[ih] reinventing the wheel, was Internet History Lives on the Internet?

[John R. Levine]

> 1- How long after uploading do you typically have to wait before a
> seasoned BT user somewhere else in the world can search and find that
> brochure file and download it?   When can I say "It's on BitTorrent, go
> get it there"?

Pretty soon, I'd think minutes, so long as your BT program is running so 
it can serve it.

> 2- For all the BT-illiterate people like me, how long will it typically
> be before the common search engine spiders crawl through the new BT
> content and find that brochure file, so that a Google/Bing/etc search
> will produce it in their search results for downloading?  When can I say
> "Just Google it."

Never.  Search engines don't index BT.  If you want something to be in 
search engines, you have to put it on the web because that's what they 
search.

> 3- How long do I have to keep my computer with the BT client running
> before I can turn it off, and be confident that the brochure has gotten
> into enough other machines that it will remain accessible?  Is there a
> way for me to tell it's safe to do so?  Is it Hours?  Days?  Months?  Years?

Forever.  It's up to each user whether and when to run a BT program.

> 4- How long does material survive within BT if nobody downloads it?

Until it's deleted from all the hosts that have downloaded it, but if none 
are running BT program, it won't be accessible.

> That's what I mean by a Persistent Store... an Internet-based system
> that stores data continuously, regardless of how frequently or widely it
> gets used, and how many times the physical computers and storage devices
> and people come and go, as long as there are always enough computers and
> storage in the system at any time.

That would be a web server with a budget.

?? People who are interested in History can donate their excess computer
> time and memory to "Help Save History" by downloading some software
> (like SETI).

That only works until they lose interest.

R's,
John

PS: I never said it was a great idea, just that it's what bittorrent 
already does.