Dear Computer Network Club,

There is an important networking problem to be solved
so here is another incentive to solve it.

The SWIMSITE CHALLENGE
It is to be proven that n*1 = 1*n.

I read claims (by Peter Galbavy) that Consume could utilise several
connections concurrently to process a transaction.
The connections may include those that link to the Internet.
So two 33Kbps internet connections should give us one 66Kbps
connection.

The challenge is to play a streaming full-screen RealVideo continuously,
i.e. without buffering occurring once play has started,
at a Consume node using ordinary 56K or slower links.
Each link to the Internet must be attached to a different node.

OK. I'll allow 4 seconds of buffering at the start only. 
None in the middle.

No high speed ISDN, ADSL or Cable links are allowed.
No caching is allowed.

Here's the tricky bit:
The video requires just under 300Kbps to stream continuously
and lasts about one minute. The sound track must play too.
So I recogn 7 or 8 * 56k modem links (each achieving about 40Kbps)
should do it.

I.e. 8 * 40Kbps = 1 * 320Kbps

Note that the video will play with a single 56K link but it will 
buffer for 14 minutes and play for 1 minute. 
The aim is to buffer for 0 minutes and play for 1 minute.

The test video is at:  http://www.swimsite.dabsol.co.uk

There is an assumption that DABS online (dabsol)
can transmit at 300Kbps or more from their server.

The PRIZE is a complete working Pentium 75 desktop computer,
plus an ethernet card, possibly useful for turning into a node.

I need to see the video playing full-screen continuous before
coughing up.

Sorry I cannot accept overseas entries for the reason that its 
too far to travel to see it working.

(Peter will be wondering what my ulterior motive is.
Well it's just to enable swimmers to view full-screen
video over the Internet - at low cost - using shared resources.
Its likely that members in Luton & Dunstable will have 
60 * 56k modems or more with NTL "free" Internet access so 
this is an existing resource that should be used to the full.)

Sorry, I can't offer a reward like Soros have.
But it is the same problem - scaled down.
And the solution is the same, if it works.

[Alternatively you could enter Soros's competition
and win (get paid?) tens of thousands of pounds for
doing the same - they will even supply the links free]

Good Luck

From Paul Clarke (Luton Masters)
E-mail: swimsite@freeuk.com
For British Swimsite
http://www.swimsite.org.uk
For L&D Community Network
http://www.wlan.freeuk.com

13 Feb 01