4 ms·

I was inspired by wormhole to make croc. croc does not use the wormhole spec. I found it necessary to diverge from the wormhole spec so I could easily implement

by qrv3w 6y ago

I was inspired by wormhole to make croc. croc does not use the wormhole spec. I found it necessary to diverge from the wormhole spec so I could easily implement features that I find important. AFAIK I've* implemented features in croc that are still not available in wormhole, including: - resuming transfers [1] - ipv6 support [2] - local transfer without public relay [3] - simple installation for windows [4] - sending folders without zipping (i.e. send in place) [5] *some features, like ipv6 support, were generously tested/coded/inspired by others. [1]: https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/88 https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/88 [2]: https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/354 https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/354 [3]: https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/48 https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/48 [4]: https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/208 https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/208 [5]: https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/58 https://github.com/warner/magic-wormhole/issues/58

shigawire 6y ago
>simple installation for windows [4] To me this is the killer feature. It's not terrible to transfer files between different dev computers - the users probably have the understanding or software to make that happen. It is really hard to send your mom large files.
tptacek 6y ago
That's helpful, thanks. Just for clarity: * I believe (someone else can confirm) that you can generate a single-binary `wormhole-william` for Windows that will interoperate with magic-wormhole. * I believe v6 support works in wormhole as well. How does your resumption feature work, cryptographically? Thanks!
- psanford 6y ago
  Yes, `wormhole-william` works as a single binary with no dependencies on Windows. If you don't have the Go toolchain installed we provide prebuilt binaries on the github release page: https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william/releases https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william/releases
- qrv3w 6y ago
  > How does your resumption feature work, cryptographically? Files are collections of "blocks". This allows files to be read in parallel (reading block at position X) and written in parallel (writing block at position X). Resumption works by having the recipient determine empty blocks (positions filled with 0's) and then requesting the sender to only send required blocks (specified by positions). This has a trade-off - there are no "progress" files needed (which might not get removed if you don't know about them and don't want to resume) but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's.
  - setr 6y ago
    > but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's. To be clear, this can't support a file that contains a block worth of 0s anywhere in the file? That seems like a severe limitation Although, the recepient should have encrypted blocks, right? So its only when the output of the hash is all 0's that it should conflict with the resumption algorithm
    - qrv3w 6y ago
      > but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's. I think I was sleepy because I errored in saying that. You can send a file with 0's without a problem. The only little bug is if you resume a transfer of a file that is filled with zeros then the recipient will re-request blocks it already has (because they are zeros) so that parts of the file get sent twice (worst-case scenario). It is a bug, but a small one IMO that has never manifested in my reality (via issues or my own use). Happy to accept PRs to fix it though!
  - kazinator 6y ago
    > which might not get removed if you don't know about them and don't want to resume The files can 1. Contain backreferences to the target files whose progress they represent (full path). 2. Be stored in a well-known location, so the program can sweep through all of them at start-up or shut-down and garbage-collect all those whose target file no longer exists.
    - 6y ago

by qrv3w 6y ago

shigawire 6y ago

>simple installation for windows [4] To me this is the killer feature. It's not terrible to transfer files between different dev computers - the users probably have the understanding or software to make that happen. It is really hard to send your mom large files.

tptacek 6y ago

That's helpful, thanks. Just for clarity: * I believe (someone else can confirm) that you can generate a single-binary `wormhole-william` for Windows that will interoperate with magic-wormhole. * I believe v6 support works in wormhole as well. How does your resumption feature work, cryptographically? Thanks!

psanford 6y ago
Yes, `wormhole-william` works as a single binary with no dependencies on Windows. If you don't have the Go toolchain installed we provide prebuilt binaries on the github release page: https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william/releases https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william/releases
qrv3w 6y ago
> How does your resumption feature work, cryptographically? Files are collections of "blocks". This allows files to be read in parallel (reading block at position X) and written in parallel (writing block at position X). Resumption works by having the recipient determine empty blocks (positions filled with 0's) and then requesting the sender to only send required blocks (specified by positions). This has a trade-off - there are no "progress" files needed (which might not get removed if you don't know about them and don't want to resume) but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's.
- setr 6y ago
  > but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's. To be clear, this can't support a file that contains a block worth of 0s anywhere in the file? That seems like a severe limitation Although, the recepient should have encrypted blocks, right? So its only when the output of the hash is all 0's that it should conflict with the resumption algorithm
  - qrv3w 6y ago
    > but it also means you can't send a file filled with 0's. I think I was sleepy because I errored in saying that. You can send a file with 0's without a problem. The only little bug is if you resume a transfer of a file that is filled with zeros then the recipient will re-request blocks it already has (because they are zeros) so that parts of the file get sent twice (worst-case scenario). It is a bug, but a small one IMO that has never manifested in my reality (via issues or my own use). Happy to accept PRs to fix it though!
- kazinator 6y ago
  > which might not get removed if you don't know about them and don't want to resume The files can 1. Contain backreferences to the target files whose progress they represent (full path). 2. Be stored in a well-known location, so the program can sweep through all of them at start-up or shut-down and garbage-collect all those whose target file no longer exists.
  - 6y ago