I’ve been experimenting with a weird idea: what if files didn’t live on disk or in memory, but only as packets moving through the network?
NERD is a text editor for living data streams — circulation loops in network traffic that are the file. There’s no storage backend. If the flow stops, the file disappears.
Files are sustained by packet loops (heartbeat packets keep them alive)
Multi-user editing by connecting to the same flow
Raw socket programming + custom packet formats
ed-compatible interface (append, delete, substitute, etc.)
Flow discovery (discover shows what’s “alive” on the network)
Example:
$ sudo ./nerd shared_doc
> append Hello from Node A!
On another machine:
$ sudo ./nerd shared_doc
> append Hello from Node B!
Result: Both edits are merged into the same circulating flow.
Repo & README: github.com/DantrazTrev/nerd
Would love feedback on:
Use cases (is this a toy or something deeper?)
Security / network safety concerns
Better ways to visualize active flows
“The file is not in the nodes, but in the arrows between them.”
toodles
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Show HN: I am building nerd: ed for live nw flows (file in motion) · HackerTrans
I’ve been experimenting with a weird idea: what if files didn’t live on disk or in memory, but only as packets moving through the network?
NERD is a text editor for living data streams — circulation loops in network traffic that are the file. There’s no storage backend. If the flow stops, the file disappears.
Instead of: File → Storage → Network → Edit → Store NERD does: File IS Network Flow → Edit Flow Pattern Directly
Features:
Files are sustained by packet loops (heartbeat packets keep them alive) Multi-user editing by connecting to the same flow Raw socket programming + custom packet formats ed-compatible interface (append, delete, substitute, etc.) Flow discovery (discover shows what’s “alive” on the network) Example: $ sudo ./nerd shared_doc > append Hello from Node A! On another machine: $ sudo ./nerd shared_doc > append Hello from Node B! Result: Both edits are merged into the same circulating flow. Repo & README: github.com/DantrazTrev/nerd Would love feedback on:
Use cases (is this a toy or something deeper?) Security / network safety concerns Better ways to visualize active flows “The file is not in the nodes, but in the arrows between them.”
toodles