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XP SP2 Torrent Shows Legal P2P's Promise
Downhill Battle writes "With Congress debating new legislation that would ban p2p networks (along with other innovations and beloved products), we thought it was important to demonstrate the huge potential of p2p software to benefit the public. So now at SP2torrent.com you can get Windows XP SP2 via BitTorrent." Update: 08/09 21:10 GMT by S : As commenters note, you can also get XP SP2 from Microsoft's site, but it's explained: "DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER: A smaller, more appropriate download will be available soon on Windows Update."
...would I want to download a Windows operating system upgrade from an unknown source? Why not just wait for Windows Update?
It definately helps to have object examples of good, legal use.
Though I'm not sure if the XP SP2 torrent is legal...What's in the EULA about redistribution?
tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
Do you have Microsoft's permission to redistribute the service pack?
No?
Surprise! It's illegal.
Then this does not show how P2P can be used in a legal manner...INFINITELY USEFUL--yes!, but not legal.
Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
MPAA and RIAA ( through our beloved Sen Hatch ) will outlaw p2p networks.
We'll use them anyway.
A few people will get lawsuits ( notably, those who run insecure versions on their OS that are running, in effect, an open proxy ), a few people will pay thousands of dollars, and the rest of us won't even bat an eye.
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
One thing that any law must possess in order to be a law is that it can be enforced. You can't rule that breathing air is illegal because the law enforcement couldn't follow the law and still make it take effect. How could Congress ever enforce a BitTorrent ban? Copying certain types of data (terrorism communications or child pornography) can be limited and the enforcement of these sorts of transgressionsn is relatively routine now, but in the absence of enforceability, don't look for anti-BitTorrent legislation in the near future. Larry Rosen is right, there is reason to be optimistic about the ability for law to protect our freedoms.
http://tinyurl.com/4ny52
I haven't actually seen anything that suggests that P2P protocols themselves might be banned, rather that certain companies will get their asses handed to them. BitTorrent has been often use illegitimately, but it is not billed as a big time file sharing network a la Kazaa. The fact that it is often used by geeks for legitimate purposes means that any judge who ruled against it on a "reasonable person" basis would probably get slapped down on appeals.
;)
Which brings me to the next reason I'm not too concerned with this bill. A reasonable person standard on something like this is highly subjective. There is no general public opinion upon which a consistent, long term reasonable person standard could be based. The SCOTUS will probably realize that and slap it down as unconstitutionally vague.
Seriously people, if ya'll want to really make the copyright cartels eat crow, go out and buy music from non-RIAA labels like Century Media. If you've never heard of Lacuna Coil, they're an Italian metal band that is getting really big thanks to a stint on Headbangers' Ball and touring with Ozzfest. They're damn good AND not RIAA affiliated according to the RIAA Radar site. Century Media has a lot of affiliates, and chances are that if you buy European or underground metal, it's not RIAA affiliated.
Don't pirate software or movies, at least not openly. If you're going to do movies, go to blockbuster, rent a new release, rip it, use dvd2one or dvdshrink and burn it to a DVD-R instead of fueling the propaganda about file sharing networks. Afterall, if rental rates increase, they have no excuse that people aren't using legitimate means to watch movies
Click here or a puppy gets stomped!
Please note that:
1) I'm a Furthur.net user and understand that legal P2P exists.
2) I oppose restrictions on P2P and am perfectly happy to rely on the RIAA suing violators instead.
3) I understand that this is a patch, not Windows itself. (Although is this distribution within the rights of the EULA? I certainly hope they've made sure it is.)
But as PR, this seems like a really poor idea.
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
Imagine if the vaudeville and stage actors had gotten together back in the early 20th century and gotten motion pictures outlawed. Or if actresses and actors who had horrible speaking voices had gotten talkies outlawed in the late 1920's, etc. The recent legal trend to try to hold back technological progress is disturbing to say the least. Its also stupid and futile in the long run.
How does this get modded as informative? I'll be the first to burn MS as the stake, but IBM isn't rolling out because they failed to udpate thier OWN INTERNAL APPS, not becaue there is something wrong with SP2.
Bittorret vs Alkwhateverthehellitscalled speed wise I think I can download it from Microsoft's site around 400 times before this bittorret gets to 50%. I have never been a big proponent of using P2P for something like this.
a) I want to totally trust the source, no matter how evil it may be
b) I want it to go faster....
c) see above...
I know bittorret could be a real tool if more people used it etc but it still doesn't always hit 500k when I click on a bittorret file... while whenever I download from Microsoft, it does... (except for a few DDOS days)
Perhaps this should have been titled "XP SP2 Shows Legitimate use for P2P."
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
F/OSS OS (e.g. Linux, *BSD) ISOs makes two examples. We could probably stretch to include OO.org et al to make three.
Three examples of legitimate use. Three.
You PR guys will have to work overtime if you want to make P2P look like anything remotely resembling legitimate.
No, I am not saying P2P should be criminalized. I am saying that the overwhelming majority of P2P traffic appears to be illegitimate (so to speak), most often for reasons of copyright infringement.
Be honest: when people mention P2P networks, what do they describe as its best feature?
A) "Dude, you can get stuff for free!"
B) "Dude, you can download lots of stuff in a completely legal manner without infringing anyone's copyright!"
I believe we all know the answer to that one, even if certain groups conveniently ignore it.
And - as mentioned elsewhere in the thread - the SP2 EULA does prohibit redistribution e.g. via torrent.
I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.