This illustration shows how Kazaa worked. Kazaa was once the most popular file-sharing software, but has been put out of business by lawsuits. But other file-sharing software works in similar ways, so this illustration shows how they work as well. To use Kazaa, download and install it on your computer. After you install the software, it connects to a Kazaa server, which sends to your PC a list of "supernodes" on the Kazaa network. These supernodes function as localized search sites for the Kazaa file-sharing network. They are ordinary PCs that the network notices have high-speed connections and powerful processors. So, depending on your PC's speed and Internet connection, it could be designated a supernode at some point.
