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[Footkerchief]

Torrents would not be useful for many of the files on DFFD, e.g. bugged saves that are only downloaded by ~5 people max.

[Reelya]

Those aren't the big bandwidth hogs though, so they aren't going to be hurt by using torrents for them. Bulk storage space is very cheap: and using torrents those kinds of files can be offloaded onto home servers much more easily.

Clearly paying for expensive hosting for a large file that 5 people only will ever download isn't a "useful" solution either. Torrents are easily just as good in that situation. Plus you have the whole incremental download thing, too, which direct download doesn't really facilitate.

[Nokao]

Exactly, the problem is the "big bandwidth" stuff.

If we remove that, I'm sure that either Janus will keep mantaining "old-legacy" DFFD online, or I will.
At that point it would be enough just to avoid new uploads, and use the new system for the new files.

I think that Lazy Newb / Starter Pack, Masterwork DF + various utilities makes 80% of the traffic.
Moving them on a torrent new system would be enough to make DFFD "as it is" cheaper and mantainable.

[Footkerchief]

I really don't know if rearchitecting the site with a looming deadline is the way to go.  Seems better to first find good hosting, which is necessary regardless, and then worry about offsetting the cost with torrents.

[Rose]

I personally hope torrents aren't the solution because my isp blocks torrents during the day.

[Nokao]

I personally hope torrents aren't the solution because my isp blocks torrents during the day.

I guess you mean that your ISP blocks a list of torrent finders ... right ?
We're talking about making a specific one for DF files.

Than any client should work, I don't think it's blockable because of the way ir works.

[breadman]

I feel like torrents would be a great way to reduce the server's bandwith requirements, but there would need to be a fallback to direct downloads.  To encourage people to use the torrents, though, I would recommend a small fee per download.  Ten or twenty-five cents per file feels about right, offering enough above the actual bandwith cost to cover some or all of the torrent traffic and storage fees.  Perhaps people could subscribe to unlimited downloads for two dollars per month, and a few people (Toady and Threetoe, most likely) could be authorized to download for free.

I can help set up such a system, if you like.  The main drawback is that the micropayment processor I would recommend is currently limited to U.S. credit cards.

[Meph]

Janus, I'm the author of Masterwork DF, the biggest mod around. PeridexisErrant (Lnp/Starter Pack) and me probably cause the most traffic on your site. If it helps, I can host the mod completely on my own server.

Regarding the donations: I do accept donations for the mod, but it is nowhere near 170$ a month. While not comparable to the DFFD, I'm not sure if you would get the money you need from the community.

Asking Toady One would be an option, as well as Locriani/Briess. He runs the DF Wiki, maybe his hoster can help.

[ptb_ptb]

Ouch. I had missed this thread. I will remove all non-essential uploads I have, to lighten the load a bit.

[Dirst]

Ouch. I had missed this thread. I will remove all non-essential uploads I have, to lighten the load a bit.

Data at rest isn't really the issue, it's all of the downloads and the fact that sometimes that download traffic spikes.  I don't have a lot to contribute for the actual solution, but will do what I can once a consensus is reached.  My two cents:

1. Big graphical button for torrent download (and supporting links for anything needed to access torrents) and a smallish text "HTTP download" link under it.  Watch the logs to see if people actually take the hint.  If the bulk of the downloading is offloaded, then the site doesn't need phenomenal bandwidth, just the ability to juggle a lot of concurrent transfers without dropping anyone.

2. Ask, cajole, beg, not-quite-require mod uploaders to provide a Dropbox link.

[Meph]

Masterwork has ~170 downloads a day with 80mb each, so just shy of 14gb traffic a day. If I use dropbox as my main mirror, they lock the link after half a day.

[Dirst]

Masterwork has ~170 downloads a day with 80mb each, so just shy of 14gb traffic a day. If I use dropbox as my main mirror, they lock the link after half a day.

Good point, starter packs and common utilities are probably in the same category (TWBT is relatively small, but seems to update by the hour).  So not specifically a Dropbox mirror, and it wouldn't be an absolute requirement anyway.

[Footkerchief]

Ouch. I had missed this thread. I will remove all non-essential uploads I have, to lighten the load a bit.

Please don't remove your bugged saves.  It's not going to help Janus and it's definitely not going to help the bug tracker.

[Button]

I really don't know if rearchitecting the site with a looming deadline is the way to go.  Seems better to first find good hosting, which is necessary regardless, and then worry about offsetting the cost with torrents.

QFT.

To encourage people to use the torrents, though, I would recommend a small fee per download.

I strongly disagree.

I've uploaded saves to ask for help before, when minecarts were new and I was making some stupid track mistakes. The community is generous - they'll download saves, check out your forts, give feedback, look at bugs and try to reproduce them.

Putting a paywall on, effectively, the least-viewed files would be a strong disincentive to download someone's save just to help them fix their minecart setup. The community would suffer, I think.

I personally hope torrents aren't the solution because my isp blocks torrents during the day.

I guess you mean that your ISP blocks a list of torrent finders ... right ?
We're talking about making a specific one for DF files.

Than any client should work, I don't think it's blockable because of the way ir works.

No, torrents create a distinct pattern of activity - a lot of small chunks from a lot of different IPs. It's easy to identify and lock down torrents, if the ISP is so inclined.

[ptb_ptb]

Please don't remove your bugged saves.  It's not going to help Janus and it's definitely not going to help the bug tracker.

I removed the ones that have had the bug resolved, or are easy to replicate. Which was all of them. Except one.