BitTorrent idea

[PeterOliver]

So an idea popped into my head for a new way to download torrents that makes it way easier.

You know how when you download a torrent, your system can bog down sometimes? Azureus is pretty resource intensive, and any clients tend to use all the bandwidth you have, making everything internet-based pretty damn slow. You can limit the transfer speeds, but who wants to intentionally slow down a download. When I download something, I tend to want it quickly.

So what if you could go to a website and have it download the torrents on their server, and then when you are ready you can do a simple/reliable http download? Torrents are notoriously unreliable and it seriously sucks when you download 99% of some 2gig file and couldn't use your comp that entire time.

There is a project called TorrentFlux that could be modified to provide this. But I'm not sure it's worth it? Would you guys use something like that? I would, but maybe I'm not the norm? Thoughts?

More info based on comments made: https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...ost&p=587507095

Edited May 14, 2006 by PeterOliver

[Pupik]

Storage and bandwidth costs?

[PeterOliver]

Storage and bandwidth costs?

Let's say a finished torrent get's deleted 24 hours after completion automatically.

Bandwidth wise, a cheap dedicated server comes with 1tb of bandwidth. Let's say 20 clients on it each given 50 gigs of bw to burn a month? I for one don't DL 50 gigs worth of stuff a month via BT.

[atomicski]

the idea makes sense, and if you want to do it, you can. Just get a dedicated server (lots of money) and set it to download your torrents..then ftp into it and dl them when you want.

[Maxious]

So an idea popped into my head for a new way to download torrents that makes it way easier.

I think its a brilliant idea for everyone: Your clients get files off BitTorrent easily, The other peers get a *good* seed, and you've got a business that has a good working revenue (you're only paying for the servers + what data transfer people actually use rather than having excess stock).

Remember that you need to factor in the cost of downloading, seeding and then sending them a complete copy.

Have a system that recognises when a torrent has already been recently downloaded and pass that on.

[shthead]

You would have to make sure the people are only getting linux ISO's, if you get caugt out doing illegal things you may get into a little trouble....

[gryffin]

thought of this idea before but it wont work

first most of the stuff will be warez

second you have treble the bandwith costs, 1gb turns into 3 or 4gb once you download it, seed it and let them download it at least once

[Pupik]

Let's say a finished torrent get's deleted 24 hours after completion automatically.

Bandwidth wise, a cheap dedicated server comes with 1tb of bandwidth. Let's say 20 clients on it each given 50 gigs of bw to burn a month? I for one don't DL 50 gigs worth of stuff a month via BT.

Well, by that logic. Everything seems cool and nice.

But, what you gonna do about the ratio (I understand the server gonna download, without uploading back to the tracker. I mean, if the server uploads, your bandwidth will jump even higher (Not including the upload of the finished downloaded file from the torrent to the user))?

Many of the clients simple limit speeds to other clients (Web based probably too) that just leech or limit in big percentages their upload speed, to keep the P2P alive.

In that case, it will take a big amount of time to download the torrent and not many users will wait that long.

It will be simpler to just put the torrent over night back at home.

[tima89]

You could make it paid (per GB, let's say) and market as an alternative to proxies for people behind firewalls or on public computers without torrent clients.

The price can't be high though, and provided most people (i suspect) use BT to download warez, we can deduct that they don't want to pay anything. And yeah, i think even advertisement will not be able to support huge bandwidth costs.

[Popcorned1]

Not a bad idea and it has been done before for the service rapidshare.

There are some things which are bad though. If someone found the file on the server, you would be providing direct downloads right? For warez this is real bad.

Bad idea.

[shooter468]

I think ?Torrent is gonna start something like this

[Civilian]

i do that very same thing with my dedicated server, it downloads and seeds the torrent keeping me with a sweet ratio and then just download it to my computer via ftp at my net's max speed :cool:

but yeah it is expensive

[Quactaur]

Also, while this is a good idea, the notion of waiting for the server to finish downloading a file, then you downloading off that server again will seriously slow it down. For the money you're paying for dedicated servers, you could easily buy a cheap system and make that a dedicated torrent server in your house.

[DomZ]

If your downloading from private trackers, and good ones at that. The dedicated server will be downloading at like 100mbit speed most probably, as the seeds tend to be on dedicated servers to start with.

[»X«]

Good idea, especially when ISPS are blocking people from downloading torrents. Besides my modem cant handle torrents so this idea works for me.

CLick download shutdown the computer and come back later. Getting an email when its done? Or even a txt? Great idea!

[PeterOliver]

I think its a brilliant idea for everyone: Your clients get files off BitTorrent easily, The other peers get a *good* seed, and you've got a business that has a good working revenue (you're only paying for the servers + what data transfer people actually use rather than having excess stock).

Remember that you need to factor in the cost of downloading, seeding and then sending them a complete copy.

Have a system that recognises when a torrent has already been recently downloaded and pass that on.

I think it would work that each user would be given a total set amount of bandwidth. Then, downloading of the torrent, as well as downloading of the file when it is complete, all comes out of that. The upload bandwidth used would not be counted towards the amount they are given, as that is outside the users control and we will manage/limit it fairly.

Also, each person's files are private. Only they will be able to access them, and a file is deleted 24 hours after initial completion. This way no pirated material stays on the server for very long if it is downloaded.

You would have to make sure the people are only getting linux ISO's, if you get caugt out doing illegal things you may get into a little trouble....

Files are deleted automatically after 24 hours. We would not be monitoring all the downloads and checking to see if the downloader has the copyright to download each file, as it just isn't feasible. BT is heavily used for legal purposes, and is even supported by the RIAA. (This would all be information on the site explaining why this is a legal service. Yes people will use it for piracy, but it has very very legit purposes as well. Large podcasts?) Warner Brothers is even going to be using it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12694081/

Well, by that logic. Everything seems cool and nice.

But, what you gonna do about the ratio (I understand the server gonna download, without uploading back to the tracker. I mean, if the server uploads, your bandwidth will jump even higher (Not including the upload of the finished downloaded file from the torrent to the user))?

Many of the clients simple limit speeds to other clients (Web based probably too) that just leech or limit in big percentages their upload speed, to keep the P2P alive.

In that case, it will take a big amount of time to download the torrent and not many users will wait that long.

It will be simpler to just put the torrent over night back at home.

The server will be uploading. It will be limited and upload bandwidth is not charged to the user. Their alloted bandwidth is for the downloading of the torrent and downloading off the file once it is finished.

Good idea, especially when ISPS are blocking people from downloading torrents. Besides my modem cant handle torrents so this idea works for me.

CLick download shutdown the computer and come back later. Getting an email when its done? Or even a txt? Great idea!

Some kind of notification system could work as well, yes. But these downloads go surprisingly quickly on a good server with a fat connection. My test setup is a 10mbit connection, so just imagine a 100mbit line downloading a 700mb linux iso in a couple minutes max.

[shooter468]

brilliant idea! :)

i started using Torrent Flux and i have to say im impressed i never thought of doing something like this before!