Posted on 01/11/2005 11:48:52 PM PST by Remember_Salamis
The Birth of the "FReepCast"? (BitTorrent Broadcasting)
Attention FReepers: If you aren't aware of BitTorrent, it is a software program that allows MASSIVE files to be distributed over the internet at tens to hundreds of times faster than what would be normally seen. Currently it is being used to steal software and media, but the real promise is MEDIA DISTRIBUTION.
A graduate student at Stanford used it to distribute the liberal flick "Outfoxed" to thousands of people over the internet with ease.
The Graduate student distributed the equivelant of 750 GB of bandwidth for 5 GB. That's an astounding 15,000% increase!!!
I PROPOSE THE CREATION OF A "FREEPCAST". We will be able to create our own media network for an extremely low cost. And the great thing is that we will be the first ones to it.
I've already bought the rights to FReepCast.com. I will contribute the rights of the name for free to FR & co. if we can get this done.
I need volunteers who have the geek skills to get it off the ground and I need the media-saavy folks who get create materials!
Takers???
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Here's a quick blurb on how BitTorrent Works:
What is BitTorrent? BitTorrent is a protocol designed for transferring files. It is peer-to-peer in nature, as users connect to each other directly to send and receive portions of the file. However, there is a central server (called a tracker) which coordinates the action of all such peers. The tracker only manages connections, it does not have any knowledge of the contents of the files being distributed, and therefore a large number of users can be supported with relatively limited tracker bandwidth. The key philosophy of BitTorrent is that users should upload (transmit outbound) at the same time they are downloading (receiving inbound.) In this manner, network bandwidth is utilized as efficiently as possible. BitTorrent is designed to work better as the number of people interested in a certain file increases, in contrast to other file transfer protocols.
One analogy to describe this process might be to visualize a group of people sitting at a table. Each person at the table can both talk and listen to any other person at the table. These people are each trying to get a complete copy of a book. Person A announces that he has pages 1-10, 23, 42-50, and 75. Persons C, D, and E are each missing some of those pages that A has, and so they coordinate such that A gives them each copies of the pages he has that they are missing. Person B then announces that she has pages 11-22, 31-37, and 63-70. Persons A, D, and E tell B they would like some of her pages, so she gives them copies of the pages that she has. The process continues around the table until everyone has announced what they have (and hence what they are missing.) The people at the table coordinate to swap parts of this book until everyone has everything. There is also another person at the table, who we'll call 'S'. This person has a complete copy of the book, and so doesn't need anything sent to him. He responds with pages that no one else in the group has. At first, when everyone has just arrived, they all must talk to him to get their first set of pages. However, the people are smart enough to not all get the same pages from him. After a short while they all have most of the book amongst themselves, even if no one person has the whole thing. In this manner, this one person can share a book that he has with many other people, without having to give a full copy to everyone that's interested. He can instead give out different parts to different people, and they will be able to share it amongst themselves. This person who we've referred to as 'S' is called a seed in the terminology of BitTorrent. There's more about the various terms in a later section.
How does BitTorrent compare to other forms of file transfer? The most common method by which files are transferred on the Internet is the client-server model. A central server sends the entire file to each client that requests it -- this is how both http and ftp work. The clients only speak to the server, and never to each other. The main advantages of this method are that it's simple to set up, and the files are usually always available since the servers tend to be dedicated to the task of serving, and are always on and connected to the Internet. However, this model has a significant problem with files that are large or very popular, or both. Namely, it takes a great deal of bandwidth and server resources to distribute such a file, since the server must transmit the entire file to each client. Perhaps you may have tried to download a demo of a new game just released, or CD images of a new Linux distribution, and found that all the servers report "too many users," or there is a long queue that you have to wait through. The concept of mirrors partially addresses this shortcoming by distributing the load across multiple servers. But it requires a lot of coordination and effort to set up an efficient network of mirrors, and it's usually only feasible for the busiest of sites.
