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Pirate Bay Developing BitTorrent-like Protocol

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

November 6, 2007, 4:31 PM

The Pirate Bay is pushing forward with the development of a new software standard that makes it easier for downloaders to pirate media files, as BitTorrent works to become more legit.

The site has long used BitTorrent to trade files between its users. However, the creators of that technology have taken great strides to market legal uses of its product and have begun to crack down on illicit file sharing where it can.

A wiki, securep2p.com, has been set up to start developing the protocol, which is apparently based on BitTorrent. However, it includes several new aspects that further cloud the identities of those who use it.

BitTorrent told Reuters in an interview that The Pirate Bay's moves will not hurt the protocol at all, considering "the pirate community has never paid us a dime." It added that the company has several deals with online distributors to generate revenue.

The Pirate Bay has been a favorite target of content owners in recent months. The MPAA sued the site in May of last year, and a raid later in the month by Swedish authorities caused it to shut down and relocate to the Netherlands.

Prince sued the site in September of this year, marking the first time a specific artist took legal action against Pirate Bay.

Sweden's laws regarding piracy apparently put the owners of the popular piracy site at risk for a $300 fine at worst, so the organizers plan to trudge forward and continue to offer the service.

In fact, it has discounted several cease and desist letters sent to it by various content owners, stating that "Sweden is not a state in the United States," and that the group's legal threats carry no weight in the country.

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By PioneerGrafixXx

posted Nov 8, 2007 - 9:20 AM

LMFAO @ $300 dollar fine.

They should put it up for auction on eBay like what other people have been doing with speeding tickets. Something like this could fetch a high price and would no doubt polish somebody's badge.

Score: 0

By Program86

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 2:49 PM

Im a pirate. Fark with me and you'll walk the plank!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 9:21 PM

At least Real™ pirates know that if they get caught, they'd better fight for their lives and accept it.

Most of the "digital" (doesn't deserve a ™) pirates cry "not my fault" when they get caught.

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 3:27 PM

I didn't know pirates said "Fark".

Besides, it ain't Sept. 19th. We have a day for that now, ya know. :p

Score: 0

By frog1981

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 6:56 AM

I say sharing is caring! And private p2p apps such as GigaTribe are 100% legal and safe. Nothing beats saving the environment by exchanging files from friend to friend, pc to pc. See http://www.gigatribe.com for an example of one.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Nov 7, 2007 - 9:19 PM

Nothing beats saving the environment by exchanging files from friend to friend, pc to pc.

Oh My ****ing God.

You did not just type and post that.

Wait, of course you did. If you environmentalist wackos had your way we'd all be living in Mud Huts. Existing copyright laws (much less the rights of anyone else) don't matter to you for squat.

sharing is caring

The new mating call for the mentally deficient. What, dod you all get sick of the "Save The Whales" or "Information Wants to Be Free" BS?

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 8:24 AM

Paul...

This is funny because he's actually serious.

"Nothing beats saving the environment"

I was wondering when Global Warming was going to start being used as an excuse to pirate. Hell, why not? It's an excuse for damn near everything else...

Score: 0

By Ramhound

posted Nov 6, 2007 - 11:42 PM

Piracy is bad, don't download illegal movies.

Score: 0

By kappen

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 10:56 AM

So the legal productions are just fine then? :)

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 6:24 AM

Mmmmkay...

Score: 0

By spef

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 4:39 AM

illegal movies?

Sorry ;-)

Score: 0

By shicaca

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 10:27 PM

Something worse than XXX, maybe?

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

edited Nov 7, 2007 - 2:56 AM

Mmmm, no its not that bad if you do it responsibly, I have bought music, movies and software all because I loved it while using "piracy". Personally, when you're using demos and shareware, you're still limited to the full potentials of the software and it just lets you peek at. I rather download pirated software, try it out, LEARN it and BUY it ;) specially for games! BUT a perfectly good LEGAL way to go at it is by using "LE", "Light" or "SE" versions of the software, they are cheap versions of the real deal but not many developers do that...and they should. I doubt they could make games in any form of "light" editions but if I was a developer I would do it the way "Shenmue" (for the Sega Dreamcast) came out long time ago...let the gamer intrigued and waiting for the sequel ;), after all...for them is all about money and for us the consumer is all about entertainment/productivity =)

Score: 0

By dhjdhj

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 1:34 PM

Rubbish - the usual continuing attempt to justify piracy. You might as well steal a BMW to try it and then "maybe" buy it later.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE

PS - please don't waste time on the silly argument that a copy of bits leaves the original bits alone and so you didn't really take anything. You took somebody else's intellectual property without their permission!

