Looking for open source project maintainer

[Ulli Horlacher]

F*IX is a java applet client for F*EX, a web based software for personal
based file transfer of ANY size:

http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/fffex/

F*IX and F*EX are GPL open source.

The current F*IX maintainer has no more time for this project and so I am
looking for a successor.

The tasks are:

Receive bug reports and make bug fixes (eg "window is too small" or "error
message is incomprehensible"). This happens about once a month or so.

Optional is implementation of new features like chunk-mode for HTTP proxy.

F*IX has currently 70 kB source code including comments.

You will get an account on fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de with virtually
unlimited disk space, and glory and honour

--
Ullrich Horlacher Informationssysteme und Serverbetrieb
Rechenzentrum E-Mail: (e-mail address removed)-stuttgart.de
Universitaet Stuttgart Tel: ++49-711-685-65868
Allmandring 30 Fax: ++49-711-682357
70550 Stuttgart (Germany) WWW: http://www.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/

 

[Tom Anderson]

F*IX is a java applet client for F*EX, a web based software for personal
based file transfer of ANY size:

http://fex.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/
http://freshmeat.net/projects/fffex/

In your "You have the following possibilities" section, you don't mention
BitTorrent. I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's a popular way to
exchange files. I'll run through the talking points you list in that
section ...

BitTorrent can handle large datasets - the second-largest known dataset is
the complete archive of Geocities, weighing in at 641.32 gigabytes:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5923737/Geocities_-_The_Torrent

It's as quick as any direct connection method, and quicker than F*EX,
because (assuming i have understood F*EX correctly), that requires the
uploader to finish uploading before the downloader begins downloading, so
the elapsed time is at least the sum of their best transfer times, whereas
BitTorrent finishes in the maximum of their best transfer times.

BitTorrent does not involve knowing any ancient scripts.

BitTorrent does not require passwords, or allowing a correspondent access
to your machine.

BitTorrent does not do any sort of auto-deletion. But since you are
transferring directly between users' machines, this is not necessary.

BitTorrent does not do encryption, but files can be encrypted before
transfer if they are sensitive.

Many BitTorrent clients allow you to monitor the transfer to a peer, and
to see when it is complete.

BitTorrent is portable across all popular consumer operating systems, and
unix. The protocol is publicly documented, and there are multiple actively
maintained open-source implementations of all the software needed.

You do need at least one of the users' machines to be able to accept
incoming connections from the internet. This is usually easy enough to
arrange. If not, then it is possible to set up a third machine somewhere
else which can accept such connections, and have it also join the swarm,
and act as a relay. Unlike with FTP etc, it can begin transferring data to
the downloader as soon as it has received one complete chunk from the
uploader.

In addition to the transfer software, you need a tracker. There are many
publicly available trackers. It is also straightforward to run a tracker
of your own, using XBT, or one built into your client of choice.

The main problem with BitTorrent is probably that the documentation around
using it in this way is poor, and the field is littered with poor
implementations of clients. There are good implementations, but it may not
be immediately obvious which they are (for future reference: rtorrent is
good).

So, if you are having trouble finding a maintainer for your software,
perhaps you should consider switching to BitTorrent.

tom

--
I was eventually persuaded of the need to design programming notations
so as to maximize the number of errors which cannot be made, or if made,
can be reliably detected at compile time. Perhaps this would make the
text of programs longer. Never mind! Wouldnt you be delighted if your
Fairy Godmother offered to wave her wand over your program to remove
all its errors and only made the condition that you should write out
and key in your whole program three times! -- C. A. R. Hoare

 

[Roedy Green]

BitTorrent can handle large datasets - the second-largest known dataset is
the complete archive of Geocities, weighing in at 641.32 gigabytes:

See http://mindprod.com/jgloss/bittorrent.html for even more detail,
especially how to install it.

Another possibility for distributing files is The Replicator. See
http://mindprod.com/webstart/replicator.html

Its niche is when you have many small file that frequently change and
you want to keep all your subscribers up to date efficiently. I use
it to maintain mirrors of my website on anyone's site who wants it.
It also has features to safely propagate files to machines not on the
net or living on secure nets.

 

[Ulli Horlacher]

In your "You have the following possibilities" section, you don't mention
BitTorrent.

BitTorrent is not designed for PERSONAL file transfer (user A to user B
and NOT to user *) and has no privacy option.

It's as quick as any direct connection method, and quicker than F*EX,

I doubt that. With F*EX I have 300 MB/s.

because (assuming i have understood F*EX correctly), that requires the
uploader to finish uploading before the downloader begins downloading

F*EX knows both modes: synchronous and asynchronous.

BitTorrent does not involve knowing any ancient scripts.

Neither F*EX does. You can use modern scripts, if you want. But you also
can use it with ancient web browsers.

BitTorrent does not require passwords

Bad idea, when I want to send my confidential files.

Many BitTorrent clients allow you to monitor the transfer to a peer, and
to see when it is complete.

All F*EX clients do this, too.

BitTorrent is portable across all popular consumer operating systems, and
unix. The protocol is publicly documented

F*EX too.

The main problem with BitTorrent is

.... its missing privacy and the sender must be online until the download
has finished. With F*EX you can send your files to the server and then go
offline.
Ever heard of e-mail? F*EX works like e-mail, but for files of any size.

So, if you are having trouble finding a maintainer for your software,
perhaps you should consider switching to BitTorrent.

BitTorrent is not an option, because it does not solve the problem:
personal and confidential file transfer from one user A to one user B.


--
Ullrich Horlacher Informationssysteme und Serverbetrieb
Rechenzentrum E-Mail: (e-mail address removed)-stuttgart.de
Universitaet Stuttgart Tel: ++49-711-685-65868
Allmandring 30 Fax: ++49-711-682357
70550 Stuttgart (Germany) WWW: http://www.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/

 

[Andreas Leitgeb]

I doubt that. With F*EX I have 300 MB/s.

Really? I gotta have a look at it then. So far, I get only about
300 kilobytes/s over my UMTS modem... ;-)

(SCNR.)

 

[Ulli Horlacher]

Really.


I gotta have a look at it then. So far, I get only about
300 kilobytes/s over my UMTS modem... ;-)

Of course you need the right network for this throuput.


--
Ullrich Horlacher Informationssysteme und Serverbetrieb
Rechenzentrum E-Mail: (e-mail address removed)-stuttgart.de
Universitaet Stuttgart Tel: ++49-711-685-65868
Allmandring 30 Fax: ++49-711-682357
70550 Stuttgart (Germany) WWW: http://www.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/

 

[Andreas Leitgeb]

Of course you need the right network for this throuput.

Damn, I knew there'd be some "Pferdefuß".