Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

This forum is for help with this web site. Please read the FAQ and then search this forum before asking questions here; most likely the question you are about to ask has already been answered.

Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby danielwang » Sat Jul 19, 2003 10:53 pm

I would like to note that it may be useful, immediately or in the future, to have an option availible where a user/member could download the same video at different file sizes or preview the stream.

Although with the advent of Broadband file size is quickly becoming a negligible issue (theoretically), people are now browsing the videos by downloading videos they may or may not like, and then viewing them. This decreases efficiency and places unnecessary stress on the servers.

It is possible to dynamically step down stream and file sizes using the Windows Media 9 Series system. 9 Series Producer allows files to be generated from any format to a ASF file of your choice, while 9 Series Services allows server-based streaming.
With the Windows .NET Gundam (now .NET Hacker) system of bloatware, IIS directories can be configured to dynamically generate content on-the-fly by mounting a application service to a Virtual Directory. It's like mounting an audio CD as a WMA folder.

If it is, for some reason, undesired to have Windows .NET Gundam, you can just hack a command line content generator and put it in the executable bin folders. There should be a app somewhere that'll take:
a-m-v.org/cgi-bin/convert?b="128"&path="/content/video.rm"
and actually pipe out the results instead of writing a file.
Forget the security problems. Go ahead, post your root password. It doesn't matter if you're running PHP. Especially if it's on Apache running as root. Swiss cheese.
<a href="http://www.animetheory.com/" title="AnimeTheory" class="gensmall">AnimeTheory.</a>
<a href="http://www.animemusicvideos.org/search/supersearch.php?member_criteria=-%22danielwang%22&anime_criteria=-%22dragonball%20z%22%20-%22dragon%20ball%20z%22&artist_criteria=-%22linkin%20park%22" title="Seach videos NOT by danielwang" class="gen">Make sure you don't download videos that suck!</a>
danielwang
Village Idiot
 
Joined: 03 May 2002
Location: Denver, CO Banned: Several times!

Postby Phade » Sat Jul 19, 2003 11:24 pm

Hey,

Most good video creators are very particular about the visual quality of the vids they carete. Most do not use WMV as the output format. Stepping down the visual quality is just not a desired option for most creators. The stress on the server is currently not that great. If the stress increases, more bandwidth will be applied. Plus, I think it would be more stress on the server to stream a low quality version of the vid and then a high quality one right after it.

Phade.
User avatar
Phade
Site Admin
 
Joined: 20 Oct 2000
Location: Little cabin in the woods...

Re: Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby derobert » Sun Jul 20, 2003 2:53 am

danielwang wrote:This decreases efficiency and places unnecessary stress on the servers.
So? The server has plenty of bandwidth to spare. We averaged 7.9Mbit over the last 24 hours, out of a 20Mbit link. More bandwidth can be obtained if needed.

danielwang wrote:It is possible to dynamically step down stream and file sizes using the Windows Media 9 Series system.
Yeah, it's also very easy to view, compared to open formats like MPEG.

danielwang wrote:IIS directories can be configured to dynamically generate content on-the-fly
.org doesn't run on IIS, and doesn't run on Windows, either.

danielwang wrote:There should be a app somewhere that'll take:
the Org/cgi-bin/convert?b="128"&path="/content/video.rm"
and actually pipe out the results instead of writing a file.
I assume the assertion that serving dynamic files is less efficient than serving static ones is a nice joke, right?

danielwang wrote:Especially if it's on Apache running as root.
I really need to stop feeding the trolls. What kind of idiot runs apache/mod_php as root? Or just plain Apache as root? Or, for that matter, much any network service as root?
Key 55EA59FE; fingerprint = E501 CEE3 E030 2D48 D449 274C FB3F 88C2 55EA 59FE
A mighty order of ages is born anew.              http://twitter.com/derobert
User avatar
derobert
Phantom of the .Org
 
Joined: 24 Oct 2001
Location: AOD Command Fortress

Re: Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby danielwang » Sun Jul 20, 2003 11:48 am

Ok then. So, with the advent of broadband and cheap hosting, everyone has lost and lots of bandwidth and a few unnecessary streams is negligible. But, wouldn't it be interesting to have a "Preview function"? Yes, it take processor time and degrades video quality - but a postage stamp sized RM file is much smaller than a 60MB Mpeg.

