Pushing P2P Limits

[Dominatrix]

Dear Comrades:

Last day I proposed to Richard a little experiment on the P2P program, in order to test the distribution of other files, related to Tarot, but not decks themselves. If you connect to the File Exchange and see the items on this list:

A Course on Tarot Divination
Book of Thoth
Continental Tarots
Introduction To Tarot
Mathers Tarot
Palmistry Secrets
Power of Numbers
Psychometry
Tarot Book
Tarot History
The Egyptian Revival
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot
Waite Tarot
What is the Tarot

...take into account that they're not decks, but PDF electronic books about Tarot. The ZIP file contains the PDF mentioned on filename, plus a dummy 00.jpg saying it's an e-book. If someone can fetch one or two, give and opinion and say how it worked, I'll be more than grateful. Most files are very little sized, they're quick downloads, even for dial-up users.

Just for the sake of curiosity, if someone wants to give a try to this scheme, create a folder inside PACKS with the name you want everyone to see. Put the files(s) in there and a graphic named 00 (the more descriptive, the better). Share it from P2P as a normal deck: the program will take care of ZIP compression and thumbnail for sharing.

Even I think it's a good idea, we should consider the security implications of this exploit, Richard. All people here are serious and sensible, but I would not like to see the P2P used for spam or malware distribution among users. Future developments should give the program, IMHO, the ability of rejecting certain contents inside the shared ZIPs, like executables of any kind. Best to all.

[Programmer]

Hi Dominatrix,

I have always had it in the back of my mind to add some sort of virus scan to the process, if the P2P idea takes off and becomes popular. This would involve detecting what anti-virus software the user has installed, and then getting it to scan the zip file. I haven't looked into the details of this yet, but like you say it might become necessary at some point.

In the shorter term I am thinking about adding a browse button to the Add Decks form, which would let you choose which image to use as a preview. This would also be useful in these cases, of course.

Cheers,
Richard

[Troll]

I tried downloading the files. All I get is the jpeg image there is no pdf file.

Thanks
Troll

[WebWeaver]

Yep, I just tried as well and experienced the same.

Shari

[Dominatrix]

My fault, thanks for let me know. I relied on the P2P program and I didn't checked the resulting ZIP created. It seems that P2P filters the PDF on ZIP, leaving only the 00 inset. Should have guessed something was going on when all the eBook ZIPs had the same file lenght... No problemo: I've injected manually the PDF book for every file inside the For Sharing folder, and now it should work. In fact, I've added another title: Practical Guide of Spells. Best.

[WebWeaver]

That's what I figured. I just tried faking it out, by changing the file type to xml. But that didn't work either, so the filter must be a really good one. However I'm receiving an error when attempting to download, that your not responding. It may just be that it will take a bit of time. The Practical Guide of Spells, isn't yet showing up, and the one I added to test is still there even though I've unshared it.

Going to wait a bit and then I'll re-try.

Thanks!
Shari

[Dominatrix]

Give some time to the server: for whatever the reason, I can't connect to the Exchange, even I've stopped and restarted the Orphalese service. I've informed Richard today about the strange errors I've found on Admin Alerts regarding the inner workings of the service.

And now a word about security. Our tests are pretty innocent and everyone here are good-will users. But we've found a way to pass the nice filter Richard put on the P2P program. Of course, all of us are used to a OT deck structure and contents, and alarms will raise if you see something strange inside an obscure deck nobody had noticed before. Double check any file downloaded, just in case. I didn't on the last decks I downloaded from P2P, and my Incoming folder was a mess due to The Case Of The Corrupted ZIPs Shared. A little sorting and cleaning was enough, but this is an example of things that can happen if you don't put some attention. Best.

[Samara]

Sorry to be so dense, but I cannot find a section with exchange in it! I think I've run through all the sections on the left-hand side of the page, but can't figure out where it is you guys are working, or where those lovely PDF files are.
I assume that P2P means person-to-person? Where's that too?
HELP!

Goes away to hang head in techno-shame
Samara:)

[WebWeaver]

Are you using the Beta of the program? If you are right click and select File Exchange. Some things are easier then others. Glad you asked :o)

Shari

[Dominatrix]

Thx for the tip, Shari. My apologies for Samara: I tend to think that everyone here knows the OT inner workings as well as yours truly, or like a seasoned user. P2P stands for Peer-to-peer, is a widely known Internet concept describing a program that allows to share files among connected users. There's a brief history for you: on previous versions of Orphalese Tarot, we had a section for downloading files called Deck Exchange. Later its name was changed to File Exchange, because it offered more than decks. After some trouble with a given Tarot publisher, the File Exchange lost a lot of its funcionality, and even dissapeared. It has reincarnated into the new P2P File Exchange. Hence we call it P2P, File or Deck Exchange.

This feature does not appear on the Web-based Orphalese access, only on Beta 8 Orphalese Tarot (look for it on the usual right-click menu). Richard has promised to release the stable 8 version real soon, so stay tuned for it. Meanwhile, if you or other user are interested in a give file I have and can't access to P2P for getting it, please feel free to ask for it directly to me. I'll be pleased to send it by mail or Rapidshare if needed. Best.