What does a non-Web world look like? Investigating Bittorrent Sync.
Further to yesterday’s post, I’ve been messing about Bittorrent Sync. As someone who is avowedly Web-centric, I’m used to a world where files sync via the Web and one signs up to services via email. There’s none of that with Bittorrent Sync:
As a lover of Dropbox, I’m investigating Bittorrent Sync as a way to augment the way I currently sync files across machines.* I mentioned above that there’s no Web component involved. Instead, files are synced directly from machine to machine via a secure and encrypted process that isn’t available to other Bittorrent users – just the people with whom you’ve shared a ‘secret key’.
If you’d like to give it a try, download the software for your computer and enter this ‘secret’ key, giving read-only access to my BTSync folder: RCFZPEYBNV4MGZTQEO2ITOANGEZNF42WF
Of course, it’ll only work when I (or someone else who has synced the files) is online! There must be a way to install the software on a server so it can act as a node?
* This would be an awesome way of sharing learning and teaching resources en masse!
Thnx for sharing Doug. I have been checking this out for a bit as a possible way to roll my own back-up server, or connect family/friends. Haven’t installed it yet…but will soon. Keep us updated on your learning & use.
Cool. Didn’t want to go into it in the post as I wanted to keep it short, but a group of us used to share History teaching resources using a service called ‘Grouper’ about 7-8 years ago. Sony ended up buying it and shutting it down, which was a shame.
Ahead of its time, I suppose! 🙂
Just install it on a computer that is always on with a decent connection. I have put it on my home server (mac mini) that is always on. I’ll let you know my mileage.
Excellent, would love to test if you’ve got a folder you could share? 🙂