Posted on 05/20/2005 5:25:37 AM PDT by N3WBI3
'New' BitTorrent forces anti-piracy regroup By Renai LeMay, ZDNet Australia 20 May 2005
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Illegal movie and software downloaders could have an edge over anti-piracy operatives thanks to a new feature in the BitTorrent file-sharing software.
BitTorrent creator Bram Cohen has eliminated the need for Web site hosting of centralised files known as 'trackers' in the latest beta version of the peer-to-peer software. These easily-located files have been a key resource for anti-piracy units in identifying infringers downloading and sharing copyrighted material.
The enhancement may cause problems in shutting down the illegal online distribution of software and content, according to software piracy watchdog, the Business Software Alliance.
"Currently, if a tracker site is shut down, many downloads are disrupted," Tarun Sawney, BSA Asia anti-piracy director, told ZDNet Australia . "So, removing the trackers from the equation will obviously cause those of us on this side of the battle to regroup."
(Excerpt) Read more at zdnet.com.au ...
Bump
Distributed trust + encryption + distributed hash table indices means that the publishers' cartels are fighting a doomed battle. In fact, their actions thusfar have pushed the development of these technologies.
The good news is that these technologies will also enable the Chinese to get unfiltered news.
So they will try to go after the ISPs again and try to monitor based on inbound volume and file types.
The technology is forcing the content providers to bring their pricing models down.
What I like is that every dollar out of the pocket of the Hollywood/socialist complex is one less dollar they can give to Howard Dean & the DNC!
N3WBI3, I doubt the courts will let them setup office at an ISP to monitor traffic. There would be no cause for an out side entity to sniff packets and see what data is coming across the wires. Without proof of their allegations they will have a tough time securing a warrant.
They will simply Judge shop until they get what they're after. The only thing it will cost them is a little more time.
BT isn't really all that new but it is quite useful - especially for LEGAL uses, not only piracy.
IMHO Even if you shop around for a favorable ear you still need some type of evidence to show that an infraction is taking place. You cannot simply say it is a major ISP therefore there must be illegal activity going on. You also need to identify an offender(s) that you want the warrant for, even if it is John Doe with an IP addy xxx.xxx.x.x attached to it with the date of the alleged offence. You cannot put the preverbal cart before the horse and say give us the warrant and we will find an offender.
Even if you did get a Judge to say ok there are still major setbacks.
1) ISP's have Laywers also and would fight it to the death
2) The case would never stand up in higher courts
I hope you are correct. The MPAA and RIAA are the #1 impediment to open communication on the internet. If the internet in America is ever censored, it will most certainly be because of these two piles of pigs.
The very best bittorrent client is Azureus, though I don't know if it's been updated for this new feature yet.
How about we discuss the fact bitorrent intended purpose is LEGAL uses - like distributing Open Source software, as an outlet for new bands (yes, there are freem legal MP3 downloads), downloading updates for software or operating systems, etc.?!?!?
Hell people, it's just like guns! The manufactures do not intend their products to be used by some crack head to shoot somebody, yet it happens. With BT it's the same, except instead of someone dying, some media corp doens't get $20 from some kid's mom cause he downloaded Star Wars.
It has legal uses so this '1984' crap has to stop.
"When filesharing is outlawed, only outlaws will share files " :)
The very best bittorrent client is Azureus, though I don't know if it's been updated for this new feature yet.
Yes Azerus is very good and has so many features, there were a spate of new updates and one of the options I saw was 'decentralized tracking' so sounds like it does support it now.
It's amazing how clueless these mass media whales have become, in the old days if there was competition to a product you made your own product more attractive, either by lowering prices or increasing quality.
Case in point my Sony PSP, why do I have to pay $15-20 to buy movies I already own on DVD if I want to watch them on my PSP? Only because Sony had to go and make their own proprietary format? That's not price gouging?
They do things like that and then want to strong arm people back into the stoneage of technology. I'm waiting for the day someone cracks that and UMD burners and media are available, will be first in line to convert my already paid for DVDs to UMD.
They just don't get it that the more they push the better and better p2p and sharing technology is going to get.
Yeah. I used it to speed the transfer of hundreds of copies of my favorite Battlefield 1942 mod, Experience WW2 (XWW2); in time for the official release of v2.5 a few months back.
It's very handy. Esp if your router can handle it. It has a tendency to pummel lesser network infrastructure (i.e. SOHO stuff.)
My main use of bittorrent is to pull down Linux Distro's, its amazing how much time is saved...
And I can just go down to my local coffee house with it free wifi and download anything without anyone having the slightest clue who I am. Indeed, in a nearby town, a large portion of their main business street has public free wifi.
Indeed. The only uses to which I've put BitTorrent have been quite legal in every sense of the word. Like you, I also used it to get the latest Knoppix. BT rocks!
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