If there was a system that allowed a small file, say, 5mb, to be downloaded and previewed; then upgraded to increased quality after a download, that would be an ideal solution. However, it might not even be of that much use...
My assumption was that people were downloading files based on abstracts and summaries and possibly even deleting them. But, if you saw it at a convention and know it's good, or it has a good rating, I guess it's not likely anyone will be wasting pipe anytime.

P.S.
I run *all* my network services as LocalSystem/NT_AUTHORITY. That includes IIS with all sorts of .NET Gundam bloatware plugins, RealServer, Windows Media Server, IIS-ftp, Windows-telnet, NonOpen-ssh, NonOpen-cvs, TightVNC, and even RPC. I additionally login as "root" (windows SID 500) whenever I need to install a virus.
Microsoft stuff has few security flaws. If anyone exploits them on my system they're probably not script kiddies.
<a href="http://www.animetheory.com/" title="AnimeTheory" class="gensmall">AnimeTheory.</a>
<a href="http://www.animemusicvideos.org/search/supersearch.php?member_criteria=-%22danielwang%22&anime_criteria=-%22dragonball%20z%22%20-%22dragon%20ball%20z%22&artist_criteria=-%22linkin%20park%22" title="Seach videos NOT by danielwang" class="gen">Make sure you don't download videos that suck!</a>
danielwang
Village Idiot
 
Joined: 03 May 2002
Location: Denver, CO Banned: Several times!

Postby EarthCurrent » Sun Jul 20, 2003 1:49 pm

Wang,

why don't you just make your own site since you know so much? :?
User avatar
EarthCurrent
 
Joined: 12 Feb 2002

Postby danielwang » Sun Jul 20, 2003 4:39 pm

I don't have broadband. Or good internet access for that matter.
<a href="http://www.animetheory.com/" title="AnimeTheory" class="gensmall">AnimeTheory.</a>
<a href="http://www.animemusicvideos.org/search/supersearch.php?member_criteria=-%22danielwang%22&anime_criteria=-%22dragonball%20z%22%20-%22dragon%20ball%20z%22&artist_criteria=-%22linkin%20park%22" title="Seach videos NOT by danielwang" class="gen">Make sure you don't download videos that suck!</a>
danielwang
Village Idiot
 
Joined: 03 May 2002
Location: Denver, CO Banned: Several times!

Postby trythil » Sun Jul 20, 2003 10:37 pm

EarthCurrent wrote:Wang,

why don't you just make your own site since you know so much? :?


The problem is that he doesn't.

Basically he wants to turn a simple, already-functional system into something that's stupidly hypercomplex and fragile. It's like UNIX versus Windows.

</flame>
This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make. There is a 512 character limit.
trythil
is
 
Joined: 23 Jul 2002
Location: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

Re: Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby derobert » Mon Jul 21, 2003 12:04 am

[quote="danielwang"I run *all* my network services as LocalSystem/NT_AUTHORITY.[/quote] Bah! Who needs operating systems! I run mine without an operating system in REAL MODE. Take that!
Key 55EA59FE; fingerprint = E501 CEE3 E030 2D48 D449 274C FB3F 88C2 55EA 59FE
A mighty order of ages is born anew.              http://twitter.com/derobert
User avatar
derobert
Phantom of the .Org
 
Joined: 24 Oct 2001
Location: AOD Command Fortress

Postby EarthCurrent » Mon Jul 21, 2003 12:09 am

is it a bad sign when the main coder for the site messes up quotes? :lol:
User avatar
EarthCurrent
 
