[GNUnet-developers] Propose new feature - Search Indexer WebService for GNUnet

[SMoratinos]

Hello Gnunet Developers,


I consider Gnunet for few days, firstly great work and thank you for 
the documentation. As Java developer, I could appreciate the gnunet-java 
api quality code.

I'm not familiar with P2P network, thanks for all your publications and 
talks, it's very interesting.

I propose a new feature, I hope to get feedback before I actually 
started development.
Don't hesitate to tell me if my idea is useless or bad.


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Observations:

 - Research (file-sharing) on gnunet are not easy or not fast.
 - GNUnet doesn't propose research, I must know the keywords. 
Sometimes, I don't know what to look for?
 - I can't search when I'm disconnected from gnunet's network, for 
example from my smartphone.
 - I don't have notification, for new content ?

But what it lacks (in my opinion) in gnunet networks ? a Google-like 
for GNUnet. A webservice who indexes the search result for gnunet 
network.


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What I propose:

I would like an alternative to gnunet's anonymous file search.
I would like a central public web interface as an alternative search.
GNUnet's users use the standard search gnunet-fs-search but if they 
wish to perform these searches via a central server they can. This is 
faster but the anonymity of the research is no longer guaranteed.

The idea is to have several web server dedicated to the research on 
gnunet's network. These servers can be specialized in one type of 
content, why not.
We can imagine friends, create a web server to reference a Search 
Indexer WebService for GNUnet Private F2F mode.
This enabled to have notifications of new content.
Example: I get a notification on my smartphone:
from: John
keyword: holydays_2012_10_nigeria, images, jpeg, album
uri: gnunet://fs/chk/........

This is only for the search not for the download.

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Two methods:

 - The future web server "Search Indexer WebService for GNUnet" is 
connected to the network and indexes only GNUnet search results, 
non-optimal solution.
 - Or allows gnunet-publish (optional) to record information (chosen 
among keyword, namespace, etc ...) on a web server via a simple rest 
api, The server isn't connected to the gnunet's network. The best 
solution in my opinion.

This assumes that the user interfaces (gnunet-gtk, and other in the 
futur) allow this choice (make a http request to a given web url). 
Little development expected, I think.
This assumes that there exists a web search engine that indexes the 
content of gnunet and restore via the classic web. This is the "Search 
Indexer WebService for GNUnet". More development expected.

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What I want to do:

As a Java developer, I'm interested in the design of such service, I 
don't ask for help in development (I don't refuse).


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Result:

This enabled GNUnet open to the public, and beginners, who came from 
the web. This doesn't alter the GNUnet core, and doesn't affect the 
safety or anonymity of classic research for those who wish.


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Feedback Wanted :

Do you find this interesting? Are you to promote this type of service 
or are you against it?
It feasibility in your opinion? What problems will I encounter?
Do you have any suggestions, ideas, advice?
Do I need to extend this service to other service that the 
file-sharing, for example for GNS?


P.S : sorry for my bad english ;)