topic Plusnet Mirror service in Plusnet Feedback

Plusnet Mirror service

dratddestroyer — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:12:07 GMT

I'm a Linux geek and download lots of Open Source Linux software for various platforms.
I get lots off stuff off various mirrors dotted around the globe. I used to get updates from my old ISP's FTP server which were really fast.
Would Plusnet consider mirroring some the most popular Linux repositories? There must be a spare box lying around a data centre that could be put to good use?
I believe it'd save Plusnet's external bandwidth, which costs probably more than some leccy for a box.

Re: Plusnet Mirror service

Peter_Vaughan — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:18:03 GMT

They tried it several years ago. They even allowed you to request files from other websites and stored them in a public area.
Nobody used it so it was removed.
I could have seen a need for this many years ago when broadband connections were very slow but today there is very little benefit.

Re: Plusnet Mirror service

dratddestroyer — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:23:50 GMT

Thanks for that Peter.
I am not keen on using Bitrorrent to get Linux stuff now because of that new law that was passed recently.
I just thought that being an official mirror site for say Ubuntu would be productive.
Oh well, I'll just have to hammer the Kent mirror site a bit more....

Re: Plusnet Mirror service

Peter_Vaughan — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:30:06 GMT

The new law does not apply to non-copyrighted material. Many of the distros supply torrent files to allow you to download them that way and allows the load on the mirrors to be reduced.
Using Bittorrent is not illegal, what is is using it to download copyrighted material.