[X4U] ISPs, DSL, dhcp vs. PPPoE, and VOIP

[Stroller]

On 7 Dec 2007, at 15:01, Jim Robertson wrote:
> On 12/6/07 5:36 AM, "Stroller" <macmonster at myrealbox.com> wrote:
>
>> In fact, your son IS hosting when he downloads via BitTorrent, or
>> should be, as it is a distributed protocol - clients are configured
>> to share the parts of the file they've already got and give
>> preference to other clients who have shared most with them (i.e.
>> discriminating against those who don't share).
>
> And there's some flexibility in how the client is configured so  
> that you're
> basically a scavenger rather than a sharer. I'd have to look at how  
> it's set
> up again on his machine.


   What sets BitTorrent apart is its very robust technique for rewarding
   specifically the peers which upload the most, known as leech
   resistance. On the highest level, this prevents a long-term meltdown
   of the system from being caused by people running leeching clients.
   It also causes upload and download rates to be somewhat correlated,
   so peers on good pipes get decent download rates, which increases
   general good feeling about how the system behaves.

   Bram Cohen, http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/ 
03/06/02/1216202.shtml?tid=126&tid=185&tid=95

I haven't checked lately - it's been about 3 years since I really  
used BitTorrent - but my experience has been that if you don't share  
you get near-zero download speeds. Note that many clients allow you  
to limit the upload rate of your client - this prevents you  
saturating your broadband connection - but setting the limit to "0"  
generally means "no limit" rather than 0 kbps.

It's also considered quite rude to leech BitTorrent, but I appreciate  
that if one's kid is pirating music or software or films then he may  
(in some jurisdictions?) only be prosecuted for his uploading, not  
his downloading.

Stroller.