This file is a brief description of the Distributed Internet
Backup System (DIBS) package.  

* OVERVIEW

Since disk drives are cheap, backup should be cheap too.  Of course it
does not help to mirror your data by adding more disks to your own
computer because a virus, fire, flood, robbery, power surge,
etc. could still wipe out your local data center.  Instead, you should
give your files to peers (and in return store their files) so that if
a catastrophe strikes your area, you can recover data from surviving
peers.  The Distributed Internet Backup System (DIBS) is designed to
implement this vision.

Note that DIBS is a backup system not a file sharing system like
Napster, Gnutella, Kazaa, etc.  In fact, DIBS encrypts all data
transmissions so that the peers you trade files with can not access
your data.

* DOCUMENTATION

The DIBS distribution contains extensive documentation in the doc
directory.  See doc/dibs.{info,html,dvi} for documentaion.  In
particular the Installation section of the manual describes how to
install everything and get started.  See doc/dibs-faq.html for a list
of frequently asked questions including the many ways in which DIBS
may be useful to you.

* OBTAINING

To obtain DIBS go to

* http://dibs.sourceforge.net
* http://www.csua.berkeley.edu/~emin/source_code/dibs
* freshmeat.net. 

* FEEDBACK

Please contact emin@alum.mit.edu with questions and comments.