The BitTorrent File Copying Tool [LWN.net]

BitTorrent is a cross-platform peer-to-peer file distribution system. It is designed to provide better download speed if you are willing to dedicate more bandwidth to uploading.

The project description on the GNU directory page says:

BitTorrent is a tool for copying files from one machine to another. FTP punishes sites for being popular. Since all uploading is done from one place, a popular site needs big iron and big bandwidth. With BitTorrent, clients automatically mirror files they download, making the publisher's burden almost nothing.

The software is written in Python2 and C. BitTorrent runs on a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac OS-X, and Windows. BitTorrent is distributed under the MIT License.

The BitTorrent introduction document and the BitTorrent FAQ have more information about the project.

The BitTorrent Protocol Specification explains how the system works. As with other peer-to-peer systems, BitTorrent needs to have its incoming port enabled on your local firewall.

The value of such a system is mostly dependent on the availability of files, Smiler's BitTorrent site has a lengthy list of BitTorrent links.

One interesting site that is using BitTorrent is bt.etree.org. "This site is provided by the etree.org community for sharing the live concert recordings of trade friendly artists. Please tell your friends and family about new bands that catch your ear, and support these artists by going to see them live and buying their CDs!"

Stable version 3.4 of BitTorrent, "with lots of bug fixes and tracker bandwidth savings", was released this week. This version was not quite ready for prime-time, the download page notes: "The 3.4 release turns out to be buggy. We'll push out another release very soon, in the meantime this page has been set to point to the 3.3 release."

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The BitTorrent File Copying Tool

Posted Mar 11, 2004 11:59 UTC (Thu) by pointwood (subscriber, #2814) [Link]

I use the Azureus client: http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

It's a Java client and will therefore not suit everyone, but it's the best client I've tried.

Transfers within the LAN?

Posted Mar 11, 2004 19:49 UTC (Thu) by lakeland (subscriber, #1157) [Link]

I use bittorrent a bit, and apart from the (deliberate) lack of a search feature and the hassles involved in setting up a tracker, it seems to work well. One server-level nag I have is that it connects you to a randomly chosen other user, rather than one nearby (IP-wise). I acknowledge that 'nearby' is slower to execute than selecting someone at random, but nearby connections are usually faster and cheaper. I emailed the author offering to implement it, but he didn't reply.

Transfers within the LAN?

Posted Mar 13, 2004 17:18 UTC (Sat) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

I don't see how you would do that... One reason that BT works so well is that it assumes all your peers are liars (versions of the BT client hacked to unfairly increase download speeds). In the case of file traders, this ain't a bad assumption. IP location seems like one more vector where peers can lie to each other. Wouldn't it be simpler and more reliable to just go with the fastest peers you can find, regardless of where they're located?

Transfers within the LAN?

Posted Mar 13, 2004 19:49 UTC (Sat) by lakeland (subscriber, #1157) [Link]

Hmm. Firstly, faking your IP address is fairly tricky. Especially since
that is the only thing given to your peer for uploading.

A couple corrections

Posted Mar 12, 2004 2:59 UTC (Fri) by rcohen (subscriber, #5736) [Link]

Except for some OS-X-specific code, BitTorrent is written in pure Python.

BitTorrent does not need an incoming port to be enabled on your firewall, but will get better performance if it is.

The BitTorrent File Copying Tool

Posted Mar 22, 2004 16:15 UTC (Mon) by rabnud (guest, #2839) [Link]

When I mentioned 2 common download situations where BT (re)serving software would NOT be installed (per BT requirements of reserving what we downloaded), BT responded essentially: 'tough, use our software or get kicked off for being a jerk'.

Hey, BT: kindly explain why, for the corporate web user who cannot install BT software due to company IT policy, or for the dialup user who can't meet minimum upload speeds, DO explain why does BT issue such a tough attitude about these two situations? Do you think we are all IT policy setters? Do you blind yourself to the fact that much of the world is NOT broadband and will not become broadband in the forseeable future? Why are you 'building in' prejudice against these 2 situations?

And BTW, for the BT enabled users: I hear that some BT sites are slower via BT versus accesing the same file from the same site without BT, even over broadband, with the BT client software installed... So, ultimately, is BT any benefit, for all the BT attitude?

I can't say nice things about this.