[JDEV] File transfer and file sharing: view of end-user

[Jan Niehusmann]

On Thu, Oct 24, 2002 at 10:33:25AM +0100, Richard Dobson wrote:
> There are not any JEPs that already cover this, this discussion is about
> file sharing, not file transfer, you need to read through it more properly,
> file transfer is fine (i.e. someone specifically sending a particular file
> from one person to another), but file sharing (providing a selection of
> files people can browse through and download the ones they want) is a
> serious potensial problem, also there are not currently any JEPs that cover
> what was being discussed (file sharing), which by your statement that their
> are indicates you did not even read the email.

I think JEP-52 may be used for filesharing. Look at point 2.2, 'Querying
for Offered Files':

"At any time, you may query your friend for a list of files available for
taking. These files need not have been offered beforehand."

With this JEP, you may easily build a client that allows sharing of
files, simply say 'I offer all files in some directory to everybody who
might ask'.

Of course, JEP-0052 is not optimized for large scale file sharing, as it
doesn't allow selective queries. If you try to share thousands of files,
everybody who asks for a file list gets a really huge answer containing
filenames and several attributes of all files you offer.

If JEP-0052 were intended for file sharing, it would contain some
provisions to allow selective queries or even some kind of search
engine. But still, most legitimate applications of file sharing can be
implemented using existing JEPs.

Jan