WOT forums
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(page copied from https://i2pwiki.i2p/index.php?title=WOT_forums 2016-01)
Introduction
'WOT forums' (WOT for 'web of trust') are softwares running with the help of the 'web of trust' principles, in order to build/run decentralized (distributed) forums. The messages in the forums can also have attached files.
Comparisons
Comparison between 2000's file sharing softwares and WOT forums softwares
This section may help to understand easier the way that file(s) can be shared in 'WOT forums' softwares by comparing with other softwares.
| Software | The way a user share (upload) file(s) | All users can see/search/download |
| Aktie | File(s) can be posted posted directory into a 'community' (= a forum, a group) you have access to, or attached to a message that you write. | Same as OFS |
| BitTorrent | You share file(s) by uploading the .torrent file to a Torrent tracker site. | Only the files that they can see/get the torrent file of. |
| iMule and Nachtblitz | Share whole folders containing files. | All the files shared by others users online. |
| OFS | File(s) attached to messages posted inside a group where you have access to. | Only the files attached to the messages of the groups they have authorization granted to access to. |
| RetroShare | Share whole folders containing files, or attach file(s) to message(s) in forums. | The files hosted by their friends, and the friends of their friends (Turtle routing), but not the entire network. And for the file(s) shared via forums, only the files from forums they can subscribe to. |
Comparison of the features of several 'WOT forums' softwares
This table list only the softwares compatible with the I2P network.
As of 2015-12:
| Item or feature | Aktie | OFS | RetroShare | Syndie |
| Distributed forums | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distributed forums can be private (locked<ref>The technology to lock a forum is in fact encryption with private keys.</ref>) | Yes | Yes | Yes ? | Yes |
| Distribute the forums known to all other peers<ref>This mean 'let the others peers known the list of the forums that your peer known'.</ref> | Yes | Yes | No<ref>Distribute to the other peers only the forums you have subscribed to.</ref> | Yes<ref>Yes if you've not banned the forum.</ref> |
| Allow to share (attach) a file to a message | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Allow to share (attach) several files to a message | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes ? |
| Attached file(s) packaged with the message ?<ref>If I downloaded a message, do I also have downloaded the attached file(s) ?</ref> | No | No | No | Yes |
| User can search a file name among all online peers ? (like with iMule-Nachtblitz) |
? | ? | Yes | No ?
|
| Allow sending private messages to a 'identity' (a other user) | No<ref>As of Aktie v0.4.3</ref> | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Allow to rate a other user<ref>Rating a user can make your node to censor (hide) his messages or files (for you only).</ref> | No<ref>As of Aktie v0.4.3</ref> | Yes | No | No ? |
| Allow to 'ban' (hide) a user or forum | ? | Yes ? | No<ref>As of RetroShare v0.6.0 RC2.</ref> | Yes |
| Usuable as a blog<ref>By 'Blog' we mean: only one person allowed posting.</ref> | ? | ? | No | Yes |
| Serverless<ref>This mean that the network will continue to run even if a main peer (or more) is down.</ref> | Yes | Yes | Yes | No but...<ref>Syndie clients need at least one 'archive' server running (this is a Syndie peer running as a server). Any peer can turn into a archive server if the user decide to.</ref> |
| Comes with a list of seed nodes<ref>Seed nodes provide (automatically) to the client a list of some peers to try to contact to. Seed nodes might get down, if yo then the user will have to find peers addresses by himself.</ref> | Yes | Yes | No | Yes<ref>A list of Syndie archives. After testing Syndie, if you decide to use it, you should update (manually) the archives known.</ref> |
| Compatible networks | I2P | I2P, Tor | Clearnet, I2P (coming) , Tor |
Clearnet, I2P, Tor, Freenet<ref>Syndie to Freenet compatibility is break as of Syndie v1.105b-0 (2014), however the source code seems fixed (see Monotone), so a new build of Syndie may fix it if ever released... :( Hummingbird 2015-12-23</ref> |
| User can create several identities | Yes | No<ref>Tested with Aktie v0.4.3</ref> | Yes | Yes |
| User can run several sessions simultaneously<ref>Useful to avoid to mix: identities, and files uploaded/downloaded.</ref> | Yes<ref>Tested with Aktie v0.4.3</ref> | Yes<ref>Tested with OFS v0.8.5</ref> | No (useless<ref>Useless because RetroShare allow multiple identities</ref>) | No (useless<ref>Useless because Syndie allow multiple identities</ref>) |
On others networks :
- Freenet : Frost, FMS. Frost is not really a WOT forums this is why it is flooded by spam, FMS really is.
- Proprietary network : Perfect Dark (feature named 'boards').<ref>I'm not sure that it is 'really' a WOT forum. Hummingbird 2015-12-23.</ref>
Comparison of the file names containing the nodes lists used by different softwares
| Comparison of file names | ||
|---|---|---|
| Software | Network | Name of the bootstrap file (nodes list) bundled |
| Aktie | I2P | defseed.dat |
| I2Phex | I2P | phex.hosts |
| iMule and Nachtblitz | I2P | nodes.dat |
| OFS | I2P | i2pseed.dat |
| OFS | Tor | torseed.dat |
| RetroShare | RetroShare | N/A: none nodes list provided ('friend to friend' principle). |
Note: if a file is too old (ie: several months), all the nodes listed inside might be down/offline. It's in this situation that knowing the file name is useful, because you may overwrite it with the one from a user running the software with success. However before to use this trick, prefer the standard ways (for each software) in order to exchange peers addresses.
References
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