Downloading one file at a time

[ldnunes]

Hi!

I don't know if this is the right forum to post this, please tell me if I'm right/wrong.

While downloading a torrent with multiple files I discovered that if I "skip" all files but one, and when that file is finished I enable another one to begin downloading, and if I do this until I get every file of the torrent, I can "make" the seeders give me the file I want first, regardless if this is not good for the overall swarm (it's best for everyone in general that the least shared pieces/files get shared first).

That means that if several clients have this same idea, a torrent can virtually stop working because there simply isn't enough seeders for the other pieces/files.

What do you guys and girls think about it?

--

Lucas Dutra Nunes

P.S.: Sorry if my english sounds strange. I'm Brazilian.

[dAbReAkA]

in order for that file to be solved, selective downloading should just be removed

[Ultima]

And that's exactly the potential danger behind selective file downloading, and sequential-file-downloading-done-badly too.

[Aage]

I think your logic illudes you.

The basic is:

For every block, written to file - YOU TOO begin sending this block

to others who need it.

What if you are only downloading ONE file.

It works - because of the foundation the system is built over.

Aage.

[Switeck]

If a lot of people started a new torrent and wanted the first file first, then the seed/s are FORCED to share that file over and over again long before they can share the last file.

That is a LOT of extra strain on the seeds!

Before long they leave because they've already seeded much greater than 100% of the whole torrent...but nobody else has enough of the torrent to complete it!

So the torrent dies and everyone loses.

[The8472]

Since there's always someone who lacks insight on bittorrent's workings and demands exactly the same thing: read http://www.azureuswiki.com/index.php/Sequential_downloading_is_bad