Microsoft Embraces BitTorrent

Microsoft released a beta of Visual Studio 2008 last week and to go along with it the company has unveiled a new downloading scheme that sounds a lot like bittorrent. The Microsoft Secure Content Downloader (MSCD) as the new protocol is known, is what Microsoft describes as “a peer-assisted download manager.” Further details make the […]

Cheaper
Microsoft released a beta of Visual Studio 2008 last week and to go along with it the company has unveiled a new downloading scheme that sounds a lot like bittorrent. The Microsoft Secure Content Downloader (MSCD) as the new protocol is known, is what Microsoft describes as “a peer-assisted download manager.”

Further details make the setup sound even more like bittorrent. From the MSCD site:

  • Each client downloads content by exchanging parts of the file they???re interested in with other clients, in addition to downloading parts from the server.
    • No matter how great the internet???s demand for the file, you will always be able to make progress downloading.
    • MSCD lets you download content quicker than is possible without peer assistance.

Unlike bittorrent though, these files are secured through an unspecified mechanism, but otherwise the system sounds like Microsoft has reinvented bittorrent as a means of downloading software updates. Or at least is testing the system.

Here's where it gets interesting though:

Some MSCD clients may be connected to each other via peer connections, forming a ???cloud??? of clients. Pieces of the file you are downloading are sent through these peer connections between clients, as well as through connections with the file server. As a member of the cloud, your computer both serves as a client and server to other members of the cloud. Data destined for the cloud may be routed through your computer and sent to other cloud members. The other cloud members connected to you will be able to access only pieces of the file you are downloading via MSCD ??? they have no access to any other data on your computer.

Essentially your bandwidth and connection are being used to distribute Microsoft's software and it remains to be seen how consumers react to this idea.

Is the potential speed boost and shortened download time enough to take the sting off the fact that you're essentially helping Microsoft cut down on their server costs? Or will consumers revolt as they did when Blizzard released a World of Warcraft patch via bittorrent?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

[Comic From Penny Arcade]