New Version of ANts p2p Being Worked On
What is currently being done.
I am developing a better version of ANts p2p.
However, I have the following issues:
- I have zero testers - not a problem now but will stop development of improved client as work continues.
- The content layer (www.itsDargens.com) has no users - this is a problem as means can't test website. The reason for content layer is to make ANts P2P more user friendly and cure two issues:
- As network gets bigger download speed slows to zero. The reason for the slowing is that peers join the network randomly. So you get very long difficult to find paths. Solved by allowing users to join network (via content layer) near to content they are interested. Still one big network as one peer (user) can be in more than one (meetup/swarm/network). Jon Kleinberg has proved mathematically that it works. Downside some loss of anonymity for public meetups(swarms/networks) but upside is bigger total networks leading to more anonymity.
- Most users just want to get content - research suggest that nearly 100% of content on p2p networks comes from 7% of users. So content layer caters for those 93% of users by making it apparent what content is available (only interests are listed not files for legal reasons).
- I have taught myself both Ruby on Rails (I now use this at work on a daily basis) and Java. I also have a developer in China, Vicent, who is a student and working on the project in return for minimal expenses (not much money**) and kudos. However, I need more developers helping. If I can teach myself to code so can others! The situation is not helped by the lack of source code and DOCUMENTATION.
- I work full time for a charity and have very little money or time so the project is moving at a snails pace. I need more help.
**I pay Vicent as he is in China and even a Dollar in China is big money. It is OK for us in the rich west to demand that people volunteer to work on open source project for free but we have got everything we are RICH. In the developing world to ask someone to work for free would be exploitation. The money that I pay Vicent gives him some hope for the future, covers his expenses and shows that I understand the difficulties he has in China.
He also gains by developing an understanding of the West. For example although he can speak English (China is on the way to becoming the biggest English speaking country in the world) he had no idea what Christmas really was (and I did not understand the true significance of Chinese New Year). So we are both learning.
