We knew this guy was up to something with his internets: Apparently George W. Bush maintains a Bittorrent website and a blog. Just why does he publish all these torrents for liberal propaganda like PBS frontline, BBC documentaries and the Muppets?
Benjamin Stephan's and Lutz Vogel's "Trusted Computing" animation short film was all over the web last fall. In case you missed it: They just won the audience award of Germany's Animago Film Festival, so you have a good excuse to be late to the party. Just call it revisiting a classic.
Trusted Computing Bittorrent Download (made possible by Legaltorrents.com)
Trusted Computing Bittorrent Download (made possible by Legaltorrents.com)
On Monday the LA Times published an interesting article about comic book piracy and its impact on smaller comic book publishers. The reference to P2P networks and especially Bittorrent was a little off tho:
"There are multiple-image readers and formats for passing around comics. Users typically scan the files, turn them into readable formats and upload them onto sites such as Pirate Bay, http://www.thepiratebay.org , for users of the BitTorrent protocol.
These sites work by breaking a large file into smaller pieces stored on different users' computers. When a user wants to download a specific file, BitTorrent searches around the Web for the fragments and pieces them back together, allowing for the faster transmission of large files."
Granted, I've heard worse descriptions of P2P technology. But still, the Times probably should have asked someone other than Gyro Gearloose to explain that whole Torrent thing to them.
"There are multiple-image readers and formats for passing around comics. Users typically scan the files, turn them into readable formats and upload them onto sites such as Pirate Bay, http://www.thepiratebay.org , for users of the BitTorrent protocol.
These sites work by breaking a large file into smaller pieces stored on different users' computers. When a user wants to download a specific file, BitTorrent searches around the Web for the fragments and pieces them back together, allowing for the faster transmission of large files."
Granted, I've heard worse descriptions of P2P technology. But still, the Times probably should have asked someone other than Gyro Gearloose to explain that whole Torrent thing to them.
One of the often overlooked problems online music stores are facing these days is localization. Back in the old days, when music was still made with real instruments and shipped in wood boxes to the iTunes music store, localization was easy. You were local if you spoke the language - with the language being money and your Visa card being proof of eloquence. You were welcome at US download stores if you had a US credit card.
Then tons of free promotions made the whole thing a little more difficult. Or was it credit card fraud? Anyway, online outlets started using IP numbers to localize their customers and shut out whole parts of the world. Nothing to see here, unless you are one of us.
Then tons of free promotions made the whole thing a little more difficult. Or was it credit card fraud? Anyway, online outlets started using IP numbers to localize their customers and shut out whole parts of the world. Nothing to see here, unless you are one of us.
"The virtual moneylender" is one of the most interesting articles of the last weeks. It describes how Prosper.com brings people together to borrow and lend micro-loans outside of the traditional banking system.
One of the really interesting aspects is how Prosper uses social network dynamics to secure its members aganst fraud: Peope organize in groups to better their credit standig or organize funds to invest.
"This sort of peer pressure has long been used as a tool to goad borrowers into paying back micro-loans in the developing world. It reflects, says Elizabeth Warren of Harvard, an axiom of money lending. "Making decisions about whom to repay when you're in financial trouble is less about law and more about social relationships," she points out."
One of the really interesting aspects is how Prosper uses social network dynamics to secure its members aganst fraud: Peope organize in groups to better their credit standig or organize funds to invest.
"This sort of peer pressure has long been used as a tool to goad borrowers into paying back micro-loans in the developing world. It reflects, says Elizabeth Warren of Harvard, an axiom of money lending. "Making decisions about whom to repay when you're in financial trouble is less about law and more about social relationships," she points out."
The folks over at ZDNet must be masochists. How else could you explain that they actually read the terms of use for MTV's new music download platform Urge?
They didn't really like what they found in there either, pointing out that the license agreement makes "it clear that MTV can basically reach into your PC to monitor it (for attempts at content piracy) and/or make changes to it at will, without first clearing it through you."
They didn't really like what they found in there either, pointing out that the license agreement makes "it clear that MTV can basically reach into your PC to monitor it (for attempts at content piracy) and/or make changes to it at will, without first clearing it through you."
Let's face it: Cachelogic has had a crush on Bittorrent for quite some time. Now it looks like they finally get some love back. The BBC reports that Bittorrent and Cachelogic are cooperating on a new version of the popular P2P protocol and software that will incorporate cache servers. Kind of like a P2P version of Akamai, if you will.
Once authorized downloads are available over Bittorrent, like one of those upcoming Warner Brothers moviesor maybe some Chinese porn, it will be superseeded by Cachelogic servers. This seems to be based on a technology trial that's going on for a while in the UK already, but I'd suspect that the new model doesn't depend on ISPs that much anymore.
Oh, and by the way, while we're dishing out romance gossip: The BBC seems to really like Digg. The article is accompanied by an audio version of an interview with Bram Cohen. But in order to get the audio link you first have to go to Digg.com, where you can Digg the article while you'e at it. Clever.
Once authorized downloads are available over Bittorrent, like one of those upcoming Warner Brothers movies
Oh, and by the way, while we're dishing out romance gossip: The BBC seems to really like Digg. The article is accompanied by an audio version of an interview with Bram Cohen. But in order to get the audio link you first have to go to Digg.com, where you can Digg the article while you'e at it. Clever.
Who wouldda thought? When TV 4 US called here recently, the nice lady with the weird arguments didn't even know their web address. But it looks like the anti net neutrality camp got some more tech savvy folks on their side as well. Mark Glaser reports that a handful of people are roaming the Blogosphere to comment on net neutrality pots, making it look like a lot of users see this as unwanted government interference. So far Glaser and others couldn't really establish whether or not these folks are being paid by anyone. Maybe they are just some concerned citizens who got a call from TV 4 US.
The story of the day, if not week, comes from CNet News: Torrentspy filed a lawsuit against the MPAA, alleging that the trade organization hired a hacker to illegally obtain evidence against the Torrent website. The lawsuit has some other pretty harsh allegations, that, if true, would show the war against P2P communities had reached TV-movie-esque qualities. From the filed papers:
"On information and belief, the MPAA did hire a private investigation firm which examined the trash of individuals associated with Torrentspy.com, at the MPAA's request."
"On information and belief, the MPAA did hire a private investigation firm which examined the trash of individuals associated with Torrentspy.com, at the MPAA's request."
Supporters of P2Pnet have started collecting money to help Jon Newton with his defense against Sharman Networks. So far they got about 400 bucks, and some prominent support as well: Cory Doctorow has promised to donate 100 dollars.
I still have very mixed feelings about this whole affair: It's unfortunate Sharman is unleashing the lawyers against Jon. But it's bordering the grotesque to paint the whole thing as a freedom of the press issue hat might influece the future of online media in Canada and beyond.
I still have very mixed feelings about this whole affair: It's unfortunate Sharman is unleashing the lawyers against Jon. But it's bordering the grotesque to paint the whole thing as a freedom of the press issue hat might influece the future of online media in Canada and beyond.
Over here at P2P Blog headquaters we just started testing Lala.com - and so far our feelings about the service are mixed. The idea of course is great. An online repository of second hand CDs helps to connect music fans to each other, while at the same time generating lots interesting data that might help the music industry in the long run. Or not, because they seem to hate the the whole thing.
