in a line, and force the user to wait their turn.

Common XDCC Commands

/msg <botname> xdcc send <number of packet> (Requests a pack number from the bot.)
/ctcp <botname> xdcc send <number of packet> (If the above is disabled, try this.)
/msg <botname> xdcc list (Requests a list of packs available from the bot.)
/ctcp <botname> xdcc list (If the above is disabled, try this.)

External links

Debateroom – XDCC search portal
XDCC-Fetch – Free XDCC client (Windows, Linux, ...)
XDCC Catcher – XDCC client (Windows only)
Iroffer – XDCC software
IRC XDCC Hacking Exposed
Packetnews
Ircspy
Kiri – XDCC Server for Windows platform Features GUI configuration.
Isohunt – Both BitTorrent and IRC
xdcc script 3.3.0 beta Latest version of the original XDCC script
XDCC-Client for X-Chat – Free text-only XDCC plugin for X-Chat

Categories: File sharing