Slashdot Mirror

One last thing, I almost forgot to mention. If you really like BitTorrent, and you want to see it get even better, then donate $10 to Bram. The guy makes a living off of his BitTorrent donations. Since I noticed big improvements in this weeks new version of BitTorrent, I donated $20. No more long initialization times when starting/restarting a torrent download, no more download window lockup bug, faster downloads, no longer hogs CPU, etc...

Make sure you guys upgrade to the latest version of BitTorrent as a new official version came out this past week! It has tons of bug fixes and network/filesystem/CPU/memory optimizations. Also, the rule-of-thumb is that you don't close the BitTorrent download window until you have uploaded as much as you have downloaded. The new official client lists your total upload and your total download.

Bittorrent is the ideal solution for this.

RedHat and Gentoo CDs are yet available this way. Don't know about other distros.

On the other hand we see how the traditional client/server system can break down if it has a significant user base and not enough bandwidth. The new Steam client hasn't allowed me to connect to a game since I installed it six hours ago. Who knows how much more data could have been transferred if all the Steam users were connected to each other and sharing their cache through a P2P network?

The next step in P2P would be to combine the swarm downloading of Bittorrent with a persistent P2P network like Edonkey2000. The Achilles Heel of Bittorrent is that it can only transfer one file at a time, and the only way to download multiple files is to open multiple instances of Bittorrent, which drains upload speed, a precious commodity among home broadband users. Some work is being done towards this goal but it currently deals with upload rates for individual downloads, and doesn't manage multiple downloads.

P2P is definitely the future, and I predict its popularity will continue to rise as more consumers sign up for broadband and start sucking down large media files like full albums and movies from corporate sites who aren't prepared for the broadband explosion.

In an experimental attempt to turn the Slashdot effect back on itself using BitTorrent, and exploit my subscriber access, I hereby offer a zip file of the website itself and all of the movies (three of them) I could get off the site before it was slashdotted into oblivion.

• The website, zip file
• Easter Launch (Quicktime, 61 sec 1.8 MB)
• Flight 7 (Quicktime, normal speed, 45 sec 1.2 MB)
• Flight 7 (Quicktime, slow-motion, 88 sec 2.3 MB)

I used BitTorrent to get RH and then shared it out on KaZaa. The whole time I had it shared, people were connecting and getting chunks. I don't share music but I do have amature car racing videos which P2P is great for.

Just found an article with a different approach to filesharing in general and bittorrent in particular. The author suggests to encrypt (simply XOR) the file to be shared with another file larger than the original. By doing this, you are essentially sharing a random file, which can't be subject to copyright legislation. Depending on the keyfile, you could reconstruct a blockbuster movie as well as your personal photo album. What do you think?

I didn't think I'd get into fansubs, but they're quite addicting. I find myself checking AnimeSuki daily to see what new programs fans have subtitled, and then running BitTorrent to grab them.

Fansubbers have an interesting ethical code: the stop distributing and delete their works when the program is licensed for distribution in the U.S. The benefit to English-speaking fans is that they get to see works that would never get licensed outside of Japan. The benefit to Japanese producers is that their works get an English-viewing audience for free, and can then move forward on licensing those vehicles that have a more International (or at least generally American) appeal. Win-win, for the most part.

The server is slow and may be totally slashdotted soon, so here is a torrent I made which contains all the 11 screenshots in .png format. Please use this instead of the main webserver. (Read about BitTorrent if you're not familiar with it.)

You've heard of P2P right? And local caching? It makes absolutely no sense (except from an old authoritarian C&C viewpoint) to directly serve this content broadcast style. BitTorrent is ideal in this case, as would be FreeNet if it didn't blow chunks so hard.

combined with the cost of potential future licensing.

Is it standard BBC practice to repackage and resell what the public already paid for? And does allowing something to be viewed for free exclude it from ALSO being sold (*cough**linux*).

Why should UK taxpayers pay for that?

Share and share alike; PBS may follow across the pond. Besides, just think of it as british cultural imperialism to counter the US's. :)

--

The weak link in using any of the current RBL's is that your email server has to send out a connection to lookup every IP address, every time email is smtpd to your server. Anyway, it seems like the solution has already been found. Bittorrent was designed to distribute distribution of large files amongst many servers. You could setup your email server to download via bittorrent the current RBL every day, or week, whatever works for you. Then you do your lookups locally.

