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Dumpster Drive: File-Sharing For Your Digital Trash

Posted by samzenpus on from the are-you-done-with-this-mp3? dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Dumpster Drive is a file-sharing application that recycles digital files. Using dumpster diving as a model for recirculating unwanted objects, Dumpster Drive allows others to dig through files that you delete on your computer in a passive file-sharing network. Instead of simply erasing data from your computer, the software allows users to extend the lifecycle of their unwanted files and pass them on to others." Not sure how useful this is, but I think it's a neat idea.

55 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Security Risk? by powerlord · · Score: 2

    n.t.

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    1. Re:Security Risk? by gl4ss · · Score: 3, Insightful

      maybe the idea is that you could say to the riaa cops that you didn't share the file, you deleted it..

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    2. Re:Security Risk? by powerlord · · Score: 1

      I don't know, it just sounds like a trojan horse out trolling for personal data.

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  2. All I have to say is by dyingtolive · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Capital Face-palm.

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    1. Re:All I have to say is by dyingtolive · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh, I get it. Check the site, it's a Apple only thing. That actually makes sense in a lot of ways.

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    2. Re:All I have to say is by sakdoctor · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's not so far removed from reality. Kazaa users often used to share their whole hard drives.

    3. Re:All I have to say is by alphatel · · Score: 1

      Oh, I get it. Check the site, it's a Apple only thing. That actually makes sense in a lot of ways.

      How long before they put the kibosh on this Apple-only thing?

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    4. Re:All I have to say is by g0bshiTe · · Score: 2

      Yeah but wasn't that due to most of them not knowing any better?

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    5. Re:All I have to say is by dyingtolive · · Score: 2

      There's a joke in there somewhere.

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      Support the EFF and Creative Commons. The war is coming, and they're supporting you...
    6. Re:All I have to say is by bigpet · · Score: 1

      Why would they delete that? Wouldn't you rather find the accidentally downloaded straight porn that was deleted?

    7. Re:All I have to say is by jojoba_oil · · Score: 4, Funny

      So it's a surefire way to find lots of show tunes and gay porn.

      No, no. You've got it wrong. This will contain things that Apple-users delete.

    8. Re:All I have to say is by H0p313ss · · Score: 1

      So it's a surefire way to find lots of show tunes and gay porn.

      You make that sound like a bad thing.

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      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
    9. Re:All I have to say is by flappinbooger · · Score: 1

      Oh, I get it. Check the site, it's a Apple only thing. That actually makes sense in a lot of ways.

      Because Apple users never do anything confidential or top secret? And they anthropomorphify their data and don't want to "kill it" and this will let the nice little bits and bytes "live on"?

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    10. Re:All I have to say is by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      Hell you'd be surprised how many to this very day do this with P2P programs. Just fire up any P2P like Emule or Bearshare or any of the other classic P2P and look for * plus the file extension for various programs like Quicken and Quickbooks and be prepared to be amazed at how many are sharing their data with the world!

      As for TFA this idea is so patently dumb the only thing I can do is wear this expression when thinking about it. Granted fixing PCs all day I wear that expression a lot, but this level of dumbshit boosted the depth of that expression a good 4 fold.

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    11. Re:All I have to say is by rhook · · Score: 1

      Kazaa would actually share all your documents by default, it has been a major problem on government systems.

    12. Re:All I have to say is by hitmark · · Score: 1

      Yea. Now that Apple is strongly interlinked with Big Media, i am surprised that they do not remove copy as a easily available file action to promote treating files as more physical. Perhaps with a special "xerox" icon for copying, complete with a cop or lawyer next to it that gives a thumb up or down on the legality of making a copy of that file.

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    13. Re:All I have to say is by dyingtolive · · Score: 1

      Actually, I was going to say because one of them was creative enough to come up with an alternative means of filesharing.

      Unless you were trying to be funny, in which case I completely agree.

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      Support the EFF and Creative Commons. The war is coming, and they're supporting you...
    14. Re:All I have to say is by Dr+Herbert+West · · Score: 1

      I used to do that with Napster back in the day.

      It was great-- the idea that I could share every bit of obscure music that I had with anyone that was interested... and vice versa. I remember days where I would only listen to music that came up when I'd type "drunk" or "rickety" or something into the search bar. Good times. It never occurred to me at the time ('99 maybe?) that it would be a security risk ;)

  3. Finally by flaming+error · · Score: 4, Funny

    A Recycle bin that means it.

