towards bittorrent proxying (was Re: Bittorrent)

[Brian Kelsay]

Comments inline.

> Jonathan Hutchins <> 10/06/04 10:28AM >>>
>>On Tuesday 05 October 2004 10:05 pm, Brian Kelsay wrote:

>> I agree.  BitTorrent works.  

>If you haven't had problems with it, you're not much help troubleshooting it.

Why not?  I read enough while setting it up to understand how it works.  What is your specific problem, other than, it doesn't work?

>My firewall's built from scratch, so I have a pretty good idea how it works.  
>It does work.

If you've not had problems with your firewall, then you are not much help troubleshooting there.  You've never had a problem, so you must not know anything about it.  This door swings both ways.

>Bittorrent doesn't.

But why or how does it not work?  Give us something specific.  You sound like a newbie when you do this.  You should read the Jargon file regarding asking for help.
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

>Note that this is the problem: for the fortunate, bittorrent works.  For the 
>rest of us, it doesn't, and short of a major effort to troubleshoot it, it 
>won't.  Most of us aren't going to put that effort in, especially if there's 
>something available via FTP that will do the job we're actually trying to do.

Fortune/luck/karma/mojo/magic has nothing to do with it.  It is a piece of software with specific requirements.  It must be installed in a specific way to one place or another in the filesystem depending on if you have a packaged binary or self-compiled binary.  It may then need to be configured to work with your particular network as it is a network interacting program.  You will then need to open the specific range of ports in your firewall to match the config file.  Waving a dead chicken over it won't help.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent

If you aren't going to put effort in to fix your problem, then no one will want to help you.  Any time I am instructing a user on how to avoid spyware and viruses or attacks by computer gremlins, if I notice they aren't paying attention I stop.  I tell them that if they don't care to learn then I'll see them in a few weeks when they have the same problem.  It's not worth my time or effort at that point.   If you want to state specific problems about a specific piece of hardware or software along with the steps you have taken so far, then I'm sure someone will be glad to help you.  Look at Oren's and Hanasaki's problems from yesterday or mine from a few days ago.  How quickly were those solved?   Darkweb is supposed to bring his firewall in for a look-see tonight at the meeting too.

If FTP works for you, cool, use it.   BitTorrent is not the be all, end all in file transfer.  It is VERY good at moving ISO files or big files on release day thru the first week or month and sharing the load in the process.  If you can't get an ISO via either method, ask.  I have downloaded many distros for people because the same was done for me.  At most businesses you wouldn't be able to use BitTorrent as most ports are blocked to prevent filesharing.  This is because of the MP3 hounds on Kazaa.

>All the "helpful" suggestions from people who've never had a problem with 
>bittorrent notwithstanding, _FTP_ works.

I tried to be helpful with the information given.  I gave a general outline of how I got mine working.  It was a head scratcher for a few minutes as I was tired from work, but I was very motivated.  I really wanted the new Knoppix and it was only avail. via BT.   

I didn't mean to rant, but I do that sometimes.  I did and I do try to be specific and thorough with my answers so there is not much back and forth.  If I need to get several pieces of info to solve a problem, I ask for them all at once.  I occasionally harp on spelling and grammar because they are important in deciphering the problem or question.  If you have read some of the gobbledegook in forums I have, then you will understand.  Somewhere there are a lot of 15 yr. olds that are still in need of help, because they can't string a few words together in the proper order to make themselves understood.   To all those I have harped on or joked with about these subjects, this is the reason.  I can't say that I will stop.  Grammar Nazi out.

Brian Kelsay