Another method of transferring files has become popular recently: the peer-to-peer network, systems such as Kazaa, eDonkey, Gnutella, Direct Connect, etc. In most of these networks, ordinary Internet users trade files by directly connecting one-to-one. The advantage here is that files can be shared without having access to a proper server, and because of this there is little accountability for the contents of the files. Hence, these networks tend to be very popular for illicit files such as music, movies, pirated software, etc. Typically, a downloader receives a file from a single source, however the newest version of some clients allow downloading a single file from multiple sources for higher speeds. The problem discussed above of popular downloads is somewhat mitigated, because there's a greater chance that a popular file will be offered by a number of peers. The breadth of files available tends to be fairly good, though download speeds for obscure files tend to be low. Another common problem sometimes associated with these systems is the significant protocol overhead for passing search queries amongst the peers, and the number of peers that one can reach is often limited as a result. Partially downloaded files are usually not available to other peers, although some newer clients may offer this functionality. Availability is generally dependent on the goodwill of the users, to the extent that some of these networks have tried to enforce rules or restrictions regarding send/receive ratios.
Use of the Usenet binary newsgroups is yet another method of file distribution, one that is substantially different from the other methods. Files transferred over Usenet are often subject to miniscule windows of opportunity. Typical retention time of binary news servers are often as low as 24 hours, and having a posted file available for a week is considered a long time. However, the Usenet model is relatively efficient, in that the messages are passed around a large web of peers from one news server to another, and finally fanned out to the end user from there. Often the end user connects to a server provided by his or her ISP, resulting in further bandwidth savings. Usenet is also one of the more anonymous forms of file sharing, and it too is often used for illicit files of almost any nature. Due to the nature of NNTP, a file's popularity has little to do with its availability and hence downloads from Usenet tend to be quite fast regardless of content. The downsides of this method include a baroque set of rules and procedures, and requires a certain amount of effort and understanding from the user. Patience is often required to get a complete file due to the nature of splitting big files into a huge number of smaller posts. Finally, access to Usenet often must be purchased due to the extremely high volume of messages in the binary groups.
BitTorrent is closest to Usenet, in my opinion. It is best suited to newer files, of which a number of people have interest in. Obscure or older files tend to not be available. Perhaps as the software matures a more suitable means of keeping torrents seeded will emerge, but currently the client is quite resource-intensive, making it cumbersome to share a number of files. BitTorrent also deals well with files that are in high demand, especially compared to the other methods.
Bump for further study
BTTT
I'm in and supportive somewhat. If you want to use FreeRepublic I believe they should co-own the rights to the site
I don't think anyone owns the right to the name "FReep", however, I think FReepers may frown on anyone who uses it and disparages the reputation.
I would gladly let them co-own the rights. I just want to see this thing done.
Heck, I even think the big brains in Fresno could make some cash off this thing. What if FR charged $5 a month to let FReepers BroadCatch over the internet in their pajamas???
I bought FReepcast.com and FReepcast.net in order to allow FReepers to be the first to this new media form. And I want to work with FreeRepublic.com leadership on this one.
According to the Copyright Office, "titles, names, short phrases, and slogans" are "generally not eligible for federal copyright protections."
I wasn't trying to cast a shadow on your plans, just responding to the ping. I don't have any say over the use of FR emblems, logos or slogans.
TorrentAnnaZ ? I'de watch !
Bump for later.
Alert:
Apparently, Suprnova.org is working with some other folks to develop a new p2p program (it is called Exeem).....but unlike Kazaa etc., it is based on the BT network, so it is decentralized.
In any event, this software will allow you to search all thte torrents being offered, however, just like Kazaa would.
This is a huge development, and would make BT use much easier to figure out for novices, and even for more experienced individuals.
The public beta version is expected in a couple weeks. Now, I do not know exactly how this will turn out. The rumors are wild about what Exeem will be like at the end of the day. Possibly rampant adware, but the people involved just say banner ads, which is not a big deal.
However, beta testers are reporting it is very fast for the tiny number of beta testers on the network. This could be a good indication of its speed in the future.
Who knows here...I guess we will see in a couple weeks.
bump
Beta version available now. Thanks I'll have to give it a look-see.
I'm quickly running out of space for it all.
I vote for a daily, 1-hour series to document & chronicle the decline of Old Media. We can call it "RAthERwatch" or "Pajama Patrol" or "Desperate Networks" or ...
Okay, I'm no good with names, but you get the idea. I'll bring the popcorn.
what do you think?
I think I'm happy with the FR site as it is. I get home and browse the FR threads from the last so many hours and then I follow up on the ones that strike my interest. But don't let me stop progress.
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