Hornet
December 7th, 2004, 08:30 AM
These are my three information technology laws of file sharing.
Obvious?
Common sense?
Right or wrong?
Do you have anymore?
1st Law of P2P File Sharing:
Every bit of data downloaded must have been uploaded.
So overall no network is faster than any other as uploads must equal downloads on any network. Multi-source / swarming by itself does not increase download speed.
Networks that have high download speed have a greater number of users that upload more than they download.
For example, the majority of Bit Torrent users feel that they should at the very least maintain an upload/download ratio of above one for every file they download even if they can download faster than they can upload. This leads to faster downloads for everyone.
2nd Law of P2P File Sharing:
The size of a network’s user base is indirectly and inversely related to download speed.
Networks with large user bases have slower downloads than small ones.
The majority of files on a P2P network are provided a small minority of enthusiastic users who often join networks early on.
As the network becomes more popular it attracts a greater proportion of users who want to download files but who don’t have the technical skill or motivation to provide files to the network.
Law one states that uploads have to equal downloads, therefore downloads slow as there are more users demanding files without a corresponding increase in the number of users providing files.
For example, the ed2k network, a very large network, is often slower than say a DC hub which has a smaller user base of enthusiasts.
3rd Law of P2P File Sharing:
The more upload bandwidth donated by users of a network then the faster that network.
It is often social pressure or a technical feature of the p2p file sharing application that ensures that users donates a high proportion of their available upload bandwidth to the network and that they don’t leach.
For example, leachers on Winmx often receive messages telling them to mend their ways. Many DC hubs have rules to discourage leachers from joining. To download on Bit Torrent you have to upload.
Proxy Networks (such as Ants):
It should be noted that due to laws 1.2 and 3 proxy networks have slower download speeds than direct connect* networks.
This is due to proxy data having to be downloaded and uploaded more than once (law 1).
As file providers also proxy data their upload bandwidth is used up even faster than on direct connect networks (law 2).
Also, proxy networks need users to donate much more upload bandwidth than direct connect networks making them even slower (law 3).
Fast proxy networks need an efficient node layout (topology) so fewer hops(less bandwidth) used for each download(law 1); to be small(law 2) and to attract users who want to share rather than download (law 3). A prime example of this is “Share” an off-shoot of Winny (Japanese).
The price for users wanting to share anonymously is slower downloads.
*Direct connect networks are ordinary p2p networks such as edonkey and winmx as oppose to proxy networks that don't connect users directly"
Hornet
Obvious?
Common sense?
Right or wrong?
Do you have anymore?
1st Law of P2P File Sharing:
Every bit of data downloaded must have been uploaded.
So overall no network is faster than any other as uploads must equal downloads on any network. Multi-source / swarming by itself does not increase download speed.
Networks that have high download speed have a greater number of users that upload more than they download.
For example, the majority of Bit Torrent users feel that they should at the very least maintain an upload/download ratio of above one for every file they download even if they can download faster than they can upload. This leads to faster downloads for everyone.
2nd Law of P2P File Sharing:
The size of a network’s user base is indirectly and inversely related to download speed.
Networks with large user bases have slower downloads than small ones.
The majority of files on a P2P network are provided a small minority of enthusiastic users who often join networks early on.
As the network becomes more popular it attracts a greater proportion of users who want to download files but who don’t have the technical skill or motivation to provide files to the network.
Law one states that uploads have to equal downloads, therefore downloads slow as there are more users demanding files without a corresponding increase in the number of users providing files.
For example, the ed2k network, a very large network, is often slower than say a DC hub which has a smaller user base of enthusiasts.
3rd Law of P2P File Sharing:
The more upload bandwidth donated by users of a network then the faster that network.
It is often social pressure or a technical feature of the p2p file sharing application that ensures that users donates a high proportion of their available upload bandwidth to the network and that they don’t leach.
For example, leachers on Winmx often receive messages telling them to mend their ways. Many DC hubs have rules to discourage leachers from joining. To download on Bit Torrent you have to upload.
Proxy Networks (such as Ants):
It should be noted that due to laws 1.2 and 3 proxy networks have slower download speeds than direct connect* networks.
This is due to proxy data having to be downloaded and uploaded more than once (law 1).
As file providers also proxy data their upload bandwidth is used up even faster than on direct connect networks (law 2).
Also, proxy networks need users to donate much more upload bandwidth than direct connect networks making them even slower (law 3).
Fast proxy networks need an efficient node layout (topology) so fewer hops(less bandwidth) used for each download(law 1); to be small(law 2) and to attract users who want to share rather than download (law 3). A prime example of this is “Share” an off-shoot of Winny (Japanese).
The price for users wanting to share anonymously is slower downloads.
*Direct connect networks are ordinary p2p networks such as edonkey and winmx as oppose to proxy networks that don't connect users directly"
Hornet