TG that was a great post you did on leech control issues. You've pointed out the biggest problem with current leech control....the user doesn't really have much control. So far it seems more like an all or nothing kind of approach. P2p programs like eDonkey and Direct Connect use the forced sharing approach which works for some but it does alienate some honest users. Like your example about someone sharing a lot at home but is banned from sharing at work. Or on the opposite of the issue, networks like FastTrack and WinMx that don't really have much of an anti-leeching system seem to invite even honest users to leech. Like the old saying goes...locks keep honest people honest...or something like that.
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The next step would be to share your sharer/leech information with the peers you trust
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I really like your concept of this trust or peer rating for leech control. I don't believe the current technology can properly distinguish between a real sharer or a leech sharing fake files. There really should be some way for users to have a direct connection to the leech control process but not too much that they can tamper with the system so that it will work for them without having to share in the sense that we know it.
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Leeches and newbies would still be able to enter the network and the control system would allow them to download even at good speeds when there were no merited sharers competing for the bandwidth. But especially with the most popular downloads the leeches would know that their non-sharing would cost them longer wait times and thinner bandwidth. Similarly the newbies would be encouraged to start sharing as quickly as possible as this would only enhance their access to the network and its content.
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Definitely agree. There should be an incentive to share. A complete block out of non sharers like in some programs only alienates non-sharers and does not properly give them reasons to change. In worst case scenerio it only encourages them to hack a system so that they don't have to share. If you corner a scared animal with no way out then it forces the animal to take drastic measures. It also shouldn't punish users who have done their part in sharing but can't share while they are at work or something to that degree, but it needs to be able to distinguish those people from users that just lie about it. Like you said TG a more intelligent and reliable system is needed.
Well, it is a nice dream TG and one that I hope can soon be used by most of the p2p programs. It can be pretty disconcerting to know that a small p2p program like Direct Connect can have more shared files then a much larger program like Grokster/Kazaa. That just shows the benefits of everyone...well mostly everyone sharing. Although, there just needs to be a more reasonable form of leech control that will be accepted by the masses but be effective enough to give us almost similar results.
I think the first step in all of this is to harness that brain power of yours TG and distribute it to the developers of p2p programs. Only then will we ever make any progress on things that matter most
I wonder what the world would be like if TG were in control....I don't know if we should be overjoyed or scared at the seer wisdom you have over us....humans seem to be easily corrupted
