Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

BitTorrent Chat Demystified

Posted by timothy on from the like-chat-roulette-but-different dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Can you really do group chat with no central server? BitTorrent's Patrick Williams has developed a new app that leverages a distributed architecture to eliminate the need for any servers — even to host a buddy list. He says magnet links are the key."

7 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. ICQ by Bodero · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can you really do group chat with no central server?

    ICQ proved that it was possible over a decade ago. Simultaneously, they proved that it was not a good idea (as I remember friends saying, "Who are you talking to? I don't see him! Re-invite!").

    1. Re:ICQ by errandum · · Score: 3, Informative

      I believe the only central server is for authentication (as it should be). It might also save the "initial" budy list, but a local copy is also kept.

      Or actually, 1 minute in google:

      http://www.mjalali.com/blog/?p=10

      "Skype Authentication Server: This is the only centralized Skype server which is used to authenticate Skype users. "

  2. Magnet links by jmitchel!jmitchel.co · · Score: 4, Funny

    Magnet links, how do they work?

  3. I did it at Apple in 1991 by hchesley · · Score: 5, Informative

    Reference: Harry R. Chesley, "Asynchronous Background Networking on the Macintosh," Develop 5, Winter 1991. It was called Rumor Monger.

    1. Re:I did it at Apple in 1991 by hchesley · · Score: 3, Informative

      Online copy of the article: http://www.mactech.com/articles/develop/issue_05/6-30_Chesley_Docv9_CHG.html.

  4. Can you? by JackSpratts · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes, and it's called WASTE. Came out in '03 and I've been "running" a decentralized mesh non-stop ever since.

  5. IRC by wcoenen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good old IRC isn't centralized either! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netsplit