Re: Easier and more reliable ISO downloads, with error correction
Anthony Bryan wrote: I usually get slow speeds on BitTorrent. I download via HTTP (using multiple mirrors) and then seed the torrent for the rest. As do I. There are several files that have left me stranded for so long that I ended up just using HTTP and discarding the nearly-complete torrent. That said, I prefer to use torrents and give something back. That isn't such an issue with Ubuntu, as the local mirror has near-unlimited bandwidth and commercial reasons why they want people to use them as much as possible. So for Ubuntu, I use direct HTTP. Given that the metalink files are XML, there seems no reason that I can see why they couldn't include bittorrent trackers. That would allow the bittorrent client in Ubuntu, for example, to test out the different trackers and use the best one(s). If speed dropped below a certain point, or a chunk wasn't in the bittorrent mesh, HTTP could be used to the extent necessary to top up the downloading. In order to implement this, Ubuntu would realistically need some sort of download manager. I was a big fan of GetRight when I used Windows. I would be happy if I loaded up Hardy and it had a sparkly new download manager, fully integrated with every desktop app that may download something (Firefox etc.) and handling metalinks and torrents (including metalink files with torrent info). Anything that isn't downloaded and displayed within the browser window is really the same from the user's point of view and the interface should probably be the same. I don't, however, expect the developers to divert resources from higher priorities to create one when the tools already integrated into U/Gobuntu already work. Aaron -- FSF Associate Member: 5632 -- Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss
Re: Easier and more reliable ISO downloads, with error correction
To follow up on my original post, Agostino Russo (Wubi author) pushed for metalinks at UDS Boston and it sounds like they should hopefully be ready for Hardy: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-cdimage/+bug/140458/ On 11/5/07, Aaron Whitehouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anthony Bryan wrote: I usually get slow speeds on BitTorrent. I download via HTTP (using multiple mirrors) and then seed the torrent for the rest. As do I. There are several files that have left me stranded for so long that I ended up just using HTTP and discarding the nearly-complete torrent. That said, I prefer to use torrents and give something back. That isn't such an issue with Ubuntu, as the local mirror has near-unlimited bandwidth and commercial reasons why they want people to use them as much as possible. So for Ubuntu, I use direct HTTP. I do the same thing. I assume other people are trying to contribute like that as well. Given that the metalink files are XML, there seems no reason that I can see why they couldn't include bittorrent trackers. That would allow the bittorrent client in Ubuntu, for example, to test out the different trackers and use the best one(s). If speed dropped below a certain point, or a chunk wasn't in the bittorrent mesh, HTTP could be used to the extent necessary to top up the downloading. Yes, that's one of the features of metalinks, you can include a URL to a torrent now. Still working out some of the implementation details for including torrent info like trackers etc in the XML. In order to implement this, Ubuntu would realistically need some sort of download manager. I was a big fan of GetRight when I used Windows. I would be happy if I loaded up Hardy and it had a sparkly new download manager, fully integrated with every desktop app that may download something (Firefox etc.) and handling metalinks and torrents (including metalink files with torrent info). Anything that isn't downloaded and displayed within the browser window is really the same from the user's point of view and the interface should probably be the same. I don't, however, expect the developers to divert resources from higher priorities to create one when the tools already integrated into U/Gobuntu already work. I don't know of any maintained ready GTK download managers. Celerius is one that's in progress that eventually will support everything you've mentioned. You can find it at http://celerius.tuxfamily.org/ GetRight is great and supports this now but it's Windows only. Free Download Manager, another metalink/torrent client, is GPLv3 now, but Windows only as well. -- (( Anthony Bryan ... Metalink [ http://www.metalinker.org ] )) Easier, More Reliable, Self Healing Downloads -- Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss
Re: Easier and more reliable ISO downloads, with error correction
On 11/4/07, John Richard Moser [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anthony Bryan wrote: Hi, Have you thought about using Metalinks for your ISO downloads? It's an XML format used by download apps, and contains the ways to get a file (mirrors/P2P) along with info for automatic error detection/recovery (checksums) and other stuff. Bittorrent. It makes things simpler for the user, since they don't have to manually try a bunch of servers that could be down, can use local mirrors first, and can repair downloads (very useful for large files like ISOs). Bittorrent. It's not an either/or situation :) They are used together. Metalink is focused on describing the content and how to get it, the download client can use ftp, http, torrent, or other p2p to get the files. If you've been following the thread, you've realized that bittorrent isn't possible or preferable to everyone in every situation. There are always going to be some people downloading ISOs from ftp/http mirrors, and those people would definitely be better off using a metalink for the higher availability/reliability and automatic error correction. -- (( Anthony Bryan ... Metalink [ http://www.metalinker.org ] )) Easier, More Reliable, Self Healing Downloads -- Ubuntu-devel-discuss mailing list Ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel-discuss
