BitTorrent site guys going to jail

IF TPB really does go down, within a month, there will be a new powerhouse or three on the scene. It's that simple.
Pegging this is as "BitTorrent meltdown" is incredibly over-the-top.

 

Agreed. There's always someone to fill the void. Just ask Napster Aimster KaZaA Limewire BitTorrent

 

correct ... and, yeah, it is a brilliant system

the pirate bay - or any other bittorrent tracker - has no content on its servers, it merely serves as a site where users can connect with each other. those who defend it say it's no different than people trading tapes. and the tracker serves as a way for people looking to trade can find each other.

and it's important to remember there are legal bittorrent trackers out there, like dimeadozen, which are strictly monitored and only track lossless live shows by bands who have agreed to let their music be shared.

bittorrent itself is not illegal, it's just a form of sharing data.

say i seed a coldplay show. it pops up on the tracker. 20 other people want the show. they connect with the tracker, which in turn connects with me. as the 20 people begin downloading the show from me at different speeds, other people connect who want the show (leechers) and begin downloading from all 21 people now in the swarm while simultaneously uploading to other users. the more seeders, the faster the download.

most (but not all) the legal sites require that users maintain a specific ratio (usually anywhere from .25 to .50) of data uploaded to data downloaded to prevent people from just popping on, downloading stuff, then disappearing. this means you have to stay on & seed other users, you can't just swoop in, grab and swoop out.

 

This thread violates the first and second rules of BitTorrent.

 

Which are . . .

1. Never talk about Bit Torrent, and what is the second again?

 

Funny that these guys are going to jail and Bernie Madoff still gets to live in his Upper East Side penthouse apartment under "house arrest." :

 

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Ragu,

IIRC, it is illegal to create software if the software's primary purpose is to allow others to violate copyright laws.

 

hasn't madoff been in prison since his guilty plea on march 12?

 

You're right, sorry. I mistakenly thought his appeal to be released from custody pending his sentencing had been granted, but it was denied.

 

Torrent software's primary purpose is to share files — not necessarily copyrighted works, just data files in general. Could be a movie, could be a new release of a Linux distribution (which is legally shareable in every almost instance because of the way its license is written).

 

Yes, in theory you can use BitTorrent to share your unpublished novel or freeware, etc. But lets face it, BT is primarily a way to break copyright laws. And no matter how the program is spun, the legislatures and courts are going to find ways to protect the rights of the holders.