Catbot

= filesharing and publication system for educational institutions

URL = http://catbot.org/

Description

"CatBot is an open source system for easy distribution of large files using peer-to-peer technology (p2p). A peer-to-peer system (aka file trading system) is a method of exchanging data that combines the networked, distributive power of each individual computer, to enable an interconnected mesh of network bandwidth. CatBot is also known as the South West Creative Archive (SWCA)."

CatBot is currently a collaborative project between FluffyLogic, Knowledge West, South West Screen, BMEX, Bristol University, Bath Spa University, the University of Gloucestershire and the University of the West of England. (http://catbot.org/help.php)

Discussion

tomas Rawlings on Catbot as p2p system:

"CatBot is a peer-to-peer distribution system. It is structured like this:

CatPeer - This consists of a co-peer, installed on a computer within the same institution that can connect with the Swarm. This provides content for the Swarm and also retrieves content from the Swarm for users who have requested it. The users interact with the co-peer via this website and once registered, users (who belong to the participating institutions) will be able to publish torrents via this website.

CatAlogue - The website (CatBot.org) contains a catalogue of material that is on the system. This material is held on the co-peer and anyone can search the CatAlogue for content to then download onto their machine. This site (CatAlogue) hosts the torrent files of published material.

"The Swarm" is the term given to the larger community of p2p torrent users" (http://catbot.org/help.php)