Jake

How does the synchronisation work?

There are three main operations:

• synchronising the “log”, which contains information about who did what when. This is done automatically.
• “announcing”: Means you declare this file or note for done and as the newest version
• “pulling”: You get the newest version.

It makes backups and keeps old versions, right?

No. You do it. Not Jake’s business.

Why and how is it secure?

XMPP has TLS encryption to and from the server. On the server however the traffic is visible (which is why companies might want to set up their own server). A additional encryption would be nice. Jake also has the feature to negotiate peer-to-peer file transfers directly over sockets, which of course only works if the computers can reach each other directly. This could be improved by ICE or other NAT-traversal methods.

Unfortunately, these direct transfers are not encrypted (yet). An AES encryption would be very easy to add.

I want to start hacking Jake! What are bits to enhance for interested developers?

See above. Also: Interface stuff. Everything that bothers you. If you are not a programmer, you could write an introduction on how to use it. Ask if you need any help: Johannes Buchner (xmpp: J13R@jabber.fsinf.at)

I’d like to see sharing of network resources. What that would do is tunnel local network services through XMPP and allow other users to use them. For example: Printer, file server, mail account … Technically it would be the same as ssh tunnels, but it could get a very intuitive GUI: Services available next to the user name, adding services with scanning the network for computers or a host for services (i.e. no port numbers if not necessary).

The definite guide for interested developers is at http://dev.jakeapp.com/documents/3. Every information should either be there, linked from there or added there .

What are bits in the source that could interest developers?

I think those are pretty cool:

• Folder Watcher (in fss): Watches a folder for changes
• Folder Abstraction (in fss): Addressing files uniquely in a folder across operating systems
• Content Adressing and retrieval using Request/Response (ics): A framework that allows addressing of content (can be files by file names), their retrieval and progress. Any underlying system (XMPP, Sockets, ICQ, …) could be implemented. Any type of content and visualization of progress can be done.
• Cool interface (in gui): Responsive, well designed, feels native. Doesn’t look like the typical Swing app.

Does it use Peer-to-peer transfers like Bittorrent?

Not at the moment, because: Communication so far works mainly over the XMPP protocol. Since that goes over the server,  asking for parts from multiple sources would be pointless.

However, there is a interface that allows adding other transfer options (like sockets). These are tried in a specified order until one works. So you can add a bittorrent alike protocol: splitting files into 1MB pieces and requesting them from multiple hosts. The negotiation (who has what) would be done in XMPP.

If I’m online with Jake, can others chat with me? What happens to incoming messages, are they lost?

Jake is not intended to be a chat client. Use a jabber/XMPP chat client next to it.

If you are only online with Jake, others will see you as online. However, Jake is only registered at the server to receive Jake-type messages, not normal chat messages. Thus the chat messages will be queued on the server just like if you were offline. And you will get them when you go online with a chat client.

Leave comments with interesting questions

Not so interesting questions:

I am so 1337 and this is lamer than my patched git server!!1