5 ms·

My hunch: Opera Unite is going to be used mainly for file sharing. It's not a reinvention of the Web, but a reinvention of DC++

by uggedal 17y ago

buluzhai 17y ago
In a nutshell, Opera Unite is a collaborative technology that uses a compact server inside the Opera desktop browser to share data and services.
- jm4 17y ago
  The headline says as much.
mlLK 17y ago
Meanwhile I'll be praying this client gets supported and extended, otherwise I fear we're in for another eMule. . . Although I have a lot more faith in the Opera community than preWeb2.0 p2p applications. . .I better stop though, it's only 5am and I'm already speaking in hyperbole.
- aarongough 17y ago
  One of the nicest points of this idea is that it leverages existing technologies really well. eMule requires both parties involved in the transfer use the same software. With Unite the receiver can just use their normal browser. I think that will go a long way to helping spread the idea. People will ask friends how they're managing to share their content like this and word will spread.
ovidiu 17y ago
Yeah, and it's pretty nice, because it always works without pain :)
Quiark 17y ago
I think that file (not only mp3s) sharing is the ultimate goal of the internet. The current state when we have big servers to which clients connect is just a coincidence and is temporary. The future is fully distributed :)
- eznet 17y ago
  Although I could not agree more, one caveat here - hosting a "server" of nearly any flavor is a violation of most current ISP's TOS. I know we do it and get away with it (and its one of the dumbest rules ever), but they will terminate your service from time to time until you agree to obey - it has happened to me twice over a simple HTML/Javascript web server.
  - pbhj 17y ago
    But that's OK because for most users they'd just be using Opera ... "sorry, what's a server?". Incidentally I win at teh internetz, broke this story on the 14th, if only I was famous I'd be, err, famous. http://alicious.com/2009/opera-about-to-change-the-world/ http://alicious.com/2009/opera-about-to-change-the-world/
    - ErrantX 17y ago
      That won't fly - ignorance isnt a get out of EULA free card any more. Besides it clearly says "web server" so... ;)
- TheSOB88 17y ago
  Not every piece of data is a file. For instance, is talking to your friends on Facebook a file? I suppose you could view it as a "you talking = writing, friend talking = reading" type thing, but that's stretching it a bit. There are other examples that have nothing to do with file sharing, like GPS, Google Maps, and pizza delivery.
  - cookieliaokai 17y ago
    Good stuff ! Do U Wanna find sexy partners to have fun? Please check out__--==* Sugarbabymeet.C'om *==-- _ where you can meet the sexy beauties, wealthy singles and even hot celebs. What are you waiting for? Find your sexy partner NOW!
  - Readmore 17y ago
    All of the things you mentioned are stored in database files, so yeah it's all about file sharing. Although I would disagree that pizza delivery is a piece of data ;)
Dauntless 17y ago
I think it's very useful for transferring big files (like movie files for a project or from the last trip) to friends. Instead of using megaupload or having them install a software (like DC++, connecting to hubs and so on) to download it. It's like having your own apache server but way much easier to use for normal people.
- arketyp 17y ago
  I use HFS (Http File Server) for this on Windows. Drag n drop basically.
sidmitra 17y ago
Do i hear RIAA knocking?
russell 17y ago
Technically this is nothing revolutionary. I worked on a project that included a jetty server and SQLite database as part of the download. For the user it was a single button click and updates were automatic. The purpose of the server was to supply services that are difficult with central servers, like watching your page views to see what you were interested in. The local server talked only to your browser and the central server, but it could have easily talked to your friends. The advantage it had over the cloud is that it was using free compute power and it could be an assistant without violating any privacy issues. Of course, generalizing the service raises other issues. You certainly dont want 50 or 100 servers running on your machine.
rits 17y ago
Opera Unite is going to be used mainly as UI for desktop apps... desktop apps with distributed UI.

My hunch: Opera Unite is going to be used mainly for file sharing. It's not a reinvention of the Web, but a reinvention of DC++

by uggedal 17y ago

My hunch: Opera Unite is going to be used mainly for file sharing. It's not a reinvention of the Web, but a reinvention of DC++

buluzhai 17y ago

In a nutshell, Opera Unite is a collaborative technology that uses a compact server inside the Opera desktop browser to share data and services.

jm4 17y ago
The headline says as much.

mlLK 17y ago

Meanwhile I'll be praying this client gets supported and extended, otherwise I fear we're in for another eMule. . . Although I have a lot more faith in the Opera community than preWeb2.0 p2p applications. . .I better stop though, it's only 5am and I'm already speaking in hyperbole.

aarongough 17y ago
One of the nicest points of this idea is that it leverages existing technologies really well. eMule requires both parties involved in the transfer use the same software. With Unite the receiver can just use their normal browser. I think that will go a long way to helping spread the idea. People will ask friends how they're managing to share their content like this and word will spread.

ovidiu 17y ago

Yeah, and it's pretty nice, because it always works without pain :)

Quiark 17y ago

I think that file (not only mp3s) sharing is the ultimate goal of the internet. The current state when we have big servers to which clients connect is just a coincidence and is temporary. The future is fully distributed :)

eznet 17y ago
Although I could not agree more, one caveat here - hosting a "server" of nearly any flavor is a violation of most current ISP's TOS. I know we do it and get away with it (and its one of the dumbest rules ever), but they will terminate your service from time to time until you agree to obey - it has happened to me twice over a simple HTML/Javascript web server.
- pbhj 17y ago
  But that's OK because for most users they'd just be using Opera ... "sorry, what's a server?". Incidentally I win at teh internetz, broke this story on the 14th, if only I was famous I'd be, err, famous. http://alicious.com/2009/opera-about-to-change-the-world/ http://alicious.com/2009/opera-about-to-change-the-world/
  - ErrantX 17y ago
    That won't fly - ignorance isnt a get out of EULA free card any more. Besides it clearly says "web server" so... ;)
TheSOB88 17y ago
Not every piece of data is a file. For instance, is talking to your friends on Facebook a file? I suppose you could view it as a "you talking = writing, friend talking = reading" type thing, but that's stretching it a bit. There are other examples that have nothing to do with file sharing, like GPS, Google Maps, and pizza delivery.
- cookieliaokai 17y ago
  Good stuff ! Do U Wanna find sexy partners to have fun? Please check out__--==* Sugarbabymeet.C'om *==-- _ where you can meet the sexy beauties, wealthy singles and even hot celebs. What are you waiting for? Find your sexy partner NOW!
- Readmore 17y ago
  All of the things you mentioned are stored in database files, so yeah it's all about file sharing. Although I would disagree that pizza delivery is a piece of data ;)

Dauntless 17y ago

I think it's very useful for transferring big files (like movie files for a project or from the last trip) to friends. Instead of using megaupload or having them install a software (like DC++, connecting to hubs and so on) to download it. It's like having your own apache server but way much easier to use for normal people.

arketyp 17y ago
I use HFS (Http File Server) for this on Windows. Drag n drop basically.

sidmitra 17y ago

Do i hear RIAA knocking?

russell 17y ago

Technically this is nothing revolutionary. I worked on a project that included a jetty server and SQLite database as part of the download. For the user it was a single button click and updates were automatic. The purpose of the server was to supply services that are difficult with central servers, like watching your page views to see what you were interested in. The local server talked only to your browser and the central server, but it could have easily talked to your friends. The advantage it had over the cloud is that it was using free compute power and it could be an assistant without violating any privacy issues. Of course, generalizing the service raises other issues. You certainly dont want 50 or 100 servers running on your machine.

rits 17y ago

Opera Unite is going to be used mainly as UI for desktop apps... desktop apps with distributed UI.