“Localhost is a program that lets you access a shared, world-wide file system through your web browser. This file system is maintained in a fully decentralized way by all of the computers running Localhost. The program uses BitTorrent technology, and new distributed hashtable technology called Kademlia. Every user accesses the system from the same root folder. You can change any folder (including the root folder) by adding files and/or folders to it.”
Kademlia is used in other tools like Overnet, too.
New probably not the right word, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kademlia
For one, it seems odd to be trying to work file sharing on a structured file set, rather than using search. It would make sense that it would increase discoverability of resources, but it sounds impossible to manage with any real cohesion.
Also, bittorrent seems an odd choice. I’ve always considered it to be suited most to big single files, rather than many small (and possible mutating) ones.
On the other hand, it sounds like it would be very cool to try out on a limited access but high speed network, where changes would find themselves propagated fairly quickly.
That’s what was said about a large scale wiki for all to write in.
wikipedia.org is working so far though.
I think giving a group of people the duty of organizing things would probably improve it alot. But I’d say, due to the nature of the differing files, that this would be harder to enforce than something text based.
But, it’s the guys research project. So failure is a valid outcome for the author…
hopefully it will be used for legal sharing.
But what’s the bet this ‘network’ will be a just another kazaa.
Bittorrent is terrible for this sort of thing.
Bittorrent relies on a large number of people all wanting the same file at at same time. That’s it’s advantage over other ‘networks’.
using bittorrent, users are more likely to contribute their upstream bandwidth so they can get the file they have requested.
There is much less incentive to contribute bandwidth when you already have the file.
– Jesse McNelis
To me, this seems like it could be most useful as a central bulletin board system for a corporation or other large entity, where lots of people WOULD want such a thing.
I get the impression this is like a shared network drive, via bittorrent so as to reduce network strain from a central server.
Granted, the concept of different versions of each folder seems curious and confusing… But I’m gonna guess this is a rough draft. If it takes off I bet people would get used to it.
I like that sentance in the middle. I’m gunna use it.
“I get the impression this is like a shared network drive, via bittorrent so as to reduce network strain from a central server. ”
Tom.
wow, it’s sounds cool 😀
I however would like to see a system where you could store terabytes of data which is split up amoungst many hosts in encrypted packets nobody could make sense of. It would also have to be SMB and NFS compatible.
Then I could finally make a dvd jukebox for my movies on the cheap
I’ll reserve judgement until I give it a try.
Hope they port it to linux soon, or can’t use it!
…I’m a bit perplexed at what exactly this program does. Is it just another file-sharing program but with a BitTorrent protocol as the sharing method? How would this be different (aside from using the BitTorrent protocol obviously) to, say, iFolder?
http://www.ifolder.com/
Also, on Localhost’s website they say that if you close the program and nobody else is viewing that folder, that folder dissapears? That seems odd to me…what happens if your computer suddenly goes down and you can’t get it back up and running quickly? That wouldn’t be very good for the productivity of your employees, right?
I’m not sure… but IIRC, iFolder does “sync” every file on the folder for everyone subscribing it… Localhost seens to me more like a “Directory” for files. So, you don’t have most of them, just the ones you’re publishing (seeding), probably a lot less than the ones avaible in the entire “filesystem”.
I just tried it and looks like a very good idea, sure it needs some polishing, but still a good idea. (won’t be good for sharing pictures and similar stuff, but as a software directory, it has future.
This demonstration is a lot like the demonstration of IBM’s “head tracking” technology earlier that had a little video window that did nothing. I got to stare at this for several minutes!:
—
Folder still downloading.
The folder is being downloaded. Please wait 10 seconds, then press refresh.
If not downloaded within one minute, check the Localhost program.
—
Reloading did nothing. Thanks for sharing!
We on the internet demand to have NFS for unix clients or CIFS for windows clients. I hate it when the wheel is reinvented on top of the latest buzz (like bitorrent)
People with a Bittorrent ratio of <1 are unlikely to warm to the idea, I think. So, you want to be part of a huge online filesystem, including multiple versions of all the files/folders out there, not just the ones you’re interested in? Now you’re not just donating wheens of bandwidth as you do with BT, you’re also donating a disproportionate amount of disk.
Fine if you have disk to spare, but not me baby. If it supports creating your own mini-network among a predefined group of peers, then it’s got legs, I could see my company using it even. Otherwise I see it being a big mess, a time-waster not unlike del.icio.us, just another ‘democracy’ dominated by niche geekdom (geek nichedom?).
And yes, like most of my prognostications on The Next Big Thing(TM) over the years, I’ll probably eat my words with ketchup in six months’ time.
it just doesn’t work out for the user