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e-Denounce

Posted by timothy on from the no-need-for-a-gnu-button dept.

Knacklappen writes: "A British organization named Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) will according to this article on Monday launch a plug-in for Internet Explorer that will put an 'F' button on a user's browser. Pressing the button, one can easily tipoff FAST about pirated software. The plug-in captures a live example of the site for evidence as well as other basic information about the site. Great idea, but why not mark the button with 'D' for 'denounce'?"

12 of 474 comments (clear)

  1. The true question.... by x-empt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you are surfing websites looking for warez (pronounced "war-ez" and not "wares" by the true junkies) ... Why the hell would you want to report it to a bunch of copyright police?

    The average joe-shmoe will never run into a download for pirated software unless he is looking for it. So this "plugin" is pointless.... right?

    x-empt

    --
    Ever need an online dictionary?
    1. Re:The true question.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Okay, we really need to get this straightened out.

      First of all, allow me to establish my own credentials. I've been reasonably active in "trading" software for 20+ years, since long before there was any really active internet scene. (/crotchety voice)Back then, if you wanted to trade software you had to link up by BBS with someone, and actually go over to their house with a box full of your big-ass 5.25 floppies. It took work in those days, boy. (/crotchety voice)

      Anyway, from the first time the term started being used, warez was always pronounced "wares", to rhyme with "bears".

      Said Simple Simon, to the pieman,
      let me taste your wares

      This "war-ez" business (to rhyme with, i dunno, say, "bore fez") started up some time around the 93-95 zone, in my own experience. I'm not slamming you personally by saying this, just making an observation, but I've tended to see this pronunciation taken up by relative newbies on the scene. I don't like it. "Wares" is simple and elegant, "war-ez" is two syllables, and does not roll off the tounge anywhere near as nicely.

      Not that anyone will care, don't listen to your elders, world going to hell in a handbasket these days anyway, I don't know... (wanders away mumbling)

    2. Re:The true question.... by Ralph+Malph+Alpha · · Score: 5, Funny

      My real name is Jose Juarez. I am illegal alien. When the people say they are looking for the Juarez, I run and I hide but it is too much, I fear the immigration.

      You jus tole me that the people who is looking for the Juarez is just the newbies, I can outrun the newbies, but I cannot run the 20-year professionals. Please do not tell the immigration.

      --
      _________________
      EBAY SAFETY TIPZ!
  2. Here's a good site by mfos.org · · Score: 5, Funny

    www.gnu.org

    Seriously though, there was this kid I knew who would spend a week at a time to download software off AOL. He had heard about Linux and wanted to try it out. So he asked me where a good place to get pirated iso's of it were.

  3. The True Usage by Rayonic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The true users of this software will be:

    A) Self-appointed vigilantes with nothing better to do.

    B) Immature little warez kiddies turning in sites that belong to "opposing" warez groups.

    As a side note, how many times do you think The Underdogs will be turned in per day?

    --
    [PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
  4. Re:Given all the questions about Kazaa... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Store Clerk: You may download Kazaa, but beware - it carries a terrible curse.
    Homer: Oooh, that's bad.
    Store Clerk: But it lets you download music!
    Homer: That's good!
    Store Clerk: The music is also cursed.
    Homer: That's bad.
    Store Clerk: But you get your choice of bit rate!
    Homer: That's good!
    Store Clerk: The maximum bit rate is capped at 128kbps.
    Homer: ...
    Store Clerk: That's bad.
    Homer: Can I download now?

  5. The Underdogs by Jagasian · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Underdogs really tries to only post the binaries for games that are no longer sold. If a game is re-released, or still sold after a really long time, he has a review of the game, but doesn't post the binaries. The Underdogs tries its best to live up to the Abandonware promise.

  6. Re:How to make this work. by lkaos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If noone could pirate software, far more people would end up using free software. Think about it.

    I would rather more people use free software because it is of higher quality than commerical software. I personally get a bit disturbed when people say, "I didn't want to pay lots of money, so I decided to use this." These are the first people who then bitch about stuff as if they are paying for support.

    People who right free software are not just trying to write free - as in beer - stuff for the moochers of the net, they are trying to write quality software.

    I don't use Linux because it's free in either sense of the word. I use it because it's better than Windows.

    --
    int func(int a);
    func((b += 3, b));
  7. Will this move people away from IE? by palfrey · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One possiblity - all of the assorted "warez" sites may start automatically bouncing anyone with IE, saying "use something that doesn't report us" or similar....

    A plus for Mozilla, Opera, et al. Not necessarily the sort of advertising they'd ever want to use, but every download helps.

    --
    Beware the psychokinetic mimes!
  8. Come on.... by Gordonjcp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For fsck's sake people, software piracy is *bad*!

    There are people out there who depend on software sales for a living. If you don't want to pay for software, you can use free as in beer software. Much of free as in beer software is also free as in speech.

    I neither want to pay out hard cash, nor do I want to be restricted by legalese. So, I use GPL'd software where I can. Apache webserver, for example. Samba, instead of Windows network server. You know, stuff like that...

    However, I also want to play Half-life, and Counterstrike. It took time and money to make these games. Yes, I could get pirate copies off Gnutella, but I want the *actual real copies* bought in a shop. So I have the right to own the proprietary software I use, and I have the right to use the free software I use.

  9. Re:I'm getting this! by ethereal · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Leading to:

    "Slow Down Cowboy! - you have to wait two minutes between submissions to give others a chance to tattle on pirates."

    --

    Your right to not believe: Americans United for Separation of Church and

  10. Re:How to make this work. by cygnusx · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I don't use Linux because it's free in either sense of the word. I use it because it's better than Windows.
    Good stand to take. Which is why I always have a Linux box lying around which I can SSH to and develop on.

    On the other hand, because I don't have much spare time, and because most Linux desktop apps are very, very immature*, I do not use Linux on my (primary) desktop. I suspect Windows 2000 (or Windows XP Home for home users) and OS/X is a far better choice for most users as a desktop OS -- they are rock solid (for desktop standards) and have a more polished, integrated feel to them.

    *Exceptions: Mozilla, OpenOffice, maybe XMMS and the Gimp. For Joe Public this *may* be enough, but there are lots of people who need more. But poor font support, quirky cut and paste, printers/hardware that are difficult to configure... all these make Linux a poor desktop choice.