Make Calibre Downloads faster

[HarryT]

It's definitely your ISP or download speed that's the issue.

I've just downloaded the latest v1.9.0 and it took 17s. I have a download speed of roughly 15MBit/sec.

You really don't need to download every new version, though. I only download new versions if there's a new feature that I'd like to have, or a bug fix that's affecting me.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by aleyx

Download by torrent is a good idea, but I wonder how to implement that for the Linux version of the installer (which, thanks to the power of Python, automatically detects the latest version, downloads, and installs, without the need for a pesky browser and mouse clicks).

...Of course, after a quick search, the real problem becomes one of choosing the right package from the dozen or so available...

Another way to reduce the load would be to build incremental updates alonside full installs. I don't expect the delta from 1.8 to 1.9 to weight much compared to a full 1.8. We'd need some data about version fragmentation to determine if it's worth the pain, though.

Hm. Just for fun, I'm gonna make some experiments on that one anyways.

Why a problem: The dot_torrent file is small

The check for new versions only has to decipher the OS (which it does now) and grab the (current) .torrent related and see downloads peg my bandwidth capacity once there are 10+ seeders

I have been using Ubuntu's .torrent files for many versions

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Jimmy-Jim

TWC - 10mbit
Firefox w/DownThemAll (4 segments)

~55 sec

~45 sec from the alternate download

Yes, I use DownloadThemAll with Firefox and it does help big time.

[Adoby]

It could even be possible to incorporate a torrent client in calibre itself. Fully controllable of course. It could be set to automatically download the latest version using a predetermined bandwidth and seed to others, also at a predetermined bandwidth, or ratio. Could even be possible to set it to inform the user that a new version has been downloaded and ask if it should be installed.

[aleyx]

Originally Posted by theducks

Why a problem: The dot_torrent file is small

The check for new versions only has to decipher the OS (which it does now) and grab the (current) .torrent related and see downloads peg my bandwidth capacity once there are 10+ seeders

I have been using Ubuntu's .torrent files for many versions

I was talking about the current way to install/upgrade Calibre on Linux, which is to run:

sudo python -c "import sys; py3 = sys.version_info[0] > 2; u = __import__('urllib.request' if py3 else 'urllib', fromlist=1); exec(u.urlopen('http://status.calibre-ebook.com/linux_installer').read()); main()"

I've put that in a ~/bin/calibre-update.sh to avoid copy/pasting:

#!/bin/bash
killall calibre-server
sudo python -c "import sys; py3 = sys.version_info[0] > 2; u = __import__('urllib.request' if py3 else 'urllib', fromlist=1); exec(u.urlopen('http://status.calibre-ebook.com/linux_installer').read()); main(install_dir='/opt')"
. calibre-server.sh

(And the ~/bin/calibre-server.sh

#!/bin/bash
calibre-server --port 8081 --restriction FanFiction --daemonize
calibre-server --port 8080 --restriction Novels --daemonize

So to enable bittorrent downloading/updating, http://status.calibre-ebook.com/linux_installer would need to be updated with a bittorrent class, because that's not a standard Python library.

Also, for Bittorrent to be any use at all, you'd have to either let that installer detach and run in the background for a configurable time and on a configurable port (because firewalls), or include a bittorrent client into calibre and/or calibre-server for the seeding, which basically exclude first-time installs.

Yeah, software deploymentis fun. Lots of things to consider.

[theducks]

I did the shell script thing and then attached it to a 'pinned' icon on the Ubuntu menu.
I usually leave my versions with a small stagger unless I am chasing running from a problem.

[Matth79]

I've always found the sourceforge downloads to be quick, you get an autoselect host that's not the other side of the world, or you can force select a specific host

[eschwartz]

The linux version can be updated by putting the update script in a crontab, so it happens overnight and you don't even notice!

That's what I do, anyway. Every Friday it automatically runs.

[Katsunami]

20 minutes for downloading Calibre is a very long time.

I've just downloaded version 1.9.0, and it downloaded in under 10 seconds. I do have a 60 MBit (7.5 MB/s max) connection though, which is quite normal in the Netherlands.

Even at 5 MBit (0.625 MB/s max, which would be considered very slow in the Netherlands at this time), a download should not take longer than 1,5 to 2 minutes.

[theducks]

You are using the correct Download Link (the one above the Donate Support button)
All download versions look similar to this (attachment). Only the OS version Icon will be different.

Other reasons that come to mind (only that affect specific URL's):
1) erroneous entry in the systems 'Hosts' file (if you don't know what a 'hosts' file is, YOU did not do this)
2) Malware (could have caused #1)
3) Parental controls setting
4) Firewall (host filter) setting

[Agama]

Originally Posted by crich70

How far you are from the local node for your internet company and how many other people are on the line also can make a difference how fast or slow things download. I ended up going to cable internet due to my DSL slowing down (and having frequent drops).

Agreed! I was so far from the exchange that my ADSL line was not stable past 1.5Mbps and frequently dropped out. Moving to fibre has given me a download speed of 39Mbps and stability.

The calibre server is not usually a bottleneck. I find the download now takes about 11 seconds, (from the main server), compared with about 5 minutes over ADSL.

If you checked out all the suggestions already made then it's probably time to ask your ISP why your line is so slow.

[Beyond genius]

Calibre updates are incorporated in linux update-manager updates, and they don't come so often.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Beyond genius

Calibre updates are incorporated in linux update-manager updates, and they don't come so often.

Calibre Linux updates come on the same schedule as any other platform, weekly.

The fact that most distributions do not update their repositories on a regular basis is why you are advised not to install via that route but rather to download and install from the calibre web site http://calibre-ebook.com/download_linux

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Beyond genius

Calibre updates are incorporated in linux update-manager updates, and they don't come so often.

Avoid that one like the plague. The version in most distros was OLD when the distro was released. The next update is when the NEXT DISTRO is released

Use the Calibre Command line for real up(to)dates

[Katsunami]

Most Linux distro's don't even bother to regularly update Calibre in their repository. Someone may take a look at it every two or three months or so, because Calibre is developed way too fast. Before the maintainers get the package tested and ready, the next version is already out.

Ubuntu just reached the 1.0 version:
https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/saucy/calibre/

SUSE still has 0.9 versions:
http://software.opensuse.org/package/calibre

Debian Stable (Wheezy) is only at 0.8 (and they won't update it in stable; you would need to get it from backports if it's there, or pull it from Testing, Unstable or Experimental)
http://packages.debian.org/wheezy/calibre