Fixing the download mirrors @ GCW...

[PrinceGaz]

That sounds worryingly similar to the system used by certain ROM sites where you have to vote for them here there and everywhere before it allows you in. While forcing people to visit a number of other sites first in order to raise revenue may well work, its extremely annoying and time consuming and those secondary sites tend to be the sort of places that open popups for adult sites (so your popup killer gets a good testing).

I can't understand the problem with simply adding an eMule link as I know it would work -- some of the files available both from GCW and MegaGames can already be downloaded from eMule; I've resorted to doing an eMule search when all the mirrors have been down and sometimes an identically named and sized file comes up. Not all the files are available by any means and those that are may only have one or two sources and you'll have to wait overnight for it to arrive, but you may be surprised by just how many have found there way onto the network unasked.

If you requested that eMule and eDonkey users place any files downloaded from GCW into their shared folder (which alongside the many gigs of material already shared by the typical user will hardly be noticed even if they share hundreds of cracks), it won't take long before all the files have plenty of sources. Being able to click on an "eMule link" from the mirror page and know you will download the correct file rather than having to do a search and go for something which looks right would be a big plus.

I think some people underestimate the longevity of files shared on the eDonkey network, its not uncommon for even large files (hundreds of megs) to remain complete many months after being first shared by an individual (and I'm not talking about files posted on certain link sites which are available for years). The usual reason for files becoming incomplete is lack of demand over an extended period meaning theres no new sources, and the existing ones unshare it to save disk space as no one is requesting it. The disk space issue will be irrelevant with small cracks, and those which really are only downloaded a few times a year can always be got from one of the normal mirrors as its hardly going to amount to much bandwidth (its the popular cracks which currently place the heaviest load on the mirrors that would be the easiest to download with eMule).

Theres nothing to lose by giving it a try especially when the mirror situation is as serious as it has been recently.