Re: bittorent on dialup

[bob parker <bob_parker@ozonline.com.au>]

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 13:30, Katipo wrote:
> Paul Johnson wrote:
> >csj <csj@zapo.net> writes:
> >>A number of media files I want to download are available only on
> >>bittorrent format.  I know about the advantages of bittorrent for
> >>broadband users with underutilized bandwidth.  But I'm on dialup.
> >>My bandwidth gets saturated with a simple "wget -c linux.iso" (a
> >>52K modem that feels more like 45K).  So are there any
> >>disadvantages to using bittorent with a plain dialup line?
> >
> >You will never finish the download.  Your connection is too slow.
>
> I understand that bittornado is better than torrent?
> So these apps provide no advantage over conventional dial-up download
> speeds?
> Thanks for any advice.

The advantage of bittorent is that it takes the load off the server. The only 
way it might help the downloader is by potentially keeping the d/l speed up 
to the full capability of the connection rather than being throttled by a 
busy server. But every last byte of the original file still must be funnelled 
through the dialup modem or whatever. Never heard of tornado but it sounds 
like it is a similar method.

Contrast these with jigdo which takes the load of both the server and the 
downloader by downloading only what the downloader does not already have 
available locally. Like wise rsync in very particular circumstances.

Cheers
Bob Parker