it would be cool if they could use metalink, an internet standard for describing files offered in hybrid ftp/http/p2p content distribution systems, already used by a lot of open source projects.
Not everyone can use torrents, so try out the metalinks. These are XML files that list mirrors & checksums, helping you find a server, and verifying that the download didn't have errors.
Besides rsync & torrents, you can also repair files with metalinks, which require nothing extra on the server, and is not blocked like p2p in some places.
This is why so many distributions use them for ISO downloads, so you don't have to restart large downloads from the beginning.
Might want to check out Appupdater. It 's like apt-get or yum but on Windows, or Windows Update but for all the random apps on your computer. Will keep them up to date and using the latest versions with security fixes, and can be run on a corporate network.
Some of these issues seem to be addressed (or are being attempted, at least in the early stages) by metalink which was discussed at http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/25/144209 a few months ago, but I don't think people really understood what it was.
Great question!
aria2 is the only client (so far, others are in progress) to support segment hashes (aka chunk checksums/repair information) directly in the metalink. It just came out recently.
For an example, check out the opensuse metalinks.
I think this is one of the most important parts about metalink, files are verified during transfer (and corrupted files are fixed) over plain ftp/http with no server/tracker changes.
SLAX apparently does not have very fast, or very many, mirrors. Try downloading an ISO from a distribution that has a robust mirror network. If your connection speed is high enough, you'll see a difference.
somebody should check out metalink. the site seems to be down now, but it combines ftp/http and p2p easily. if p2p is blocked where you are, you still get the files by other means. aria2 is a good command line client, but there are others w/ GUIs for Mac and Windows.
The difference is between the amount of data and the ease with which is it aggregated (& dispersed).
Back then, someone like a town gossip or a social hub could have tons of information on almost everyone. But it was very broad and not very deep.
Now its ALL the EXACT financial data, utilities, shopping, library checkouts, phone calls, medical records, etc etc etc. Oops, we lost all your banking details! Oops , the laptop w/ the veterans medical records got stolen! Oh you're using an abnormal amount of power for your presumed guilty assumed hydroponics lab, prove you are innocent. It doesn't even take an imagination (luckily I don't have one).
Agreed. Slashdot needs to start adding abbr tags for these non-basic abbreviations. Then when you hover over em you can get a general idea what they stand for.
Revelation 13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
13:17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
13:18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
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As the co-chair of the FTP Working Group & author of 3 RFCs, I can sympathize.
Coming from open source (Metalink) & working on Internet standards can be a very frustrating thing.
I pushed for improvements but made no progress.
be sure to check out the new FTP Working Group at the IETF if you're involved in FTP implementations.
we're working on new and old extensions like a HASH and RANGe command, and HOST.
just join up on the mailing list!
http://tools.ietf.org/wg/ftpext2/
https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ftpext
check out metalink. most linux distributions use it for large downloads and software updates.
it would be cool if they could use metalink, an internet standard for describing files offered in hybrid ftp/http/p2p content distribution systems, already used by a lot of open source projects.
You can use Metalinks for downloads without errors. It can use whole file checksums, or partial file checksums to repair errors.
try a metalink download from Fedora using aria2. it can use torrents but also mirrors.
Not everyone can use torrents, so try out the metalinks. These are XML files that list mirrors & checksums, helping you find a server, and verifying that the download didn't have errors.
You can use DownThemAll! (Firefox extension), KGet in KDE4, GGet in GNOME, aria2, or metalink-checker (among many other Windows/OS X/Linux download clients).
The official .metalink files are available at
http://releases.ubuntu.com/releases/8.10/
http://releases.ubuntu.com/releases/kubuntu/intrepid/
Besides rsync & torrents, you can also repair files with metalinks, which require nothing extra on the server, and is not blocked like p2p in some places.
This is why so many distributions use them for ISO downloads, so you don't have to restart large downloads from the beginning.
Direct links to the metalinks (As Seen on /.) - these list all the mirrors, checksums, and other info and are used by download apps.
To use them, try DownThemAll! (Firefox extension), aria2 (cross platform, command line), KGet (in KDE4), Speed Download (OS X), GetRight (Windows), Retriever (cross platform, Java) or about 15 other download programs.
http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/ubuntu-8.04-alternate-amd64.metalink
http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/ubuntu-8.04-alternate-i386.metalink
http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/ubuntu-8.04-desktop-amd64.metalink
http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/ubuntu-8.04-desktop-i386.metalink
check out metamirrors - it doesn't compute hashes yet, but it stores them & produces metalinks (XML format listing mirrors) for identical files.
aria2 is a lovely light weight command line BitTorrent/Metalink downloader.
Sounds a lot like Metalink, covered here: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/25/144209
Might want to check out Appupdater. It 's like apt-get or yum but on Windows, or Windows Update but for all the random apps on your computer. Will keep them up to date and using the latest versions with security fixes, and can be run on a corporate network.
http://www.nabber.org/projects/appupdater/
Some of these issues seem to be addressed (or are being attempted, at least in the early stages) by metalink which was discussed at http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/25/144209 a few months ago, but I don't think people really understood what it was.
Metalink @ Package Resources is the closest thing to a repository. Arch Linux, Centos, Edubuntu, Fedora, Linux Kernel, Kubuntu, OpenOffice.org, opensuse, and Ubuntu metalinks are at http://download.packages.ro/metalink/
DownThemAll a popular Firefox download manager extension has basic support in development.
KGet for KDE4 (their download manager) also has just added initial support.
Both are free open source projects, so help out if you're able.
Great question! aria2 is the only client (so far, others are in progress) to support segment hashes (aka chunk checksums/repair information) directly in the metalink. It just came out recently. For an example, check out the opensuse metalinks. I think this is one of the most important parts about metalink, files are verified during transfer (and corrupted files are fixed) over plain ftp/http with no server/tracker changes.
SLAX apparently does not have very fast, or very many, mirrors. Try downloading an ISO from a distribution that has a robust mirror network. If your connection speed is high enough, you'll see a difference.
somebody should check out metalink. the site seems to be down now, but it combines ftp/http and p2p easily. if p2p is blocked where you are, you still get the files by other means. aria2 is a good command line client, but there are others w/ GUIs for Mac and Windows.
Has anyone tried Metalinks? They automatically use mirrors, p2p, and checksums. http://distribution.openoffice.org/p2p/magnet.html
Back then, someone like a town gossip or a social hub could have tons of information on almost everyone. But it was very broad and not very deep.
Now its ALL the EXACT financial data, utilities, shopping, library checkouts, phone calls, medical records, etc etc etc. Oops, we lost all your banking details! Oops , the laptop w/ the veterans medical records got stolen! Oh you're using an abnormal amount of power for your presumed guilty assumed hydroponics lab, prove you are innocent. It doesn't even take an imagination (luckily I don't have one).
it was pretty cute seeing l0phtcrack & samba on the news tonight.
Agreed. Slashdot needs to start adding abbr tags for these non-basic abbreviations. Then when you hover over em you can get a general idea what they stand for.
Might as well quote the Bible...
Revelation 13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
13:17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
13:18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
Maybe your postal person was the one stealing all the Netflix DVDs in the mail?