Theory 1: Decentralized search doesn't help improve user experience. In-app search is a liability since courts eventually ruled that Limewire and Kazaa should have added client-side copyright filters. PopcornTime is a torrent specific example of in-app search attracting lawsuits
-
-
Show this thread
-
Theory 2: Netflix, Spotify, and Hulu didn't *kill* BitTorrent, but they marked the end of BitTorrent users being willing to learn new techniques for finding pirated content. Basically, Hollywood finally fixed the incentive I talk about in this tweet:https://twitter.com/backus/status/1014645177120538624 …
Show this thread -
Theory 3: Decentralized BitTorrent search solves a problem end users don't care about: reducing risk The Pirate Bay is willing to take on. The Pirate Bay (and other central indexes) must die for adoption/development to pick up on decentralized search:https://twitter.com/backus/status/1015094493836554240 …
Show this thread -
Theory 4: Decentralized BitTorrent search was just much worse than centralized indexes in terms of the amount of results. Similar to theory #3 but about amount of content instead of risk, decentralized search would only take off if centralized indexes died.
Show this thread -
Theory 5: No market incentives to drive user adoption for decentralized BitTorrent search. It is an interesting research question, a fun OSS project, but doesn't attract any marketing-like interest. The Pirate Bay is a top 500 visited website, so it is worth the risk for someone
Show this thread -
Theory 6: I'm just oblivious and decentralized BitTorrent search is a big thing in certain countries or in a certain niche. If you know of an example w/ decent and growing usage, I'd love to know. A lot of my views on decentralization as a trend are connected to this question
Show this thread -
Theory 7: Interest in improving the BitTorrent protocol/ecosystem dried up at some point and today people willing and able to take a risk on building a good decentralized BitTorrent search product are instead working on blockchain tech, IPFS, Dat, etc.
Show this thread -
Theory 8: Decentralized search doesn't actually buy more legal protection if you still have to host the frontend or distribute a desktop app. If law enforcement tried harder to kill BitTorrent sites, we'd see more Tor hidden services for search, not decentralized search protocols
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
Because the point of bittorrent is not decentralization (or piracy.) Remember, early bittorrent uses were World of Warcraft updates and Linux distributions. No need to decentralize when there's no threat to the person sharing the links.
-
Sure, but the fact it was used for piracy is all that maters for forcing decentralization. I think it is hard to deny that the legal pushback against popular torrent websites wasn’t related to multitrackers and DHTs being added to the BitTorrent protocol
End of conversation
New conversation -
-
-
UI / UX
@HelloZeroNet :) - End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

Imagine BitTorrent without The Pirate Bay doing everything it can to stick around
Tor exit node operators took on real risk in the early days especially