Gnutella only works and grows when people get =and= share. That's pretty obvious by now. Here's a few of my ideas to keep things balanced:

* Implement a rating system which allows the exchange of host ratings peer-to-peer; for example, if host 'A' shares a file with host 'B', host 'B' could broadcast a positive rating across the network which includes the file size, download time, etc.; ratings would be kept on individual hosts and shared via the network.

* Force sharing of download folders (like Xolox does).

* Implement a "allow freeloaders rarely/often/always" feature like LimeWire has.

* Display pop-up notices encouraging users to share if they're not.

Yes,

and the download speed should depend on your upload speed!

eDonkey uses this feature too - you have to offer at least 10kb upload if you want to download with your full speed (ADSL example)!

If you offer less than your download speed goes down - I think this is fair!

Morgwen

the problem with some is not so much not having files [they - the problem folks- have plenty of files usually and those files are shown as being shared often] yet they set upload slots to zero or upload bandwidth to zero. this is worse then a newbie with no files at all. atleast that newbie can share what he or she downloads. the real problem are twerps that download a file and yet you can't get squat from them even files they got from network the day before. i term this behaviour 'hoarding files'. they got them, they show you they got them, but won't let yo have squat, even if you're offering as much or more [and even if they got some from you.] or you download at 0bits/sec for hours on end from them...

upload bandwith% and upload slots should be considered options on freeloader definition.

i can set it to zero files and 2 slots and 25% minimum else freeloaders and newbies can get files but those that don't sare what they get .... well, they don't get much

Anyone who thinks freeloading isn't a problem on the network should read this study. Admittedly it is 2 years old, but I'd bet money it still applies. It certainly reflects my experience on Napster just a year ago. It concludes:

"Specifically, we found that nearly 70% of Gnutella users share no files, and nearly 50% of all responses are returned by the top 1% of sharing hosts"

http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue5_10/adar/

I mostly hate the people who have a million great files but don't ever let anyone get at them! I've had the same files requerying for a good week now, this person is always online, and I've never yet gotten a connection.

Yeesh, if you're not gonna share, don't dangle the good stuff in front of us all.

i agree. the problem is not so much a newbie leeching a few files, but those that get files and don't even share what they get off the net. if ya get it by others sharing, ya should share those with others.
the idea that if a gets from b then there's 2 that have it is defeated. if they can at least operate as a mirror site, then at least they offer something. but to leech and hoard [dangling the stuff to whet the appetites] is bad.

i did rip all my cds to start with stuff when i started on napster, but i don't mind some kid starting with nothing. As long as that newbie shares everything with others. hey, if he downloads from me while i'm online, then i logoff, he supplies those same files to others. that's not bad. now the gnutella net shouldn't be more mirrors than suppliers, but hoarders are the worst. they show stuff as available, but won't give it to anyone.

they made minimum upload % to 25% [earlier versions went down to zero%], why can't they make a minimum slots of 1-1-1 at least?