The perfect file sharing program...

sauroneru · Post by **sauroneru** » 2003-09-07 18:24

I know a lot of this has been discussed, but I wanted to share my idea of the perfect file sharing program. I firmly believe these minor modifications would both reduce traffic and make downloading much easier, if properly implemented.

1. Start with DC++.
2. Identify each shared file with some unique identifier that would be the same for others' computers, such as an MD5 checksum.
3. When I search for a file by name, I can right click on it and select "auto-download", which would automatically find all files the same size and with the same unique ID.
4. The "autofind" would repeat itself maybe once an hour, or whenever I don't have any more sources to download from.
5. Add multi-user / multi-thread / whatever you want to call it downloading to the mix.

I've seen all the controversial multiuser downloading topics, but I really believe that the above system would reduce traffic. Right now, I'm downloading a 700 MB file from about 6 different sources. I have to do this to have a chance to get one to stick around long enough to get a good download. I know I can place them all in the same queue, but if the user I choose to download from drops speed, then I'm screwed unless I'm paying careful attention the whole time. I admit to wasting traffic, although I also make sure my total up/down ratio stays over 1.0. If the above system were implemented, new users would be automatically added to the mix and I wouldn't waste any bandwidth. It would be pretty darn efficient. I'm sure someone else has thought of putting these two basic ideas together before - is there a reason this doesn't exist in DC++ or any other program (that I'm aware of)?

Gasman1015 · Post by **Gasman1015** » 2003-09-07 21:27

sounds just like kazaa.

and I would hardly describe that as the perfect p2p.

Everybody seems to want everything now, whats wrong with the way DC++ operates at this time, usual flaws accepted. The DC++ community is small by comparison to Kazaa, Winmx etc, so I don't see how your concept would implemented.

Sources are only available within the hubs to which you are logged in.

Post by **GargoyleMT** » 2003-09-07 21:52

I year you, sauroneru. Hashes and multi-source downloading are on the agenda of many people, they will be ready when they're ready. You do not need to convince any of the people who might actually program it. (so I wouldn't label them controversial at all.)

sauroneru · Post by **sauroneru** » 2003-09-07 23:34

Gasman1015 wrote:sounds just like kazaa.

Sorry, I meant to specify that all that goes on only within the hubs you're logged in. But you're right (though I've never used kazaa), if you make things too easy to download you'll get a lot of leechers. DC++ is great because people actually share. If it got to the point where getting large files was really efficient, I guess you'd run the risk of people logging off right after they got what they wanted. Maybe we'd have to go back to the days of FTP ratios, stored on the hub server (try and fake that

). I don't want to sound like the normal whiny person - I just wanted to point out what I think would work best and would decrease the amount of bytes I actually download.

I had no idea that either of those were actually in the works. Sounds great - I also didn't mean to imply that I wanted drastic change immediately

.

Twink · Post by **Twink** » 2003-09-08 01:55

the only way I see multisource downloading helping is if you are forced to share partial downloads (obviously they should show up as the full file) kinda like the bittorrent idea, cept that does have the problem of the only person with the full file leaving and lots of ppl starting to get that file off ppl who have only part of it... anyway I'm gonna stop talking bout crap now

wastingtape · Post by **wastingtape** » 2003-09-08 03:06

The perfect p2p application is one where i click "download" and by the time i let up on the mouse button, it's already on my hard drive.

Post by **GargoyleMT** » 2003-09-09 17:40

Twink wrote:the only way I see multisource downloading helping is if you are forced to share partial downloads (obviously they should show up as the full file) kinda like the bittorrent idea, cept that does have the problem of the only person with the full file leaving and lots of ppl starting to get that file off ppl who have only part of it... anyway I'm gonna stop talking bout crap now

Only way... multisource helping...? I'm confused.

Multi-source (including my thoughts on the matter) would make it easy for me to download from 2x as many people on the mp3 hub I frequent - you could request to download the hash of the audio-only portion of a file, so ID3 tagging wouldn't make anyone a non-viable source.

Remember: Direct Connect is great because it relies on our desires to compete with other people and be "better" than they are. For instance, who _doesn't_ feel like they need to add another HD when they see someone with 200-500gb more of storage then them? You have to play the "Keeping up with the Joneses" game. Nuclear escalation, whatever. This will never change, and the core DC users will still play by its rules.

Twink · Post by **Twink** » 2003-09-10 01:37

GargoyleMT wrote:
Twink wrote:the only way I see multisource downloading helping is if you are forced to share partial downloads (obviously they should show up as the full file) kinda like the bittorrent idea, cept that does have the problem of the only person with the full file leaving and lots of ppl starting to get that file off ppl who have only part of it... anyway I'm gonna stop talking bout crap now

Only way... multisource helping...? I'm confused.

Multi-source (including my thoughts on the matter) would make it easy for me to download from 2x as many people on the mp3 hub I frequent - you could request to download the hash of the audio-only portion of a file, so ID3 tagging wouldn't make anyone a non-viable source.

Remember: Direct Connect is great because it relies on our desires to compete with other people and be "better" than they are. For instance, who _doesn't_ feel like they need to add another HD when they see someone with 200-500gb more of storage then them? You have to play the "Keeping up with the Joneses" game. Nuclear escalation, whatever. This will never change, and the core DC users will still play by its rules.

yeah I see your point, I guess I didn't mention mine. alot of the hubs I frequent have alot of people complaining that they can't get slots adding multisource downloads would mean people would try use more slots, but I doubt most would open more upload ones, meaning it could be harder to get slots. if it allowed people to download off partial file sources then it might help with that.

Post by **GargoyleMT** » 2003-09-10 15:20

Twink wrote:yeah I see your point, I guess I didn't mention mine. alot of the hubs I frequent have alot of people complaining that they can't get slots adding multisource downloads would mean people would try use more slots, but I doubt most would open more upload ones, meaning it could be harder to get slots. if it allowed people to download off partial file sources then it might help with that.

Ah, this is quite similar to some of the other concerns of multi-source. Namely that it would enable one user to hog more slots...or more slots for longer. (Variations on an argument.) I think an upload queue with rotation is natural, and that will probably land in a client before multi-source downloading and hashes do.

I can't respond properly to your argument right now, but perhaps you can look at some of the other threads where people have raised the issue/similar before. I believe Sarf, in particular, had a good rebuttal.

The perfect file sharing program...

The perfect file sharing program...

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