The other day I uploaded a new version of +the VLC +bittorrent plugin to Debian, version 2.14-4, to fix a few +packaging issues. This plugin extend VLC allowing it to stream videos +directly from a bittorrent source using both torrent files and magnet +links, as easy as using a HTTP or local file source. I believe such +protocol support is a vital feature in VLC, allowing efficient +streaming from sources such at the 11 million movies in +the Internet Archive. Bittorrent is +one of the most efficient content distribution protocols on the +Internet, without centralised control, and should be used more.
+ +The new version is now both in Debian Unstable and Testing, as well +as Ubuntu. While looking after the package, I decided to ask the VLC +upstream community if there was any hope to get Bittorrent support +into the official VLC program, and was very happy to learn that +someone is already working on it. I hope we can see some fruits of +that labour next year, but do not hold my breath. In the mean time we +can use the plugin, which is already +installed +by 0.23 percent of the Debian population according to +popularity-contest. It could use a new upstream release, and I hope +the upstream developer soon find time to polish it even more.
+ +It is worth noting that the plugin store the downloaded files in +~/Downloads/vlc-bittorrent/, which can quickly fill up the +user home directory during use. Users of the plugin should keep an +eye with disk usage when streaming a bittorrent source.
+ +As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my +activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address +15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b.
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