Seeding latest releases as torrents

[Hawk]

I have noticed that the direct downloads for FreeOrion releases can be, at times, very slow. Would it be worth seeding the releases as torrents and having the server act as a tracker service and offer the torrent files as well as direct download options for those who don't wish to use a torrent client. That way, people downloading the releases can effectively download them from each-other as well as the server, so we'd get the releases faster, and there would be less burden placed on the server.

[em3]

Would it be worth seeding the releases as torrents and having the server act as a tracker service and offer the torrent files as well as direct download options for those who don't wish to use a torrent client.

If by "the server" you mean your personal computer that is up full-time and is connected to a high bandwidth cable... I think you might get a green light from the devs.
Otherwise I don't know what server are you referring to.

[Geoff the Medio]

...having the server act as a tracker service...

If you mean the same server as the freeorion.org web host, I don't think anyone involved knows how to do that. Also, we definitely don't want to host the installer downloads on the web server, and I don't know if it's even possible to link to a sourceforge download as a backup seed...

[Zireael]

I don't think having FO on torrents would improve its reputation and the download number and quality. To the contrary - it could have detrimental effects and be seen as a pirated version of Master of Orion 3.

[eleazar]

...and be seen as a pirated version of Master of Orion 3.

That doesn't strike me as very likely. Nor do i see how that would reflect badly on this project. Only with the most cursory examination could confusing them be possible, and it is just as possible now.

[Hawk]

Wow, lots of responses.

If by "the server" you mean your personal computer that is up full-time and is connected to a high bandwidth cable... I think you might get a green light from the devs.
Otherwise I don't know what server are you referring to.

I was talking about the server currently used to host to the game releases, but it sounds like that is run by SourceForge so it wouldn't be possible. Unless we can convince SourceForge to provide a torrent service as an alternative to direct downloads. No doubt they could benefit from using this technology also.

If you mean the same server as the freeorion.org web host, I don't think anyone involved knows how to do that. Also, we definitely don't want to host the installer downloads on the web server, and I don't know if it's even possible to link to a sourceforge download as a backup seed...

It would require installing a torrent server, the software is simple and straightforward to use, but I wasn't thinking about the web host as that isn't ideal for distributing large files.

Perhaps the web host could run the tracker service only, that is very lightweight, and it could be up to the first few users to download the installer from SourceForge and post up a torrent on the web host for others to download. The torrent files themselves are typically only a few Kb in size, and all the tracker has to do is keep track of who is seeding and who is leaching the torrents.

I don't think having FO on torrents would improve its reputation and the download number and quality. To the contrary - it could have detrimental effects and be seen as a pirated version of Master of Orion 3.

Apologies if I wasn't clear. I was suggesting that the torrents be hosted on a FreeOrion server, and tracked by a FreeOrion server, that serves only FreeOrion releases. It would be completely separate from any pirate torrent sites. They would not be able to find the official FreeOrion releases in searches, and you would not be able to find pirated media through FreeOrion websites. This kind of technology is used by many other developers, it brings a great benefit to small groups but is also used by large companies such as Blizzard for the MMO World of Warcraft to distribute client updates.

That doesn't strike me as very likely. Nor do i see how that would reflect badly on this project. Only with the most cursory examination could confusing them be possible, and it is just as possible now.

Indeed. It is altogether possible that some torrent fans have already seeded FreeOrion releases and placed their torrent links up on a variety of different torrent search engines, but most FreeOrion players wouldn't be looking for them there, they'd be looking for them here.

[LonghornXtreme]

I'd be willing to host some torrents. I have about a TB of bandwidth I don't use each month. As long as y'all know my business takes priority over the torrent nd I might rate throttle it as convenient to me.

[LonghornXtreme]

Here we go:

http://texasxtreme.com/torrents/

All four versions of the current release are on there. Feel free to post them wherever. My upload is approximately 10MB/s. I reserve the right to stop seeding them at any time. But, I did not create the torrents with my own tracker so the swarm won't 'die' if I stop seeding.

Devs, feel free to contact me before a release if you want to coordinate the .torrent files.

Edit: fixed hyperlink

[Hawk]

Very nice! I am helping to seed those now too, to further increase download speeds. I hope others will join in also.

I had a problem with the http://texasxtreme.com/torrents/freeori ... eb.torrent
It failed with the error "Torrent is not valid bencoding!"

Would the devs be interested in publicising this download option?

[LonghornXtreme]

I'm not sure what's wrong with the torrent file. Let me look into it.

[LonghornXtreme]

I'm getting the same result on the amd64 build. Let me remake the torrent and I'll update the web page.

[LonghornXtreme]

Fixed! Let me know if that works correctly for you.

[Hawk]

Works great for me now. Seeding that one too.