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Comment by mempko | Hacker News Reader

We need to make secure p2p messaging easy so we can focus on building the other software.

I am building yet another secure messaging tool called Firestr (http://firestr.com and https://github.com/mempko/firestr). Except it is designed to be a platform for building all that other software. Has a built in application editor and application distribution system.

I have already built file transfer, voice chat, white boarding, and game examples. I want p2p distributed software to be EASIER to write than client/server.

The execution might not be ideal and it is a very small project, but I hope the idea catches on and inspires something better.

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https://xkcd.com/927/

Haha, Yes! I hate competition with a passion. For example, who the hell cares about my p2p protocol? I don't, which is why I will use GNUnet in a future version. I wrote my own to learn and don't feel the need to compete with much better works.

Sounds similar to GNUNet - did you look at that / consider being compatible with their protocol?

Yes!

My p2p protocol is a throwaway and the goal is to use GNUNet long term. The apps built on top have no idea about the protocol.

Can really use p2p technology on a mobile? I assume it would be required to be actively online all the time and drain the battery. If it avoids being actively online, then all mobile users are leeches.

Federation or a central solution is more efficient, since it uses less resources.

Great idea!

"I want p2p distributed software to be EASIER to write than client/server"

Totally agree.

This is like saying "I want heavier things to be easier to lift"

That desire lead to the invention of levers and pulleys. In the end, the don't save work, but they make things easier to lift.

Yes, but it is still harder to lift than something light

My point is that nowadays there is a focus on writing for a client/server arch, other than any other. As a result, you get lots of open-sourced frameworks/libraries. The same doesn't happen with p2p. In my opinion, as we are having more powerful clients coming out everyday (more processing speed, more memory, etc) perhaps there should be an investment as well on trying to get something more out of that power other than rendering heavy client UIs.

P2P in many ways IS easier. The same code is used with all peers. While client/server typically has two separate code bases. P2P either client can start in any order, while client/server, the server typically has to be running first.

There are many more examples why P2P can be easier to write.

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