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The Uncertain Future of BitTorrent

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the standards-are-hard dept.

javipas writes "The people behind the popular BitTorrent tracker are working on a new version of the BitTorrent protocol that could become the successor to the current one, maintained by BitTorrent Inc. The company founded by Bram Cohen — original author of this protocol — now has decided to close the source for several new features in the BitTorrent protocol, and this "gives them too much power and influence". The new file format would be called .p2p, and would maintain backwards compatibility with current .torrent files."

22 of 340 comments (clear)

  1. the people is working by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    is they?

    1. Re:the people is working by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      from the standards-are-hard dept.

      Apparently Taco finds that basic grammar are too hard, too.

    2. Re:the people is working by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      they is. and our children is learning.

    3. Re:the people is working by Funkcikle · · Score: 4, Funny

      Obviously a lack of seaders is preventing the spread of good righting.

      http://thepiratebay.org/search/oxford%20english%20dictionary/0/3/0

  2. Oh well, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let them close it. As long as the open source community doesn't use it to distribute isos, I'm happy.

    1. Re:Oh well, by SuluSulu · · Score: 3, Funny

      Some of us don't use bittorrent for downloading just OSS IOS's, you insensitive clod!

    2. Re:Oh well, by jgoemat · · Score: 4, Funny

      I can't wait to go see "Unauthorized Copiers of the Carribean".

    3. Re:Oh well, by deathy_epl+ccs · · Score: 5, Funny

      I hear they're going to have Johnny Dupe in that one...

    4. Re:Oh well, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      If Lao Tsu knew what he was talking about he wouldn't have said that. He says so himself.

  3. Re:When will people realise by lilomar · · Score: 2, Funny

    We know, and believe me, you will be the first against the wall when The Revolution comes.

    --
    The creator of this post (Jacob Smith) hereby releases it, and all of his other posts, into the public domain.
  4. Ryan Fenton by Kamineko · · Score: 3, Funny

    Long live the Ryan Fenton protocol!

  5. Re:Grammatical Errors. by msuarezalvarez · · Score: 4, Funny

    1. "first post"ing is for Digg and Fark :)

    Hmm. You must be new here...

  6. Re:Au contraire by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 3, Funny

    By keeping the source closed, he is in fact assuming all responsibility for the actions of his code. If his code allows something bad to happen, we can say with certainty that it's all his fault. Right! Because when the Russian mob uses Excel to keep track of their extortion payments, it is all Bill Gates's fault!
    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  7. Re:On the subject of P2P by Alsee · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, freenet was . .
    . . .
    . . . . . . i . .
    nt . . . e .
    . . r . . es . .

    -

    --
    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  8. Re:Au contraire by CriX · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't forget that in Soviet Russia, when the Russian mob uses Excel to keep track of their extortion payments, Bill Gates faults YOU!!

    --
    Moderation: +1 pwnage
  9. Re:Au contraire by jollyreaper · · Score: 3, Funny

    Right! Because when the Russian mob uses Excel to keep track of their extortion payments, it is all Bill Gates's fault! But when the Excel math bug makes it look like someone was cheating the mob and they get whacked for it, can we blame Microsoft then?
    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  10. Better name for the file extension by Arcturax · · Score: 4, Funny

    They should call it... .arr

    --

    --Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. - Dr. Walter Gibbs
  11. Re:USB 2.0 is better than Bit Torrents. by TheQuantumShift · · Score: 2, Funny

    But "Don't copy that 500GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache USB 2.0 External Hard Drive" doesn't have the same ring as "Don't copy that floppy"...

    --

    Shift happens. Fire it up.
  12. Wong+time != right; by Scrameustache · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's been called piracy for as long as I've owned a computer, and that's goin' on 30 years... Folks should be proud of their heritage, instead of trying to edit historical use of a term like you do. You still say Pluto is a planet, don't you?
    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  13. oblig by jason777 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Screw it! I say we write our own BitTorrent protocol. With blackjack. And hookers. In fact, forget the protocol!

  14. Re:Wrong+time != right; by deathy_epl+ccs · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess it's better'n pullin' some sword out of a lake.

  15. Re:Confusing name by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    PiratFS :D