Midnight Madness?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Susan Bugher
  • Start date Start date
Peter said:
Susan Bugher - 03.03.2006 05:42 :
Click to expand...
I'm absolutely new working with torrent/bittorrent/utorrent. I googled
for downloadable manuals/how to use/hlp-files etc. especially for
uTorrent but found not really what I want ("only" FAQ). Do you/somebody
with some experiences from the beginning with utorrent can recommend
some hints where to look? THX in advance.
Click to expand...

uTorrent is pretty easy to use - that's probably why you didn't find
anything else. I can dig out some URLs for sites with general
information about bit torrents if that would be helpful.
BTW: Is somewhere are a smaller .Torrent beside the over 600MB seized
PL2006 CD for experiencing purposes a little bit with uTorrent which i
downloaded?
Click to expand...

Yes. I created a trackerless torrent for a *very* small file when I was
trying to figure out how to use it:

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/ftp/testing.txt.torrent

(Follow the instructions for downloading the PL2006 ISO but use the
above URL.)

Note: I may be the only person who still has the "testing.txt" file -
I'm not always on-line and I'll have to be on-line (and running
uTorrent) for you to find the file. You could also experiment by
*starting* the PL2006 ISO download - no need to do the entire download
to see how the process works.
As you mentioned uTorrent comes with no installation, but it left some
things in the system partition an the registry, IMHO?
Click to expand...

dunno, maybe someone else does. . .

Susan
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Yes. I created a trackerless torrent for a *very* small file when I was
trying to figure out how to use it:

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/ftp/testing.txt.torrent
Click to expand...

it even works :-)
(Follow the instructions for downloading the PL2006 ISO but use the above
URL.)

Note: I may be the only person who still has the "testing.txt" file - I'm
not always on-line and I'll have to be on-line (and running uTorrent) for
you to find the file. You could also experiment by *starting* the PL2006
ISO download - no need to do the entire download to see how the process
works.
Click to expand...

I'll leave it on overnight.

when playing limit download speed by rightclicking on the d: x.x kB/s tab
down the bottom, just to save bandwidth

...that won't work for dialup, 5k is the slowest
dunno, maybe someone else does. . .

Susan
Click to expand...

Not that I saw, not that I look hard.
It does need to save the partial d/l files and torrents somewhere.
It can run away with resources after seeding and d/l a few gig overnight,
leading to some strangeness in XP in the morning, maybe just me.
disconcerting to see strangeness first thing in the morning
 
Terry said:
with torrents there isn't much point for small files, once you find the
torrent, start it,
check to see if anyone is actually supporting it, then find a new one it
could be tiresome
The point is that a lot of servers all contribute parts of a large file,
otherwise it
is a just an automatic mirror selector..which has its place.
Click to expand...

The plan. . .

The trackerless torrent file would be uploaded to the author's web site
- IOW no "finding" required - the URL for the torrent file would be
shown on the download page. Pasting that URL into uTorrent (or other
compatible client) would start the download process - ACF participants
would seed the file to ensure it was available. "Automatic mirroring"
sounds like a good way to describe the process.
Some offloading may turn out to be worth it for popular/large apps if the
author
is really hurting for capacity or extra mirrors but then how do they count
downloads on torrents?
measure interest in their app/website?..no feedback if people just post a
torrent somewhere,
just a rush of complains..which may be sign of a bad release or just an
enormously popular download.
Click to expand...

Some authors host their web sites one place, downloads somewhere else
because their web host (GeoCities etc.) doesn't allow downloads. For
those people a torrent download might be a good substitute for their
off-site file repository.

BTW - I'm not suggesting ACF participants host any and all downloads. We
could do some experimenting, see what works well and decide which
authors we want to support (maybe just PW authors). If we come up with a
good *method* of distribution any author could ask friends, people in
their support forums etc. etc. etc. to host their files.

Agree that not being able to count the number of downloads is a
potential drawback.

Susan
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Susan said:
I agree that it takes a certain amount of determination to download a
huge file on dial-up. I don't plan on doing it often. ;)
Click to expand...

heh. The one time I dled a linux cd on dialup, it took days. Now though
I want to get an OS that'll fit on a floppy. No, not for desktop use,
that really would be optimistic.

Bit torrent
downloads *can* be resumed. Starting downloads is pretty easy. Authors
might want to put a brief how-to explanation on their web page as we did
with the PL2006 file. The PL explanation seems to be adequate - there
have been only a few questions in ACF about downloading the ISO via bit
torrent.

http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/2006/2006PL-CD-about.php

1. download µTorrent http://www.utorrent.com
2. No installation is required. Put the file where you want it and start
it running.
3. In the file menu select "add torrent from URL"
4. paste this URL into the URL box:
http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/ftp/PL2006_CDISO.iso.torrent
5. It may be several minute before uTorrent finds the download - be
patient.

Susan
Click to expand...

Such a simple how-to could be displayed on the original site, otherwise
people will think its probably all very complex and not do it.


NT
 
is really hurting for capacity or extra mirrors but then how do they count
downloads on torrents?
measure interest in their app/website?..no feedback if people just post a
torrent somewhere,
just a rush of complains..which may be sign of a bad release or just an
enormously popular download.
You could make it phonehome but that isn't very popular.

I couldn't really see managing a couple of dozen or hundred files and
torrents
and keeping them in sync with the authors latest.

It can't hurt to give it a go.
Click to expand...

Oh, if I only knew what the idea is. What I was trying to say was (not to
you Terry) was to have a peer going all the time for dial-up and
broadband, if need be, but I as I thought about this all day I am VERY
confused as to what the idea is.

It doesn't matter if it is a big file or a small file the program does all
the math. I use it almost everyday, can abort it comepletely and pick it
up next week if I want to. Just don't move the files from where they were
first located.
It's fascinating how it can take files from other peers, know what you
want, and feed you what you need at that moment.

What I am trying to do is help but apparently I just don't get it.
 
dszady said:
What I am trying to do is help but apparently I just don't get it.
Click to expand...

I suspect I'm doing a poor job of explaining. :( I was working on
updates to the PL descriptions (finished last night) and my mind went
off on a tangent after seeing several pleas for Donations. Hence the
"Midnight madness" subject heading. ;)

anyway. . .

Making a contribution by hosting Freeware downloads is far from an
original thought. IIRC some ACF participants are already hosting
downloads for Freeware apps. Offering bit torrent downloads for Freeware
apps is also not new. Opera is one example:
http://www.opera.com/download/torrents/

but. . .

ISTM most methods of sharing download "loads" require a fair amount of
coordination and/or expertise. IMO the method we are using to distribute
the PL2006 ISO via bit torrent (using a trackerless torrent) is a model
of simplicity. ISTM that method could be adapted to other Freeware
downloads. IOW. . . KISS. . . ;)

this method is:

1. easy for the author to implement
2. files are self-checking
3. version control is automatic (new torrents don't point to old files)
4. minimal coordination is required (one post to ACF with the location
of the torrent file).
5. any number can play (volunteer as seeds) - coordination is not
required except to ensure 24 hour coverage. . .

Just trying to do a bit of brainstorming in this thread - all
suggestions welcome. We haven't heard from any Freeware authors yet.
Some input from that side would be especially helpful.

Susan
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