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 11:38 PM

No, I'm sorry you probably misunderstood my concept. I am not attempting to justify piracy but if we can get into the discussion of "test driving" then...what I had said before could fall in that category. I did said that I have BOUGHT movies, music and software due to the fact that I had used piracy before. It's always your choice to do the right thing, in my case if I see it, if I like it then I buy it otherwise then I don't bother with it. In your case sounds like you just prefer to pay for it no matter what because in logical thoughts it is the right thing to do and that's fine, it is the right thing to do, but I rather know that I will be spending my money on something that is worth because I like it or that I know it will be useful for me...rather than to spend money on something I put away or throw away the next day because it wasn't what I was expecting. I've done it thousands of times so...yeah...

Score: 0

By ThaCHEESE

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 7:21 PM

right but if i want to test drive a bmw they give me a whole bmw to drive just like the one they are trying to sell me, not a crippled version with 2 wheels.

so your argument is flawed.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 9:12 PM

Can we can the car analogies?

Get the point, dimwit: It's not yours. They can sell it to you in any format they want. You can choose to buy it or do without.

You are not entitled to it, for even 1 second, if you haven't paid for it.

Exactly liek the car you are not entitled to if you haven't paid for it. Whether it's got 2 wheels or 18.

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 6:30 PM

I'm reminded of a story, I can't find it exactly. But a guy walks into a bar and another man has a cigarette and asks if he can have a light. Instead of just giving him a light he leases the flame to him for 10 cents. Then everyone else in the bar lights their cigarettes off the first guy's and the leaser gets angry then goes around stomping out all the cigarettes lit from his flame. He ended up getting hurt very badly and thrown out the door into the garbage.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 9:15 PM

More like:

Lables: "Hey, want to buy a movie?"
You: "Sure, how much?"
Labels: "$100,000,000.00."
You: "F*** off."
Labels: "Sorry, that was the price to purchase all rights to the movie, including redistribution and royalties. Would you like to buy a subset of those rights instead?"
You: "Sure, like what?"
Labels: "How about, the right to public exhibition, and reproduction of media for sale, but no royalties? That'll be just $5,000,000.00."
You: "No thanks, too much."
Labels: "How about, the right to public exhibition? Just $500,000.00."
You: "Do I look like I'm made of money?"
Labels: "Sorry. How about, the right to private exhibition? Only $5."
You: "Now you're talkin'!"
Labels: "So we have a deal?"
You: "Yep." [you hand them a fiver, and they hand you a DVD.]
Labels: "Have a nice day."
You: "Hey, wait, this DVD is copy-protected! I want to copy it!"
Labels: "Yes, sorry, we didn't sell you the right to do that. If you have more money -- equal to the amount we'll lose on average for each copy-producing customer -- you can buy that right too."
You: "But I paid for this!" [you shake the DVD at them]
Labels: "Do you understand that you paid for limited ownership, and that you consented to the limits stated and known to you at the time of sale?"
You: "No, I'm too dumb-stupid to grasp that. I can only handle concrete meanings of the idea of ownership."
Labels: "Yeah, we figured. You probably also think HOAs are usurping your god-given right to paint your house pink, eh?"

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 1:18 AM

I Will Obey.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Nov 6, 2007 - 6:43 PM

Did they do something to you personally?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Nov 6, 2007 - 6:46 PM

Depends on how much responsibility you lay on the feet of those who pirate and enable piracy for things like DRM, media costs, and the hassle of dealing with either.

personally, it doesn't bother me too much, I still buy CDs (mostly used, and the occasional record), so DRM doesn't really enter into it. Still...you;ve probably noticed my complete lack of sympathy for them when they get caught. :)

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Nov 6, 2007 - 7:40 PM

Pah! Lower your carbon footprint and download instead.

Think of all the oil that's gone in to the plastic in your cds, and the oil that's gone in to the petrol that you used driving to the shop (or them driving it to you).

/no, it's no good, I can't keep a straight face

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 8:21 AM

That was brilliant. I've got to remember that one.

Score: 0

By extremely weII

posted Nov 6, 2007 - 6:26 PM

I'll cheer the day these arrogant scumbags are behind bars.

Score: 0

By DonGato

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 2:52 AM

You mean we will finally see all politicians and society parasites as the MPA and RIAA with their doubtful tactics in jail?

Score: 0

By Natrunner

edited Nov 6, 2007 - 10:12 PM

Maybe, but in this digital age scumbags and legitimate content makers(movies and music mogols)are not that different. They both rip you off one way or another.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Nov 6, 2007 - 6:44 PM

I'd join you, but I don't think they'll live that long. :)

Those starving artists aren't exactly poor, ya know.

Score: 0

By sjc001

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 5:52 AM

Yeah, those damn Commies again.... rolleyes]

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 8:21 AM

???

Score: 0

By sjc001

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 9:20 AM

You have to know Tool to get it... :-)

Score: 0

By PhoenixPath

posted Nov 7, 2007 - 11:54 AM

Inside joke. Got it.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Nov 7, 2007 - 9:10 PM

Not really. sjc001 thinks he's being cute. He can't argue with facts and logic (which are completely lost on him), so he resorts to the above in an attempt to ridicule those who reside in what the rest of us like to call "reality".

Score: 0

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