Microsoft Avalanche to Challenge BitTorrent
BitTorrent has proven itself as a useful technology for both file downloading and even downsizing the costing of hosting huge files for companies. The darkside of file sharing seems to always include controversy since “BitTorrents are also being used to share pirated digital content inviting the wrath of associations like MPAA and RIAA.” In addition, BitTorrent is also associated with web search and made news last month with the plans to launch an advertising-supported search engine allowing users to find live torrent files. The search results will display sponsored links through Ask Jeeves.
The BitTorrent technology has turned heads outside of the MPAA and RIAA, with MSN now interested in launching Avalanche – a similar service. Sushubh Mittal of TechWhack writes :
[The BitTorrent] technology seems to have got Microsoft interested in it as they have developed their own version of this p2p concept. They call it Microsoft Avalanche and it uses a technique Microsoft calls “network coding”. This breaks a file into small data packets, which are suited for fast transfer over the Internet, and contains details about all the other pieces of the file.
These pieces can then be shared in any particular order just like the case of BitTorrent technology. However, the additional features might bring some legitimacy to this genre of file sharing applications as Microsoft has made it sure, that users will be unable to redistribute content without approval by the publisher.
