The OFFSYSTEM - An introduction

Developers wanted!

The OFFSystem is mostly a one-man-project developed in spare time. A bunch of improvement ideas is piling up with little time to realize them. If you have some C/C++ skills and want to help, please come the the Project IRC channel.
There is also a need for translators and package maintainers.
 

What is the OFFSystem ?

OFF, or the Owner-Free Filesystem is a distributed filesystem in which everything is stored in reference to randomized data blocks, as opposed to a 1:1 copy of the original data being inserted. The creators of the Owner-Free Filesystem have coined a new term to define the network: A brightnet. Nobody shares any copyrighted files, and therefore nobody needs to hide away.
 
OFF provides a platform through which data can be stored (publicly or otherwise) in a discreet, distributed manner. The system allows for personal privacy because data (blocks) being transferred from peer to peer does not bear any relation to the original data. Incidentally, no data passing through the network can be considered copyrighted because the means by which it is represented is truly random.
 

Derivative works?

Many people may, at first glance, assume that blocks used in OFF to store any given file would be considered derivative works of the original copyrighted file in question. However, as stated above, no data stored or transferred in OFF is copyrighted because all data is randomized. This can be explained in a simple mathematical analogy, in that every number has an infinite number of representations (3+2=5, 2*2+1=5, 10-5=5, 10/2=5, etc). Even if a number (file) in question can be copyrighted under current legislation, it is practically impossible and unreasonable to state that every other representation of that particular number is copyrighted.
 
OFF is based on this simple mathematical property, and demonstrates that certain content can be directly stored against the same blocks that initially stored other completely unrelated data.
 

File Retrieval

There is only one way to retrieve any data stored on the OFFSystem, which is the creation of a URL. This special URL contains instructions on how to re-assemble a particular stored file in the system. Typically, URLs are created upon insertion into the system. With special configuration, it is also possible to allow files to be automatically re-assembled and passed through HTTP to the user's browser, without even having to download the OFFSystem client. In addition, one can create OFF directories with a list of multiple URLs, for convinent cataloging of content.
 
The privacy settings for a URL can be configured in OFF. In other words, you may choose to store content within the system which is only accessible to designated parties. You may do so by flagging a URL as private, thus preventing the propogation of that particular URL through the system.
 
 It must be noted that up until the point of retrieval of content from the OFFSystem, storage and transfer of a so-called copyrighted file is completely legal. However, the act of re-assembling a file may be considered copyright infringment in some cases, and users should be aware of legislation regarding copyright law which applies to their jurisdiction before doing so.
 

 

Click here to download the OFFSystem client or read more about the technology behind it.