Then again, keeping with maintaining the RBL locally, you could use rsync or diff's. By keeping the RBL's centralized at one address it forces everyone to keep connecting and creates the weak link.

Try these protocls/apps and run a P2P network in-house

JXTA
BitTorrent

Or, you can create your own Gnutella client, using some an open-source Gnutella package, like JTella

Justablip is an indie electronic music label started by Kris Weston from the Orb. we release music under an 'open source'-like license & encourage people to share the music via p2p (or however they wish)...we also use Ogg, FLAC, & bittorrent.

Here's a link to download their first release, WTF! The Madonna Remix comp in Ogg, MP3, or AAC...

also check out the ARTICLES on the site, I think people on here would be into it.

ant
--
))
((
c[_] bLiP

www.justablip.co.uk

For shows like this, the distributors should definitely harness the power of P2P with BitTorrent or even P2P streaming via PeerCast. You would think the days of straight up server to client downloading were over, especially in fear of the everpresent slashdotting!

Why is it that when I read this, the first thing that came to mind was Bittorrent? Maybe we should get Brahm to work with the electric companies.

Lemme post a quick reply -- I never got BT to work, and figured I'd just download from the mirrors. I got sick of 30 KB/sec, an got BitTorrent to work. I'm at 147 KB/sec and rising. (And as a sidenote... You'll be alleviating the huge load on the mirrors, as well as helping your fellow /.ers.)

Don't do it because of the pleas from the mirror operators -- do it to get a faster download. :)

I strongly recommend setting up a Bit Torrent tracker for small sites. If you plan on having a big file, such as a demo, or a movie, a bit torrent link will go a long ways in avoiding a slash-dot affect. It will also make your ISP happy, and may potentially save money if you have to pay for bandwidth. Bit Torrent is the perfect technology for something that is large, and has a massive, immediate demand that trails off quickly over time.

KaZaA Lite is the best to get MP3s, porn and popular software quickly.
eMule (eDonkey network) is the best to get movies, games and software reliably, as well as full albums, ebooks and porn.
What Gnutella is good for, I don't know.
Direct Connect ++ is best to get stuff if you have a very fast connection.
BitTorrent is best to get fresh movie, anime and other releases and some legit stuff like game demos.
FreeNet is not really usefull as of today.
IRC is good to get fresh movie and software releases quickly.
Usenet is good to get fresh stuff quickly if your ISP has a good newsserver or you are willing to subscribe to a paid one, but it's bad for hunting down specific stuff.

It's not consistently up, but if you're looking for television shows (science fiction in particular), check out tvtorrents.com. You can download the shows using the Bit Torrent client.

The Bittorent mainpage is shut down from a DOS, then shutdown by its chosen government (FCC), and now its in shambles. Freenet can have the same thing happen.

Uh, your really off your mark here. The Freenet web interface thingy comes with it's own mini webserver and the functionality to turn any non-transient node into a freenet distribution center. From the Freenet web interface, there's a link called Spread Freenet. (Link only works if you have Freenet installed and running.)

Even if the main Freenet site got taken down, things would still be just peachy...

While we're at it, what's this about the Bittorent mainpage going down? I know that a few popular tracker sites went down, but I've never heard of the main BitTorrent site going down. Click the link; it's up right now.

Moderators: How the hell did the parent get modded +2 Insightful?

I thought BitTorrent was the leading distributor, period.

>-~

Hm, actually this may not be too hard. Apache already has mod_python. The problem would be you would still need some kind of persistent daemon, which handles the actual tracking and communication between the clients. I'm not sure a mod_torrent type thing would be such a good idea (even though the docs here says it could be), since you would have to handle the IPC between all the different copies of apache spawned to handle the requests. Still, if you work out the persistence and locking you'd need to maintain a list of peers, it shouldn't be much of a problem...

I, as the author of BitTorrent, would like to make it very clear than I have nothing to do with any of the BitTorrent sites, and that BitTorrent is not and never will be designed to be good for illegal distribution.

