The Freenet storage system is used as a basis for the software architecture. Additionally, two plugins – the Visualization and Automaton plugins – were developed in order to give the viewer the possibility of a self-organized environment within a virtual environment. These two plugins are separated by their functionality and, in concert with the Freenet, build a non-uniform network system. The plugins, as is the Freenet itself, are developed in a Java virtual environment and are installable via the Freenet user interface. Although not a necessity, it is supposed that the Freenet storage system is configured to run in a Darknet Freenet mode.
The Visualization plugin shows a simple graph depicting the Freenet storage system. The graph consists of a circle upon which bubbles and a square are placed. The square represents the computer itself, which, if the network is configured and running the Freenet, is linked to appearing and disappearing bubbles on the circle. The appearance and disappearance of the bubbles on the circle represent active connections to the computer through which data packets are sent or received. Within the Darknet Freenet mode, the location of the computer changes, and so changes the location of the square on the circle. The changing mechanism introduces the Darknet Freenet swapping mode, which shows that a computer has found information on the neighbor computer and has relocated (for more details on the functionality of the Freenet, refer to Chapter Two).
In addition to the Freenet network visualization concept, a spectrum color scheme was used in order to distinguish depicted nodes more easily while viewing the installation. The spectrum used also adds more variety to the installation than if the nodes were depicted in monochrome.
The Automaton plugin enables the software to run independently from direct human interaction, thus excluding the human factor from the installation. The Automaton is built upon jSite, an open source software package for uploading information onto the Freenet storage system. jSite was tweaked in such a way that it would upload given information with no additional human interaction with the program. In addition, it was tuned up with functions that supply the software with content uploaded without interruption. The Automaton plugin uses the Bing search engine as an initial world wide web source for input information and provides the Freenet storage system with that information. The interaction between the world wide web and the Freenet extends the functionality of the Freenet, thus suggesting interaction between different elements within a non-uniform network.