Why isn´t RS successful?

[Distro]

I see. If we want the media to talk about it, we should probably name it "The kids rapist anonymous toolkit".

[defnax]

RetroShare is and will be so much more than just sharing files. Maybe we could start a poll and topic with suggestions.

Yes you are right, it will be much more the sharing files,
but seems lots of people doesnt known it.
It will be a alternative for Facebook, Skype...

[rndbit]

It will be a alternative for Facebook, Skype...

no it wont. unless you guys make it actually connect. that is - traverse NATs with a reasonable rate. yes, people dont know it, and good chunk of those who know dont use it because it does not work. not everyone can get an open port because not every ISP is kind enough to allow such commodity.

[kamisaka]

To me what appears to be missing is a bootstrap. Somebody new downloads and installs the software and then what. Nothing. Nobody to join. The software is great if you have an existing group of friends to work with, but sucks if you want to find new friends. Those want tightly closed communities this software is fantastic. With most f2f software you use some sort of bootstrap tool to get started. Here I see nothing on that lever so my idea is use something you might call superfriends.

The idea is simple. Users willing to donate a little time and bandwidth, with good connections and either a static ip or a dyndns link sets up an always on instance of the program. They post their key and simply allow everybody that ask to connect as a friend. These superfriends do not share file, join chat, or make contact. Having them join an introduction forum and help distribute the threads may help, but for the most part their job is simply to allow connections to link new members to existing groups that want to be part of a larger community. Those users that want to keep a small closed community could stay away and live very happy. As superfriends made contact each other the number of connected friends would grow quickly unless I misunderstand how the f2f connections work.

[rndbit]

this "boostrap" idea defeats the purpose. RS is meant for *SECURE* communications. there is nothing secure about stranger you found in some search. the real problem is not lack of insecurity that you are proposing, but lack of connectivity.

[Distro]

kamisaka, what you're proposing is already in place. We just need more people to setup "nogui" introduction servers and advertise them. Currently there's only one (that I know of). And btw the number of friends isn't unlimited mainly because of RAM constraints, so the introduction server needs to drop friends regularly.

[kamisaka]

I agree with the idea of introductions servers, but your missing my point entirely. There is indeed a need to servers to help keep friends connected, that are always on with static ips. I am looking at something that your missing because your stuck on strict f2f concept.

My idea is how to deal with larger groups of random users. Say I am looking around for a new community to join and I download the retroshare software and look it over. I appears nice so I install and run it. Unless I have already established friends to add, I am simply screwed and I will delete the software to tell everybody that it is worthless. I know for a fact that is has happen because of my experience with it and getting friends to connect with me.

For this example lets say I am a 3 Stooges fan. I know that their has to be others fans around the world as well and to make matters worse I live an area where internet is filter and that kind of content is forbidden. Retroshare would be the perfect tool for this, yet by its very design it will not allow unknown friend connections. My concept of a superfriend would create solutions for this kind of user. If I join with a superfriend I can post in a existing forum, or create my own new forum seeking out like minded 3 Stooges fans. I can then swap keys with those fans and create a brand new fan following all inside a secure connection base totally outside any censorship or corporate control.

The software has strong enough protections built in where I could have a network of a thousand random users that existing users would never see, have contact with, or see slow connections because of unless they wanted to join. Just because they are random friends does not mean that you trust them either. This software seems to have enough safeguards built in to protect users from any kind of exposure to mole or troll. My idea is to have a handful of introduction forums, where new joins could connect with, join, and create new like minded friends.

This idea does not break the concept of secure private f2f connections either because nothing of the code is broken. It simply means that a network of much larger more random users can connect to create new more private less exposed subnets.

[Arceliar]

kamisaka, see http://twitter.com/#!/retroshare/status/168741226131099649

At least one of (almost exactly) what you're proposing exists, and the devs appear to be looking for more people to run them.

[kamisaka]

That does indeed seem to be exactly what I think is needed to get more activity. I have a server that is loafing and would gladly keep it online to help support the exchange.

For those trying to get it, avoid the issue that I ran into. The Code Captcha is case sensitive!

[rndbit]

RS was just slashdotted :] guess its one more step towards success.