Gygan is one of the newest additions into the file-sharing battleground. With so many choices already available–BitTorrent, Usenet, and RapidShare among others–can Gygan really offer anything new? There’s nothing groundbreaking, but it does fill a niche: Gygan combines some of the best features of RapidShare and Usenet, but unlike the two it runs on an easy-to-use standalone client.
Like RapidShare, Gygan relies on users uploading content to their specific service, which is stored in a private sharing network on Usenet. Note that this is not P2P–Gygan provides indirect access to Usenet through their own servers. This allows incredibly fast downloads and uploads (maxing out almost any connection), but it’s also why you have to start paying after 1GB of free downloads. The first 1GB of downloads a month (4GB for the first month) is included for free users, but if you want more you’ll have to buy a monthly package for $.33-$.50 a GB. On the other hand, unlimited uploads are free for everyone–and you can even make money through Gygan’s Reward Program if enough people download your files.
If you’re used to free services like BitTorrent, $.50 a GB might seem expensive, but you’re paying for convenience and speed. You can start downloads from a simple URL like you would at Rapidshare, or from a .gyg file which contains the download information like a .torrent. But Gygan also offers an in-client search feature, so you don’t have to waste time scouring the web for the right link (Gygan also allows you to share “private” files which do not show up in search results, and are only accessible by the download URL). And although Gygan’s backend is Usenet, you would never know it; downloading is as simple as point and click, with all the complications of Usenet hidden from the user.
Despite being released to the public only a few months ago, Gygan has a decent collection of content which should only continue to grow as more users join. Already, Gygan is a viable file sharing service. If you’re willing to pay for fast, easy downloads, then give Gygan a try. It’s not going to overtake BitTorrent any time soon, but it may be the right fit for you.
Note: This software is free up to 1GB of monthly downloads. Pricing plans include $5 a month for 10GB, $10 a month for 25GB, and $25 a month for 75GB. The price quoted here is for 10GB a month.
–Gabe Gralla