Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 05:02:02 -0800 From: "Ted Mittelstaedt" <tedm@toybox.placo.com> To: "Jeremy Faulkner" <gldisater@gmail.com> Cc: Eric Hildebrandt <hildebeb@mts.net>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD Torrent Server Message-ID: <013801c74601$2bbd0cf0$3c01a8c0@coolf89ea26645> References: <45BE469F.70001@mts.net> <015f01c74512$af52b730$3c01a8c0@coolf89ea26645> <ca650bda0701311334j13db2c01mdace33426bb4f492@mail.gmail.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeremy Faulkner" <gldisater@gmail.com> To: "Ted Mittelstaedt" <tedm@toybox.placo.com> Cc: "Eric Hildebrandt" <hildebeb@mts.net>; <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 1:34 PM Subject: Re: FreeBSD Torrent Server > On 1/31/07, Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm@toybox.placo.com> wrote: > > > > Why? > > > > FreeBSD isn't commercial software, there's no need to go through > > all the hocus pocus to conceal the uploader so the RIAA doesen't > > sue him. Standard FTP works perfectly fine at any of the mirror sites, > > and you will get your ISO no slower. > > > > Ted > > Bittorrent does nothing to conceal the uploader's identity. > > The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of Amarica) doesn't give a > damn about the piracy of commercial software, the RIAA cares about the > piracy of music distributed by their member companies. <opinion>The > RIAA exists to be the bully for their member companies and to draw the > negative public relations away from those member companies.</opinion> > Which is exactly why I cannot understand why anyone would want to use bittorrent to legitimately distribute anything. Why use a service that the RIAA is actively attacking, because such service is being used to illegally distribute pirated music? It's called guilt by association. For the same reason I would be very dismayed if a large porno site like playboy.com, hustler.com, etc. put a bunch of banners on their website offering free downloads of FreeBSD. Those porno sites are being used for the perfectly legal distribution of images legally obtained, by willing participants, all above board, monitored, and such. From a technical perspecitve, the porno sites have some of the best bandwidth available. You could make a dozen freedom of speech, etc. arguments about how it would be a great thing if those sites started distributing FreeBSD. But, it would be nothing more than a public relations disaster. Sure, bittorrent can be used to legally distribute software. So can porno sites. But, with all the number of willing FTP mirrors out there, who are engaged in noncontroversial businesses, is it really necessary to deal with bittorrent? The FreeBSD Beastie was struck from his position as logo for FreeBSD for some EXTREMELY minor controversy surrounding religions icons. Well, using a Devil image didn't pirate anyone software or break a law. Yet Beastie was axed for exactly the same "guilt by association" reasons. It seems to be EXTREMELY hipocritical to on one hand, strike out Beastie for some morons based on a guilt by association reason, then on the other hand turn a blind eye to the guilt by association of using a service, bittorrent, that is extremely heavily used for distribution of pirated software and music, to distribute FreeBSD. Ted
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?013801c74601$2bbd0cf0$3c01a8c0>