Bug#659917: transmission: Transmission unable to update its blocklist

[Krzysztof Klimonda]

Package: transmission
Version: 2.03-2
Severity: normal

Transmission developers have stopped hosting level1 blocklist file which
broke blocklist updates for older Transmission releases (versions >=
2.10 are not affected as they allow changing the blocklist url.

It can be fixed in a number of ways:
- Debian can start hosting level1 blocklist (and update them daily from
some other blocklist provider)
- We can point transmission to another blocklist provider
- We can disable this option in the menu

All changes require patches, first one is the best - most blocklists
that you can find on the internet are in gzipped form and transmission
2.03 doesn't support it.

Pointing Transmission to another blocklist provider would require us to
find one who provides unpacked list, and is willing to allow all Debian
users use it for the life of squeeze.

We have the same problem with transmission 1.93 in Ubuntu, and I'm
trying to find a place to host the list on some ubuntu machine, but it
may take some time, and admins may not even accept that. Because of
that, and the fact that Debian is also affected, I've decided to report
it to BTS and see if maybe you'll have more luck with Debian sysadmins. :)

Cheers,
KK

[Leo 'costela' Antunes]

Hey Krzysztof,

Post by Krzysztof Klimonda
Transmission developers have stopped hosting level1 blocklist file which
broke blocklist updates for older Transmission releases (versions >=
2.10 are not affected as they allow changing the blocklist url.

Yeah, thanks for reporting this. I had made a mental note about dealing
with this when I noticed the change in newer versions, but completely
forgot.

Post by Krzysztof Klimonda
- Debian can start hosting level1 blocklist (and update them daily from
some other blocklist provider)
- We can point transmission to another blocklist provider
- We can disable this option in the menu

To fix this as quickly as possible, I could put it on my personal server
and redirect some debian.net address to it (like blocklist.debian.net or
something). Depending on the load, this could remain for the lifetime of
squeeze or lucid.
However, how would this blocklist be updated? Should I just regularly
wget another blocklist from some other server and gunzip it?
How about directly using this URL:
http://list.iblocklist.com/?list=bt_level1&fileformat=p2p&archiveformat=
(would probably be a good idea to ask beforehand)

Post by Krzysztof Klimonda
Cheers,
KK

I'm gonna start calling you just KK ("kay-kay"), because every single
time I have to write your name, I have to recheck my spelling about 3-4
times! :)

Cheers
--
Leo "costela" Antunes
[insert a witty retort here]

[Krzysztof Klimonda]

Post by Leo 'costela' Antunes
Hey Krzysztof,

[...]

Post by Leo 'costela' Antunes
However, how would this blocklist be updated? Should I just regularly
wget another blocklist from some other server and gunzip it?
http://list.iblocklist.com/?list=bt_level1&fileformat=p2p&archiveformat=
(would probably be a good idea to ask beforehand)

Maybe use a redirection from .debian.net to this list, in case it gets
removed (or just the option to download an uncompressed list is gone).
This way we would have a future-proof solution for the life of
squeeze/lucid. I know that at least one other blocklist provider
(http://www.bluetack.co.uk/) is planning on doing some sort of premium
service, so other sites removing public link in the future is not out of
question.

And yes, we still have to ask them for permission - I can't tell how
many people are going to use it but the file size (12MiB uncompressed)
is big enough that they may not be happy to get some additional traffic.

Post by Leo 'costela' Antunes

Post by Krzysztof Klimonda
Cheers,
KK

I'm gonna start calling you just KK ("kay-kay"), because every single
time I have to write your name, I have to recheck my spelling about 3-4
times! :)

Sure, you can also call me Chris - it's what my name is in English.