[chris]

Question, why are my upload and download numbers so low? It is showing about 9gigs for both, but I know I have done way more than that. I know someone else asked this in another thread (the first tracker thread that is many many pages in length now) but don't have time to search through that thread. (bring on the slagging Medic)

The counters are good, but firewalling seems to screw with them. I've put the ratio ban in place now, to prepare people for the new tracker software (I'm getting what <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.easytree.org">www.easytree.org</a><!-- w --> is running - ratio ban included and active)

Regarding the share ratio, it isn't anything I'm worried about. You don't have to try very hard to achieve .50. One thing to keep in mind though, not everybody can actually keep their computers running as long as some of you other guys can. For instance, when I'm downloading, I try to leave my computer running all night. During the day though, my wife always shuts it off because she doesn't like to hear the fan and processor noise, plus she thinks it's an unnecessary energy waste. But, it seems to me that you should be able to achieve that share ratio simply via what you are uploading at the same time your downloading. Clear like mud.

The length of time that a user can leave their computer on should not impact their ability to maintain a ratio of at least 0.50. I understand/agree with you point, but if users open their ports, and set their upload rate as high as possible, they should easily reach the 0.50 mark.


As mentioned, I will be upgrading the tracker software soon, and here's what the new software includes...

What is SRE ("share ratio enforcement") and how does it work?


As long as your cumulative ratio is 0.25 or higher, you're allowed to join a torrent as a leecher. Any member, regardless of ratio, who has a complete copy of a torrent may join it as a seed. Any member, regardless of ratio, may upload and seed a new torrent.


The rest of this answer spells out the rules for letting a user with a ratio below 0.25 join a torrent as a leecher. If your ratio is 0.25 or higher and you keep it there, you don't have to read the rest of this answer.


The SRE rules are based on an enforcement cycle. A cycle is 5.00 GB for users of Uploader rank, larger for VIPs. You can find out the size of your cycle on your Control Panel (click "User CP" in the upper right of any of our pages after you've logged in).


Whenever your total download reaches a multiple of your cycle size, you can't join any more torrents as a leecher unless your ratio is at least the required minimum (currently 0.25). You can raise your ratio by seeding torrents where you already have a complete copy, or by uploading and seeding new torrents of your own. Once your ratio is high enough, you can enter a torrent as a leecher again, at least until your total download gets to the next multiple of your cycle size.


The tracker makes its decision when you try to join or rejoin a torrent; it will not kick you out of a swarm if you're already inside it. Any downloading you do is treated as part of the cycle you were in when you entered the swarm. However, the enforcement rules can potentially prevent you from rejoining a swarm after you leave it, even if it happens involuntarily (for examples, a system crash or a power failure). We recommend that you keep your ratio well above the minimum and that you not flirt with the limits.