Create your own distribution torrents

I don’t think that there is really any question that BitTorrent is immensely important when it comes to distributing Linux. And the good news is that it’s not that difficult to make happen, either.

The BitTorrent protocol has revolutionized peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. It works by enabling users to download fragments of a large file from other users simultaneously, rather than waiting for one file to complete, thus speeding the download process. As a result, many popular Linux distributions have started releasing their ISOs through torrents, many of which you can find at LinuxTracker. But if your favourite distro doesn’t offer a release torrent, why not make your own?

Making a torrent isn’t rocket science, but it requires a little more effort than moving the file into a sharable folder — a method that most P2P software relies on. First, create a directory, then populate it with all the distribution ISOs. It’s also a good idea to include a text file that has the MD5 checksums, to let those who download the software check the integrity of the ISO. Also include any other important readme or instruction files. You also need a tracker, which coordinates the activity of the transfer and keeps track of the packet flows. The tracker is also referred to as the announce URL. For example, LinuxTracker’s announce URL is http://linuxtracker.org/announce.php…. Source: Linux.com

[tags]software,distribution,torrents,p2p[/tags]