In eMule for instance, you can create a file weblink that also includes your IP address, so a user who clicks the link will try to connect to and download directly from your computer or server, so this makes it as fast as a direct ftp or http download.

OK, so here is a trial (copy/paste) ed2k link -

ed2k://|file|Markus.Giesler.Rethinking.Consumer.Risk.pdf|669169|662CFE06EF29A1A92DAF137B5E8C703C|/

(This paper is worth reading - it even opens with words of wisdom by none other than Jon Newton!)

One of the main problems of P2P is that many people consider file-sharing as a way to download only illegal files, but P2P really has far more benefits than most people realize. For one thing, once a file gets spread on a major P2P network, it can live on virtually forever in a kind of semi-permanent internet archive. By comparison, in traditional ftp/http downloading, the lifespan of a file’s availability is usually quite short, as older files are normally removed on a server to save bandwidth for newer files. Sometimes companies simply close down the servers or go offline due to the high cost of bandwidth.

Another legitimate benefit of P2P is getting older versions of free software. Often a software developer will give out early versions of its software for free, and only start charging later, once the software has established a dominant market share. But unless those older, free versions live on in P2P, they will then become unobtainable.

It also goes without saying that when more legitimate files are available on P2P, the networks will gain respect and will be less likely to be targeted by hostile authorities.

So I often recommend to website operators to try to include posting P2P links for downloads whenever possible.