The spirit of this statement seems to be in stark contrast to what you say on your website at http://bitconjurer.org/a_technological_activists_a genda.html :

I further my goals with technology. I build systems to disseminate information, commit digital piracy, synthesize drugs, maintain untrusted contacts, purchase anonymously, and secure machines and homes.

So, which is it?

Uh. BitTorrent has many of the features you are describing. Sheesh, keep up with the times, man! :-)

Use a P2P service for distribution! Take something like BitTorrent , possibly add some functionality so you can have multiple and/or queues downloads in one window, and just sell users the link to the torrent! If you're worried about people freeriding (though of course they'll be able to freeride later when the song gets on other networks, as it unfortunately will), then encrypt the files and sell the keys and a program to decrypt them!

OK, maybe that's not the greatest idea, but there's a lot of potential in P2P. Try to save yourself the bandwidth. As for format, a lossless codec (with this P2P would be an obvious step for the huge files) and high quality bitrates in a variety of formats (OGG, MP3, AAC, &c.) would be nice. Also, I love the idea of the CD labels and jewel case insert prints. I would certainly buy into that.

Bittorrent mp3s here

You need of course bittorrent

I am playing Battlefield 1942, and i think EA Games should simply sell the serial numbers. Where i live, its impossible for me to get an original box, but there are plenty of copies on the street. But when going online to play, the server checks if a key is valid. But why do i need to pay for media and box and very expensive shipping when i only need is a serial? Your model will surely work.

I for once would prefer a single license for a game than a limited by time subscription. In theory, the license should cost less than a physical catridge or cd. You may even provide demo accounts/serials for limited evaluation of the game.

But Kazaa (the fasttrack network) doesn't really give any advantages, in fact, i find it severely annoying. After you try BitTorrent, you will understand what good it can do for you or anyone needing to distribute content to lots of users simultaneously in a very small amount of time.

The term is "file swarming" (i think). A file (or group of files) get separated in small blocks, these blocks are sent to users, out of order (not sequencially). The system is smart enough to give priority to the rarest blocks. If you are the source, suppose your file has 1000 pieces. Well, suppose that 1000 users connect to you and each one download 1 different piece, after this is done, they complete each other on their own!! SO in the same amount of time your server takes to transfer a single game to a single user using a traditional method, using BitTorrent 1000 would have got it by the time a second user would complete using a traditional method. (i used 1000 as an example, it could be even more). By the time any user finishes a download, that user has contributed the same amount of data to other users. The protocol was designed like that, so the concept of "leeching" can't be aplied here anymore.

I suggest that you contact the BitTorrent author, he may use your support (and give you a better explanation) :)

Maybe there are other distribution-modells that are better for you than the tradidional client-server approach?

Some suggestions:
1.I heard about a game company that saved *thousands* of dollars each month when they actively started to supply game magazines with demos and paches so they could include them on their CD's. (+extra addvertising)

2.How about getting a deal with a similar company that about sharing bandwith? You create a ftp-mirror for them and vica-versa.

3.Maybe if you are distributing large files (25MB+)to many users BitTorrent could help you.

Here's a free tip --- don't post your site to slashdot.

Congratulations - you passed this one.

Anyway the answer to all your prayers is obviously BitTorrent.

You may want to look into BitTorrent to spread the server load around.

Must remember to hit preview..

BitTorrent Donate

Or donate to the slashcode "let me edit my posts" foundation...

The movie taught us that "The Matrix" was a system of machines that enslave and delude the human race for their own ends. But what really is The Matrix in our world? I submit that the first level of The Matrix--as close as we'll get to it in our world--is not a society of machines enslaving people, but a collection of governments that enslave their citizens.

Just as machines attempt to control the thoughts and minds of humans trapped in the Matrix, some governments attempt to delude their citizens and control what they see and hear.

Ironically, the movie often showed computers as the technology that enabled the enslavement of humans. In our world, computers do just the opposite, and promise to be the technology that frees those who are enslaved.

If you're reading this in a country that does not allow "The Matrix" to be shown, have hope. There ARE SOLUTIONS.

