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Mission: Infiltrate the P2P Network
prostoalex writes "Wired News unveils the secrecy behind Overpeer, the company whose mission is to infiltrate peer-to-peer networks with low-quality audio and video files, or corrupted chunks of data which carry the same name and have the same size as originals. Apparently OverPeer even managed to procure a USPTO patent on (a) producing an advertising digital music file by deteriorating or damaging a sound quality of an original music file of a record of a cooperating record corporation; and (b) distributing the advertising digital music file through the communication network."
or corrupted chunks of data which carry the same name and have the same size as originals.
Isn't there some magical algorithm that produces an unique checksum number for a file, and if it were missing chunks wouldn't that reflect in that magical number? Don't most P2P networks use this magical MD5 checksum algorithm to ensure files aren't screwed up?
Gee, you would think the patent office would realize they just awarded a patent to the same guy that sells server pixie dust.
What the are doing is essentially sabotage, and shooting themselves in the foot besides. Those persons who delivered us anartistic offal on CDs have merely found a way to do the same over P2P networks. The reason the recording industry is doing so poorly has nothing to do with the P2P red herring, but rather, is entirely due to a dismal lack of quality.
Fast machines, powerfull AI, impulsive invention,... All I lack is a good espresso machine!
Tit. Tat.
I might not like it, but this response seems pretty logical to me. The Industry has declared war on P2P as the source of their dwindling profits. (I'm not going to argue the validity, that's irrelevant.) Of course they're going to try to sabotage these networks any way they can.
This puts the ball back in the court of the P2Pers. So what's the next step? Seems to me it won't take long for someone to come up with either a moderation system or IP blocking scheme that will force the Industry into a different line of attack.
When are these people going to learn that if they spend 6 months developing a technology to "protect" their copyrighted info, it will take 6 days (if that) for someone to defeat it?
Dime to donuts someone has a way to beat these bogus files within the week...
-mh
"On some level they understand that P2P users are also potential customers -- record buyers, video renters or gamers -- and don't want to alienate them"
Well if you want my business, then maybe you should give me a sample of what you have to offer, and not just waste my time in the first place. But then again, If I can buy a complete movie on DVD for even as low as $5 on sale, or $20 not on sale, why would I want to pay $18 for a CD with maybe 15 tracks if I'm lucky.
Either way, these businesses need to figure out how to attract my attention, rather than ram their practices which are tried and proven to be not working, down my throat. Can't open my wallet that way!
Mine means my own, but how can this be if I owe for it?
They're getting PERMISSION from the copyright holders to do this. They're not collecting anything. Record companies will say "Hey, you have full right to distribute fake Metallica files" and you know what? It'll be LEGAL. Turn! Brain! On!
Another amazing fact was the mod of this post. You make a very broad statement. 'P2P is good for the world'. Why is that? I know why it is good for you and me. It make it easier for the technology haves to download the music, games, videos they love so much. but why is this good for the world? How does this help society in anyway? Don't get me wrong I think the level of crap produced by the Music industry is at epic levels. However, the movie industry and game industry have been producing some major pieces of work. Yea they may be over priced and poor people may not be able to afford them (but I bet these same people can afford a kick-ass system to run those games on).
Or maybe you just wanted to try out the full game. Whatever. It don't matter. What makes this P2P good for the world?
Nothing. Don't try to justify your behavior. You can't. It's like using drugs. You don't use them to make you a better person. You use them because you can and it's fun. So please, don't try to make yourself out as any better than the 'scum' that would try to stop you. There is no honor among thieves.
The P2P concept is awesome. It is a great way to quickly exchange ideas, papers, shareware/freeware, etc. But when was the last time you downloaded anything other than copyrighted material from a P2P system?
There are many ways of justifying actions other than through the morality of those actions. I don't read books to make me a better person, I read them "because I can and it's fun." Perhaps reading makes me a better person (sometimes yes, sometimes no), but that's not why I do it. Does that mean I can't justify reading? And yes, sometimes drugs can make people better, too. Recreational drugs can make people less tense, they can give people new perspective, they can introduce people to whole new worlds of experience. Do they do this for most who use them? Probably not. But there is more "honor among thieves" among recreational drug users than exists between record labels and their consumers.
It's this puritanical stance that has really started to get me over the last few years. "Just because it's legal, doesn't make it right", true, but just because someone doesn't think it's right, doesn't make it so. Everything doesn't have to make the world a better place to have justification.
That aside, I do agree with your thesis. "P2P makes the world a better place" is one of the most specious and nebulous statements I've heard in a great while.