[DECtalk] Hosting torrent

Tony Baechler tony at baechler.net
Sat Aug 9 06:14:54 EDT 2008


Hi,

Jayson, I encourage you to write off-list to set up logistics.  No 
matter what, I and others will have to download the complete archive 
from you.  I still would prefer that you set up rsync for that purpose.  
Once I get everything, I have no problem creating and publishing the 
torrent assuming I can figure out what I'm doing.  You aren't really 
saving bandwidth if I am getting everything from you anyway, whether 
it's torrent, ftp, rsync or whatever.  The idea I had was that you would 
somehow give me everything you have, I would create the torrent file and 
send it back to you (or I suppose you could create it, but since I would 
be uploading to the tracker it would make more sense for me to create it 
instead), I find a public tracker, I go through whatever is necessary to 
get the torrent uploaded, I also post the raw .torrent file on my web 
space, I post here, and people can download like mad.  We would both be 
seeders so in theory, downloads would be up to twice as fast as they 
would be otherwise.  You can put a bandwidth limit on uploads and upload 
speed.  I'm using the BitTorrent client from Gentoo sources, 4.2 I 
believe.  It's old but it works.  There is also something called a 
trackerless client but I'm not sure what that is.

Once all of this gets set up and the torrent works, I would eventually 
not keep my client running.  I only have so much bandwidth to go around 
and the idea is that there would be a few regular seeders all the time.  
Instead, I would set up a private ftp download mirror requiring a user 
and password for people who don't want a torrent.  There is still a big 
issue in my mind though.  As you said, it's impossible to add to 
torrents or just download pieces of them.  What if there are new files 
uploaded?  My understanding is that you would have to make another new 
torrent and I would have to download all 1.3 GB over again.  I really 
don't like that which is why I again ask you to look at rsync.  With 
rsync, it saves bandwidth by only downloading the new and changed 
files.  If I'm going to be an up to date ftp mirror, I really need 
something like rsync as torrents just aren't practical for mirrors.  
Besides, I know others here don't have lots of bandwidth and don't want 
to wait for 24 hours or more every time a new file is added to download 
everything again.  Another nice thing about rsync is that it preserves 
dates and times.

Sorry all for getting into technical details.

Jayson Smith wrote:
>      At some point, I could start a Torrent. Remember, I think I've got a 
> tracker installed. Once I do, then Tony could start downloading from me. 
> After a while, we could both publicize the torrent file. Tony, am I right in 
> assuming that, when the masses get hold of this thing, it would be better 
> for there to be two sources for at least some of the material, rather than 
> everybody having to connect to only one source at first? That's how I've 
> always assumed a torrent would best be started.
> Jayson
>   




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