It's spartan interface doesn't have any additional features, and it doesn't integrate at all with Windows. What's interesting about WASTE is its paranoid dedication to security which, while overkill for some, may be what some groups are looking for.

Where the other apps on test here hide the encryption process, WASTE relies on the user to take care of it. First up, you'll need to generate a key pair. This creates a private key, which you won't want to give to anybody, and a public key. In the case of two users, you'll need to swap public keys outside WASTE (like email, floppy disc, or rolled up in a note and strapped to a pigeon) and then import them into the application. This alone is a strong barrier to entry, however the keys are also used to encrypt data as it flies between each peer, ensuring only those holding the private key can access the file.

It sounds complicated, and it is. But once you're hooked up to a network, it's easy to search through the shared directories of all users, and a download is a double click away. If the flashing lights and non-essential features of Grouper and Qnext aren't important, you'll find WASTE a refreshing change of pace.

Clearly it's not for everybody. While the security is tight, many will find it unnecessary, and other applications here are far friendlier to use. If you decide to take the plunge, see the tutorial in this feature for a step-by-step walkthrough.