Microsoft builds a better Bit Torrent

[Vampyre]

Researchers at Microsoft's computer science lab in Cambridge have developed a peer-to-peer filesharing system that they say overcomes the scheduling problems associated with existing distribution protocols such as Bit Torrent.

The researchers claim download times are between 20-30 per cent faster, using their network coding approach, than on systems that only code at the server, and between 200 and 300 per cent faster than distributing un-encoded information.

View: Avalanche Whitepaper (http://www.research.microsoft.com/~pablo/papers/nc_contentdist.pdf)

[Goronmon]

Yeah...umm...I don't quite trust Microsoft with this sort of stuff, sorry...

[fndarkone]

so what do you think they are going to use it for? patch distribution?

[ldi222]

Maybe theyve discovered that mass piracy of their earlier operating systems has been a key growth factor for their current monopoly. Nah, I doubt it :)

[Varsity]

Everything they can, I reckon. The benefits over FTP can't be ignored. Any file you download from MS will likely be moved over to Avalanche in time.

Yeah...umm...I don't quite trust Microsoft with this sort of stuff, sorry...
It's a download protocol. What is there not to trust about it?

[Grimgrock]

It's a download protocol. What is there not to trust about it?


At the risk of being accused of baiting the flames of forest fire: It comes from Microsoft or people representing Microsoft. That is reason enough.

[DevDict]

Chances are you are currently using an operating system created by microsoft. If you do, then I don't see why you'd trust Microsoft for the OS but not for the download menager.

[Goronmon]

It's a download protocol. What is there not to trust about it?
Well, I'm not being anti-MS, just being skeptical that a large company would use some proprietary file-distribution mechanism like this without it giving them some sort of advantage over already available technologies.

[Goronmon]

Chances are you are currently using an operating system created by microsoft. If you do, then I don't see why you'd trust Microsoft for the OS but not for the download menager.
I'm more worried about uses outside of downloading XP patches.

At least from what I got from the article, they mean for this to replace BitTorrent for file distribution in general, and unless they make it free, I just would rather not use it.

[Deadend]

Thanks... but I will stick with Bittorrent.

I also know how to make it 20% faster... put fatter pipes on the Seeds.

As it is, I tend to be getting near the limit of my net connection.

[Varsity]

Well, I'm not being anti-MS, just being skeptical that a large company would use some proprietary file-distribution mechanism like this without it giving them some sort of advantage over already available technologies.
A 300% speed increase is a somewhat large advantage. ;)

I'm more worried about uses outside of downloading XP patches.

At least from what I got from the article, they mean for this to replace BitTorrent for file distribution in general, and unless they make it free, I just would rather not use it.
Of course it will be free, this is MS (and not a game/OS/Office suite). And if it wasn't you still wouldn't have anything to worry about because it would never catch on.

[crashedout]

Of course it gives them a benefit, they can decrease thier bandwidth usage and save money. Think about how many downloads they have daily then think of all the potential seeding those users could be doing. It better be faster than torrent and as fast as their current servers, I have never seen a fast torrent download, decent but no where near my max bandwidth.

[XxSATANxX]

I love Microsoft. The BT folks have already commented on how helpful this new protocol will be to BITORRENT. The connection goes something like the BT guy works for Valve who has a very close tie to folks at ***. I think we all should encourage development in file sharing. Only takes the community just a short time to strip out the DRM and add the new features into a new P2P app! Yea man go Microsoft!!!!

[Goronmon]

Of course it will be free, this is MS (and not a game/OS/Office suite). And if it wasn't you still wouldn't have anything to worry about because it would never catch on.
I meant free in the "free as in speech" context.

[Grimgrock]

Chances are you are currently using an operating system created by microsoft. If you do, then I don't see why you'd trust Microsoft for the OS but not for the download menager.


I am using Max OS 10.4. No WinXP for me.

[Phades]

I am using Max OS 10.4. No WinXP for me.

So sorry :)

[Heretic Machine]

Sooo... Microsoft makes a new technological development, there fore they are evil?

Hey guys, I have a great idea, let's burn all of our books and move into the mountains to live as hermits. Awesome.

[Varsity]

I love Microsoft. The BT folks have already commented on how helpful this new protocol will be to BITORRENT. The connection goes something like the BT guy works for Valve who has a very close tie to folks at ***. I think we all should encourage development in file sharing. Only takes the community just a short time to strip out the DRM and add the new features into a new P2P app! Yea man go Microsoft!!!!
Unless I'm very much behind, nobody has broken Microsoft's more recent security tech yet. No reason for this to be any different.

