From: p2p-hackers@zgp.org (Sam Joseph)
Date: Mon Jul 15 18:15:01 2002
Subject: [p2p-hackers] Everything as a file in p2p

Hi Glenn
 
Glenn McGrath wrote:

>Everything as a file is a mantra of the unix world. Everything as a file
>doesnt mean everything is a file, its more like everything has a file
>handle. For this to be true, the file handle must be independent of the
>content that it processes.
>
>I think the Content Addressable Web (namespace based on content hash)
>approach used by many systems hinders efforts to see everything as a file
>becasue the file handle is derived from the hash of the content. It makes
>every file read-only, if a file is modified it becomes a completely new
>entry (sometimes this is wanted).
>
>If we abstracting the transport layer from our p2p systems in a generic
>way then individual p2p systems can implement there different
>search/retrieval system ontop of that, you could have a CAW system ontop
>of the generic transport layer, maping the hash based filename to an
>independent file handle.
> 
>The trasport layer would need properties such as content independence,
>security, (limited?) anonymity, accountability, intelligent routing...
>other ?
>
I think the NeuroGrid project is trying to do this:
 
http://www.neurogrid.net
 
but also Semplesh and Alpine have similar goals:
 
http://cubicmetercrystal.com/alpine/overview.html
http://semplesh.com/ 

Actually if we're thining about overlaying CAW over reliable file 
retrieval then you might be interested in a review of distributed  
meta-data in general, which includes a categorisation of the search 
process into three parts

1.  Identification of desired resource through fuzzy search
2.   Identification of resource location or locations
3. Download or interaction with resource

http://www.neurogrid.net/Decentralized_Meta-Data_Strategies-neat.html
 
>Does anyone know of any projects attempting to create such a network
>layer, anyone interesting in trying to design such a beast if there is
>nothing else around ?
>
I'm sure any of the above projects would be very interested to have you 
on board, and new projects are always welcome,  although they are 
generally better received if you review what's currently being done and 
try to avoid re-inventing the wheel :-)

CHEERS> SAM