StrongDC++ is a Direct Client-to-Client alternative to the standard DC++ application, promising to offer much more than the basic features we've seen in this otherwise popular tool.

Even though not truly portable, leaving all sorts of traces on a system, especially in the registry, installation is not necessary for this software. The only thing you have to do is unpack the archive and as soon as you run the executable, you'll enter a whole new world, especially if you're not familiar with the DC++ concept.

The settings menu can be a nightmare for the uninitiated ones, but to begin with, it should be enough if you configure just the name and the files you want to share over the Internet. Later, you can jump to the next steps and enable functions like segment downloading, which is great and can increase speed dramatically.

This special feature works by splitting every file you're downloading into several segments, so each of them can be downloaded from another user, at the same time with the others.

Furthermore, StrongDC++ allows you to set up download and upload speed limits to save bandwidth and hardware resources. In addition, it comes by default with a rich list of public hubs that can be organized by country, number of users and minimum required share.

The application provides an impressive level of customization, allowing users to change sounds, colors, emoticons, icons and even balloon tray notifications. The rich lineup of features includes file previewing capabilities, a fake share detector and automatic disconnection for slow downloads to keep download slots available.

Older computers might experience some slowdowns in performance, as StrongDC++ seems to eat up CPU and RAM when downloading large files at high speeds. Overall, it remains a great alternative to the classic DC++, especially for those with a bit more knowledge about file sharing.