[montemuscle1970]

Microsoft just can't not put their hands in someone elses cookie jar.

I was going to say "Whats next, xxxxxxxxxx?" But I can't think of anything they're not in bed with already.

[joruussuun]

Microsoft just can't not put their hands in someone elses cookie jar.

I was going to say "Whats next, xxxxxxxxxx?" But I can't think of anything they're not in bed with already.

No Microsoft Mattresses... :D

[Vermillion]

I'm sorry. I don't need one of those new fangled automobiles. I stick with my horse and buggy. I know how to make my horse go 20-30% faster, hit it with a stick. No one needs to go faster than 10mph anyway. Besides, cars are just a way for the police to see my license plate when I steal from my neighbors, and I want none of that.

[Goronmon]

Sooo... Microsoft makes a new technological development, there fore they are evil?

Hey guys, I have a great idea, let's burn all of our books and move into the mountains to live as hermits. Awesome.
Sorry, you must have posted on the wrong thread...

[NACIONAL]

the ones gripping about the security flaws of Windows should see the flaws of linux (they exists, a lot, believe me).....

the problem is the malicious attacks.. they all are against microsoft... and of course, because of the huge installed base, therefore the huge news about flaws...

most of the security holes are detected before the attacks.. most of the people is lazy enough to never download the patches....(remember myDoom?...)

[montemuscle1970]

No Microsoft Mattresses... :D

They're pretty close (http://www.microsoft.com/resources/casestudies/CaseStudy.asp?CaseStudyID=16146) ;)

[XenonCJ]

No Microsoft Mattresses... :DThey make mousepads? Which from a mouse's point of view, COULD be considered a mattress?

[Mrbunchypants]

I'm going to sit on the fence with this one. it's good that i can download faster. bad that it just might be MS only. well for the first little while.
and whos to say they haven't hid some sort of code that let MS see what file is being sent.

[ElectricMonk]

i'm betting that they will develop it with some sort of drm scheme that prevents it from being used to pirate things. so only 'licensed' content like game demos and movie trailers and such can be added.

i'm also betting that all of the improvements in avalanche will end up integrated into bittorrent anyway, if it's possible.

[NACIONAL]

and whos to say they haven't hid some sort of code that let MS see what file is being sent.

ohh god... that kind of thinking its very very stupid... When the people will stop thinking in such conspiracy terms...

[Kelegacy]

Sweet. I'll use MS's Bit Torrent to download Longhorn or XP Pro! YES!

[Kelegacy]

Sooo... Microsoft makes a new technological development, there fore they are evil?

Hey guys, I have a great idea, let's burn all of our books and move into the mountains to live as hermits. Awesome.


No, they were evil long before this. My books are sacred to me; i cant burn them. Most are written by men, artists looking to survive on the written word (which is hard as hell, btw). Everyone knows that MS is really run by a huge Red Blob with Coal Eyes...and his consciousness is in and of itself a haven for demons. His dreams are a conglomeration of everything you've ever understood to be evil...and beyond. That's where Windows comes from. I use it, but then again, I'm evil too. But you know, the good kind of evil.

[Rone]

Anybody read the "Network Coding" section of the pdf? It sounds like BitTorrent combined with parity files. Neat idea.

[mister_slim]

So sorry :)
Hey, don't worry. Eventually Windows will catch up to 10.4 ...

[fndarkone]

now that i think about it, distributed downloads are probably going to be the "download of the future" until extremly highend bandwidth is available to the masses like dsl and cable are now. so it makes sense that ms gets in on it. at first i was just thinking "why would ms come up with something that would primarily be used for piracy?" but thats not exactly true.

[Subbacultcha]

It is a reasonable assumption that, no matter how marvelous the technology, MStorrent is intended for the benefit of Microsoft as the No. 1 aim. Sure it might be good. It might even be free. Guess what? Internet Explorer was pretty good shit for the first few years. That's the problem with accepting the now ubiquitous MS invasion of an existing standard. If they manage to monopolise P2P standards then watch out for an orgy of hackers attacking exploits in the code and/or the subsequent, DRM crippleware version of MStorrent that you'll eventually be forced to use.


I thought WMV was better than MPEG, before WMV movies started lauching pop-up ads.

[Cuba]

Of course it gives them a benefit, they can decrease thier bandwidth usage and save money. Think about how many downloads they have daily then think of all the potential seeding those users could be doing. It better be faster than torrent and as fast as their current servers, I have never seen a fast torrent download, decent but no where near my max bandwidth.They are perfectly free to put current downloads on BT, so why don't they? Wouldn't it be cheaper than developing their own software?

I regularly max out my BT connection on a single file.