The past couple of months have been characterised by an alarming drop in the number of users, volume of data transferred, and the quality of content available on DC++ (DC). An interview with MrFrodo – one of the hub operators of DeZire – shed light on the various problems that DC seems to be facing and the measures that are being adopted to ensure stability in the future.

One can draw parallels between DC’s fall in prominence to its fall in content, with the present share being just a fraction of its past figure. The average number of daily users has dropped to one-fifth of what it used to be three years back. Two hubs were forced to shut down operations last semester. The plunge in downloads can be attributed primarily to the decrease in internet speeds as well as certain government restrictions that came into force recently. The blockage of access to torrent sites and stricter anti-piracy laws has made it harder for downloaders to access fresh content. MrFrodo believes that a growing disregard towards DC and a shift towards online streaming is also responsible for these troubling trends.

MrFrodo remarks that IPC has taken an unyielding stance on the matter of DC by imposing strict regulations on its usage and content. However, he also emphasizes that it is not the Institute’s intention to put a stop to DC but see it utilized by students in a more constructive fashion. ‘IPC wants to avoid paying large sums of money to companies every year due to copyright violations through illegal sharing on DC’, says MrFrodo.

Excessive usage of DC puts a strain on the IPC servers, thus affecting access to the internet. ‘DC was responsible for 80% of the traffic few years back. Presently, it has fallen to about 50%’, says the hub operator. He says that there have been cases in the past where downloaders have misused the internet services by capturing the net speed of their fellow hostel residents. This has led to IPC banning access to a few websites on the internet.

While no immediate steps have been taken to improve the situation, MrFrodo assured the English Press Club that DC administrators are in talks with IPC to establish clear guidelines and regulations regarding the usage and its availability. ‘Currently, there is one running hub which should serve to be enough for BITSian needs’, he says. A long-term proposal is to set up a permanent DC hub at IPC to ensure transparency and avoid shifting the hub address at frequent intervals; however, no further details were given concerning its implementation.

‘There seems to be a conviction amongst students that anything and everything is available on DC, without a clear understanding of the dynamics or the procedure. Having found the contrary, they quickly brand DC as ineffective’, says MrFrodo. ‘Students need to realise the constraints imposed on DC admins and wait patiently for fresh content. At the same time, they need to re-share in order prevent traffic congestion and long waiting lines.’ He believes this expectation by BITSians at large is what is driving the recent decline and hopes to see a reversal of tide soon.