There’s no question that sharing audio and video files consumes massive amounts of bandwidth, both for downloading and uploading of files. BitTorrent remains the most popular way to share files among peers, but it’s not without flaws. The upload system is either on or off, you can meter bandwidth, but as long as there’s a request the stream of data keeps flowing no matter what else your computer is currently doing. RedSwoosh offers a compelling alternative to BitTorrent, with a more intelligent system for sharing. When you click on a “swooshed” link you’re prompted to download the RedSwoosh client, which offers smart download management to make sure file transfers aren’t getting in the way of other activities like Skype calls or other network intensive activities. Chris recently spoke with Travis Kalanick from RedSwoosh about how their technology works, why it’s a more efficient system for delivering files than other options and how RedSwoosh benefits both content distribution systems and the people who download.

Travis Kalanick on File Sharing with RedSwoosh