Basically you have a CGI script that splits up a file into small chunks and serves each chunk as a web-browser cookie( of course Information on where that chunk belongs in the the file is also included in the cookie). If you encrypted the chunks before storing them as cookies on visitors computers this could be a very interesting (and ineffecient) way to store sensitive data. When you needed the data back you just rewrite the CGI script to read the cookies, decrypt them, and reassmble the chunks of data into the original file.-- beretboy, Apr 15 2002 FreeNet http://freenetproject.org/Baked? [pottedstu, Apr 15 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] Farsite http://research.mic...R_ID=MSR-TR-2001-60Distributed storage scheme with very high reliability. Stores data on machines all over the place and tolerates missing machines well. [bristolz, Apr 16 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] virtual free disk space http://www.halfbake...free_20disk_20spaceSame idea. [phoenix, May 15 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] Microsoft Pastry (no, it's not a joke) http://research.mic...t.com/~antr/pastry/"A scalable, decentralized, self-organizing and fault-tolerant substrate for peer-to-peer applications". Gotta love the name, anyway [phoenix, May 15 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004] Why? And...How will a CGI script dependably break up binary files and reassemble? What benefits will this give over the native file system's method of segmenting and storing files? Where do the cookies live? On other users machines? If so, what happens when they are deleted, or the machine is disconnected from the internet for months?-- mcscotland, Apr 15 2002 "Why?"
to store sensative files
"How will a CGI script dependably break up binary files and reassemble?"
Binary files would be tricky but doable, you'd just have to encode the binary as something the browser would accept as a cookie.
"What benefits will this give over the native file system's method of segmenting and storing files?"
To be honest, I have not the slightest clue
"Where do the cookies live? On other users machines?"
yes
"If so, what happens when they are deleted, or the machine is disconnected from the internet for months?"
There would be redundancy in the distribution of the chunks of data. each chunk would be sent out as many times as possible (so it would work a LOT better on a high traffic site such as a news site where users return periodically)
Good Questions :-)-- beretboy, Apr 15 2002 Sounds kind of like FreeNet: data split up and stored distributed over a network in encrypted packets that the hosts holding the data do not necessarily have access to.-- pottedstu, Apr 15 2002 Like freenet but with two major differences:
1) Visitors are not aware data is being stored 2) Data is in smaller chunks in order to fit in cookies-- beretboy, Apr 15 2002 Is there a limit to the size of a cookie? Why do you think this is suitable for storing 'sensative files'? What stops me from retrieving the data (when I'm not supposed to have access)?-- phoenix, Apr 15 2002 The limit for cookie size is something around less then 1 kilobyte. Encryption stops people from snooping in the sensative files (I mentioned that already)-- beretboy, Apr 16 2002 <homer>mmmmm, coooookieeees</homer>-- thumbwax, Apr 16 2002 Usually the client system puts a limit on hard drive space consumed by cookies. When the limit is reached, the stalest cookies get thrown out to make room for newer ones. The only way to know you've crossed the line is to try reading a cookie that is already gone. Have a fish-flavored cookie.-- BigBrother, Apr 17 2002 What is bloatware, anyway? When does a piece of software move from not-bloatware to bloatware; when it incorporates features that YOU don't use (but that someone else may very well use)?-- bristolz, May 15 2002 Croissant for the sheer novelty of the idea. It's beautiful in its sheer unworkability. Imagine a distributed file system where bits get deleted arbitrarily and your file access time is limited by the frequency at which your users visit the web site. This is it.-- st3f, May 16 2002 Guh...Wha?? Just thinking about it confuses me...-- Bohemianqueen, May 16 2002 random, halfbakery