'The Matrix' may have you. But free your bandwidth, and the rest will follow.

That's so easy to fix, too.

Is there any better documentation of the protocol than this?

This would be badass when combined with BitTorrent!

nope. did you restart your webserver? see here :)

If you have 300 people downloading a 3MB file, that's 900MB you've got to move. Few people can afford to have that much bandwidth on demand. This is why things like BitTorrent exist. Now that I think about it, this system could do for small files what BitTorrent does for big ones.

Either way, this will save the content provider quite a bit of money in bandwidth. How much does 1GB of bandwidth cost these days? Suppose 300,000 people want that 3MB file? How much does 1TB of bandwidth cost?

From the BitTorrent FAQ...

How do I limit the amount of bandwidth consumed by BitTorrent?

Use the --max_upload_rate command line parameter, which takes an upload rate in kilobytes/sec.

.:diatonic:.

Bram said:My attempts to promote BitTorrent for any specific purpose basically failed.

Ok, here is the source to bittorrent in python:
Bittorrent Source

Could some young, brillant programmer out there port this to c or c++ and build a firebird module out of it?

I'm not actually sure it can be done. Bram says it would be quite a challenge to port the source. Anyone feeling cocky today?

Along with thanking ID, Activision, and SplashDamage we should be kissing Bram Cohen's ass for creating software which frees us from the shackles of fileplanet and /.ed mirrors.

Yea, thanks to all the seeders too.

I further my goals with technology. I build systems to disseminate information, commit digital piracy, synthesize drugs, maintain untrusted contacts, purchase anonymously, and secure machines and homes.

. . .

I refuse to work on technology to track users, analyze usage patterns, watermark information, censor, detect drug use, or eavesdrop.

I wouldn't expect him to be working on DRM technology anytime soon.

I further my goals with technology. I build systems to disseminate information, commit digital piracy, synthesize drugs, maintain untrusted contacts, purchase anonymously, and secure machines and homes.

I expect he's not too torn up about it.

BitTorrent does have a protocol definition; there's no URI scheme registered for it probably just because no one has gotten around to it yet.

What are you talking about? I didn't want to check everything in your post because it sounds like crazy troll blather, but the torrent files for Slashdot effect victims ist still live and well. The Original site is live and well also.

Bram Cohen

Extracurricular activities:

1992-3
Co-captain of Math Team, Stuyvesant High School
1992
1st place team, New York State Math League
Individual High Scorer
1992
Passed American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME)

So how often did you get wedgies at your school? Curious nerds NEED TO KNOW!! ;)

Check out Brams musings on technology, drug use, and law, here.

That being said; should you still proclaim one of your aims is "digital piracy" given the current environment?

Thanks,
--BigBir3d

That particular site is down, but the main BitTorrent site is alive and kicking. Install links are there.

I am a technological activist. I have a political agenda. I am in favor of basic human rights: to free speech, to use any information and technology, to purchase and use recreational drugs, to enjoy and purchase so-called 'vices', to be free of intruders, and to privacy. [...] I further my goals with technology. I build systems to disseminate information, commit digital piracy, synthesize drugs, maintain untrusted contacts, purchase anonymously, and secure machines and homes.

BitTorrent enforces balanced downloads. If you are on an asynchronous line, expect to see download rates no greater than your upload rate.

Here's the relevant section from the BitTorrent FAQ:

Q: I don't want you stealing my bandwidth! How can I stop it from uploading?

A: You could hack the source to not upload, but then your download rate would suck. BitTorrent downloaders engage in tit-for-tat with their peers, so leeches have very little success downloading.

--Pat / zippy@cs.brandeis.edu

But, you see, OSS for Windows is catching on! Some of the most popular programs on Sourceforge are win32. Everything that you need for spyware-free commercial-free RIAA-free music and video sharing is available there, on sf.net. Here's a sampling:

CDEX - a great MP3 ripper. Use with LAME for great, free rips.

eMule and DC++ - very popular P2P clients

BitTorrent - For large file sharing (movies, etc)

VirtualDub - for video format conversion (DiVX, VCD, etc)

Audacity - multi-track audio editor

I could go on and on. Look at this list and all the win32 apps there.