Ptokax is an alternative server or hubsoft for the direct connect file sharing network. While it is not open source at the current time, it still is a much better hubsoft than is the NeoModus software for several reasons:
The amount of spammers, RIAA spies, and fakers on the direct connect network has been rapidly increasing and ptokax is all around the best hub software to keep both ops and users safe from these threats. Ptokax has had many lua scripts written for it that vastly extend the sharechecking and other enforcement ability of the hubsoft, as well as making an op's job much easier with scripts like DirtyBot to allow timed bans, banning of files that do not comply with the rules of the hub (like system files, pornography, and so on) and much more. In this file sharing war, it's important that server admins are armed with only the best tools, and in the direct connect world, ptokax is one of them.
While many other hubsofts have been created, like dch++, yabba, XDC, and of course the NeoModus server, all are either missing important features, or still in alpha or beta stages. If you're thinking of starting a hub, ptokax is thus far the only safe, secure, and bug free way to do so. While starting a hub can also run into many other pitfalls, using ptokax is a good start. If you do plan to start a direct connect hub, your best course is to make friends with the admin of another hub and ask for advice. If you're unable to find any hub admins to help you, feel free to message fastfinge and I'll try to point you in the right direction.
You can get more information about the ptokax software, as well as download the latest version, at http://ptokax.box.cz. If you would like to find out more about the direct connect network, try the direct connect, and dc++ nodes, as well as download dc++, grab a hublist, and hang around on the network for a while.