Joined: 12 Feb 2002

Postby derobert » Mon Jul 21, 2003 12:18 am

EarthCurrent wrote:is it a bad sign when the main coder for the site messes up quotes? :lol:
I'm not the main coder (Phade still is, by far), but, yes, it's probably a bad sign. Expect the .org to be down soon with some PHP error about a missing right square bracket...
Key 55EA59FE; fingerprint = E501 CEE3 E030 2D48 D449 274C FB3F 88C2 55EA 59FE
A mighty order of ages is born anew.              http://twitter.com/derobert
User avatar
derobert
Phantom of the .Org
 
Joined: 24 Oct 2001
Location: AOD Command Fortress

Re: Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby danielwang » Mon Jul 21, 2003 1:26 am

derobert wrote: Bah! Who needs operating systems! I run mine without an operating system in REAL MODE. Take that!


I do too, on some of my boxes. That's why they're called "network applicances". Such as EMC storage devices running DART. And, of course, those Cisco Catalyst routers with specialized operating firmware.

deRobert wrote:I'm not the main coder (Phade still is, by far), but, yes, it's probably a bad sign. Expect the .org to be down soon with some PHP error about a missing right square bracket...


Doesn't PHP automatically detect errors such as this on a code rollover? Well, anyways, such an error probably wouldn't affect the Org, as long as you are using proper code rollover procesures such as having a test and production server, and only moving code one module at a time.

trythil wrote:Basically he wants to turn a simple, already-functional system into something that's stupidly hypercomplex and fragile. It's like UNIX versus Windows.

The newer latest version of Windows .NET Gundam lets you run a text-based MUD over SSH! The existing telnet server already can be used for MUDs by editing a registry value ("Shell") to point to the MUD application pool, and you can install an ssh replacement if desired.

The authors say they use Cygwin libraries for the ports of the Linux tools. Don't the authors of Cygwin charge lots of royalty money?
<a href="http://www.animetheory.com/" title="AnimeTheory" class="gensmall">AnimeTheory.</a>
<a href="http://www.animemusicvideos.org/search/supersearch.php?member_criteria=-%22danielwang%22&anime_criteria=-%22dragonball%20z%22%20-%22dragon%20ball%20z%22&artist_criteria=-%22linkin%20park%22" title="Seach videos NOT by danielwang" class="gen">Make sure you don't download videos that suck!</a>
danielwang
Village Idiot
 
Joined: 03 May 2002
Location: Denver, CO Banned: Several times!

Re: Local hosting: Dynamic server stepdown

Postby trythil » Mon Jul 21, 2003 1:54 am

danielwang wrote:Doesn't PHP automatically detect errors such as this on a code rollover?


No.

danielwang wrote:The newer latest version of Windows .NET Gundam lets you run a text-based MUD over SSH! The existing telnet server already can be used for MUDs by editing a registry value ("Shell") to point to the MUD application pool, and you can install an ssh replacement if desired.

The authors say they use Cygwin libraries for the ports of the Linux tools. Don't the authors of Cygwin charge lots of royalty money?


It's too bad Cygwin is GPL, so the authors can't charge royalties on the code itself.

How is being able to run a MUD over SSH, or any kind of secured connection, new or shocking? UNIX machines have been doing remote access junk like that for years.

More importantly, what the heck does that have to do with anything in your original post? What does being able to encrypt and authenticate a simple text connection have to do with forcing conversion to WMV, adding on the extra infrastructure (financial and technical) to allow streaming, switching server OSes and having to maintain a totally diffferent system despite the fact that everything is working perfectly and is probably working better than if you were in charge?


derobert wrote:I really need to stop feeding the trolls.


Me too, but I can't stop :(
This is a block of text that can be added to posts you make. There is a 512 character limit.
trythil
is
 
Joined: 23 Jul 2002
Location: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch


Return to Site Help & Feedback

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest