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BitTorrent client Tribler combines YouTube, BitTorrent, and Last.fm

23 May 2007 10:41 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz

Tribler, a Dutch BitTorrent client recently updated to version 4.0, adds Last.fm-style personalization to your torrent downloading. Whenever you open the client, Tribler suggests new media based off you previous downloading history. European public broadcasters have begun looking into the program as it combines collaborative filters with YouTube browsing, something never seen before.

Tribler is part of a joint research project collectively called I-Share, which is exploring �sharing mechanisms in virtual communities.� Last year, I-Share received 6 million Euros in funding by the Dutch government and claims that 20 scientists are working on Tribler as we speak.

So why all the funding for what can be considered a generic torrent client? Because the program uses P2P to "discover other clients and exchange metadata about downloaded files." Tribler also makes great use of the data to generate each user recommendations, in the same way Last.fm does, or even Netflix.

The latest version of Tribler, v4.0, also incorporates YouTube. Use the integrated search to look for YouTube clips and watch them with an integrated video viewer. Tribler team member Freek Zindel explains the integratation of YouTube: �With Tribler we want to enable our users to share and interact with content from any source. In the near future we plan to open the Peer to Peer transport layer to content that was previously only available from central servers. This would bring a new level of redundancy, availability and scalability to user generated content.�

Tribler has caught the the interest of a few European broadcasters. Tribler is also "currently gearing up for a test that is going to involve the video on demand services of Netherlands Public Broadcasting."

Tribler however, still faces the same issues as every other P2P, the illegality of certain files. Zindel doesnt seem too worried however as he notes that Tribler's status as a non-profit organization frees it from �chasing profits.�

Source:
NewTeeVee

Permalink to this article | Topic: Online video