#10 BitTorrent  

Avatar Image  by strudlez strudlez: 130 points  3 years ago

http://www.bittorrent.com/ BitTorrent is a peer-assisted, digital content delivery platform that provides the fastest, most efficient means of distributing, discovering, and consuming large, high-quality files on the Web.

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kmag kmag: 25 points   3 years ago
I'm a big fan of Python, but is Bittorrent really everyone's favorite implementation of the Bittorrent protocol?
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rootneg2 rootneg2: 4,940 points   3 years ago
kmag:

I dunno about other people. But I'm voting for the protocol, not the "official" client.

I use Opera -- not open source :o( -- and it has a builtin bittorrent client. Outside of opera, though I do happen to like the bittorrent client; I'm a CLI fan, and it's nice and lightweight. Bittornado and transmission are pretty decent too.
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palmed palmed: 13 points   3 years ago
Bittorrent is the most awesome technology ever, and it is by far the greatest way to receive large files (hopefully legally..*cough cough*). Personally I am voting for the protocol, since I use Azureus.
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kmag kmag: 25 points   3 years ago

The protocol has no source code to be open, and is therefore not an Open Source project.

A vote for Bittorrent would presumably be a vote for the official Bittorrent implementation from bittorrent.com.

I'm not saying Bittorrent.com doesn't have a great product, I just think a lot of people are thinking of other implementations when they're voting for Bittorrent.com

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rootneg2 rootneg2: 4,940 points   3 years ago

kmag:

Well the official client is essentially the reference implementation.

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kmag kmag: 25 points   3 years ago

rootneg2:

So we're in agreement then that a vote for Bittorrent as an Open Source project would presumably be a vote for the Bittorrent.com implementation of the Bittorent protocol?

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rootneg2 rootneg2: 4,940 points   3 years ago

kmag:

hmmmmm........ you make a good point, but I'm still gonna have to say:

Nope, I'm voting for it more of less as a protocol (and I think that most other people are as well)

The actual question states that it's not limited to specifically Open-Source software, but rather projects that embody the essential philosophy.

As the reference implementation, the BitTorrent client essentially defines the protocol. So I suppose I'm more or less making a semantic distinction between the canonical "example" and the definition it implies. Same reason I voted for "Gnutella" over "Limewire". All the clients have the uniting theme of their underlying protocol; and THAT is the important piece in my mind. All the clients could wither up and die, but the protocol could still be in use and doing good.

I guess it all boils down to having a good label that fits the right scope of things you want to encompass

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