the method

file\*handler coordinates some free media conversion packages with a PostgreSQL or MySQL backend to index, make searchable, and serve (via httpd) binary and text files on your HD, via the database. it's gridded streaming of audio/video as well as flat text/'doc'/PDF/image. media is served transparently to your web clients on demand; your original content is never exposed.

the f\*h server constantly looks for other servers on the Internet, giving everyone knowledge of, and therefore access to, everyone's files (on an opt-in basis). media is cached in databases across the network for improved response time. everyone else who doesn't care to run a file\*handler server would always be free to benefit from them via their favorite web browser.

the demo site presents the filehandler server as accessed by a Dojo widget that allows for searching or browsing of indexed media for presentation as a standalone app. it interfaces with a short CGI script with embedded AJAX. so, the filehandler data source is completely seperate from the front end, and is accessible by any network aware applications and can be imbedded within existing content. in terms of media distribution, think of it as simultaneously (dependant on what level of abstraction you chose to implement my project from) embedded youtube, a direct media streaming datasource, and a limited httpd filter layer that generates and parses queries into links to content on the filehandler network. for example, at that level, an http request containing keyword search terms, file name, or md5hash for a desired file would return (shown in plaintext) the appropriate markup for accessing that file (or files) on the filehandler network, like:
<img class="fhImg"
src="http://[hostname]/cgi-bin/front_end_ajax.cgi?reqip=[0.0.0.0];reqfil=[absolute path if available];
reqtype=[type of media];reqhash=[md5hash if available];control=[...]" />
which is, effectively, the information required to access desired media from any filehandler server on the internet that may have the file, graded by locality.

the madness

this project is fully functional as is, and continues to be improved. that being said, it began as a proof of concept, that with resources already available, it would be possible to construct a transparent layer on top of http capable of decentralizing storage, indexing and access to today's level of web based multi-media. at any given moment, everyone and noone could be directly responsible for the gratis (and profitless) distribution of millions and millions of free, free electrons without the need for trackers, huge storage servers, or onymous dedicated networks.