Peer-to-peer file synchronization tools (BitTorrent Sync, Syncthing, etc.)

Started by dsanchez, December 27, 2014, 22:31:15

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

dsanchez

In the 90's we exchanged music by recording on audio cassettes, later on CD's. Then we would upload files in sites like megaupload (FBI closed it but the owner opened a new site called mega.co.nz) or rapidshare, and we would share a link with anyone we want to share those files. The content however remained public, meaning anyone could google and find it.

Then services like Dropbox appeared, and unlike Megaupload or Rapidshare, Dropbox didn't let users perform a system-wide search on the site for content. Instead, users could only share files with themselves or the handful of friends they had on the site.

But all the sites above had restrictions, mainly storage capacity. Let's say you wanted to transfer 10GB of video files. Then you had to upgrade to a premium plan or split the the file in multiple files and then upload them (remember the old Megaupload or Rapidshare style to split in several ZIP or RAR files?).

All the limitations above are over with peer-to-peer file synchronization tools. If you have a 20GB folder you want to share with a friend(s) you just install the required software, right click on the folder, generate a link to send to your friend and that's all, you start sharing right away. The capacity is limited by the capacity of your device. You can share from your desktop computer or mobile phone, whatever is best for you.

I am currently using BitTorrent Sync, a peer-to-peer file synchronization freeware to share files with friends and fellow Curefans.com members. It's stable, widely used and seems to be very secure.

Introduction to BitTorrent Sync
There are other options to BitTorrent, of course, and Syncthing seems the other very good alternative (and it's open source).

Hope this information will be helpful!
2023.11.22 Lima
2023.11.27 Montevideo

dsanchez

2023.11.22 Lima
2023.11.27 Montevideo