    -
    Written with 83% post-consumer ASCII chars

  4. I didn't think it was April by Elros · · Score: 1

    Isn't this about 3 and a half months too late?

    1. Re:I didn't think it was April by obergfellja · · Score: 1

      -_- don't know if top parent of this tread is trolling or just stupid.

    2. Re:I didn't think it was April by jitterman · · Score: 1

      You may not know - this guy MichaelKristopeit has multiple accounts from which he spews shite. He hates just to hate, feeding him is highly discouraged :) He may shrivel & die one day, but one of his many doppelgangers will simply replace him.

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  5. Information by brit74 · · Score: 1

    Well, they say "information wants to be free" and I've never heard "information wants to be permanently deleted".

    1. Re:Information by nitehawk214 · · Score: 2

      Well, they say "information wants to be free" and I've never heard "information wants to be permanently deleted".

      I have emo information.

      --
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  6. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    At the risk of sounding cynical

    There is absolutely NO WAY that this is real. It's got to be a hoax.

    1. Re:No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Furthermore,

      If this is actually real, anyone who uses this has to be absolutely, terminally and utterly Fucking Retarded.

    2. Re:No by gabebear · · Score: 1

      Hard to find the download link, but it's on the front page disguised as a title http://www.dumpsterdrive.com/releases/DumpsterDrive.dmg

  7. This must be full of bad porn by JonySuede · · Score: 1

    This must be full of bad porn and sensitive documents.

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    1. Re:This must be full of bad porn by Abstrackt · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I want a copy too.

      --
      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
    2. Re:This must be full of bad porn by mlts · · Score: 1

      Well, if one shreds documents properly, it should be full of cryptographically secure random numbers.

    3. Re:This must be full of bad porn by swanzilla · · Score: 3, Funny

      ...or bad documents and sensitive pr0n.

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    4. Re:This must be full of bad porn by geekoid · · Score: 1

      I embed my sensitive data in porn.

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    5. Re:This must be full of bad porn by Cwix · · Score: 1

      I embed sensitive porn into bad documents. It livens them up quite a bit.

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      You are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.
  8. Can't tell if trolling... by sakdoctor · · Score: 1

    ...or just really stupid.

  9. Surreptitious file sharing by Ruke · · Score: 1

    Welp, I guess I'm done with this copy of my music library. Guess I'd better recycle it...

  10. We already have that. by blair1q · · Score: 1

    We already have one of those.

    It's called the Internet.

  11. Why I delete files by Tyr07 · · Score: 1

    I delete files for the following reasons: -To make room on my hard drive. -I don't want it stumbled upon. -Part of program removal. -It's old and outdated, and I have a more recent version. -Security E.G CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. Why would I want a program hanging on to files? Cluttering my computer, preventing files being overwritten, just so someone else can have it?

  12. Not for general use! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This is only for files you feel have no use and have no relation to yourself, personally.
    You'd have to be stupid to want to replace your recycle bin with this. (which it doesn't, well, SHOULDN'T, NOT EVEN AN OPTION FOR IT)

    For people who collect random crap from the net and feel like sharing it on, bham, drag it in the recyclenet and be happy someone else might find SOME use for the file.
    If not, then you should feel bad for saving it. Yes, that porn too.

    I wonder how big this could get to becoming a large distributed file server.
    I had high-hopes for that OFF System, but last I checked it seemed dead. (probably because of threats because the idea itself can work given the right software behind it /tinfoil hat)
    If they get a Windows port going, might have some more success. (and Linux if there isn't already)

    1. Re:Not for general use! by rhook · · Score: 1

      I wonder how big this could get to becoming a large distributed file server.

      It doesn't work that way, once someone downloads a file it is removed from the network.

  13. Not sure how useful it is by Zomalaja · · Score: 2

    Are you kidding ? Anything I delete I certainly don't want to share with anyone.

    Registrant Contact:,br> dumpsterdrive.com@proxy.dreamhost.com
    A Happy DreamHost Customer
    417 Associated Rd #324
    Brea, CA 92821

    What's at 417 Associated Rd #324 in Brea? - The BREA MAIL CENTER, of course amongst other things. What a crock.

    1. Re:Not sure how useful it is by dcollins · · Score: 1

      Perhaps software is better when you can serve somebody a legal summons for malfeasance.

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  14. You Know What Dumpster Diving Is For, Right? by cmholm · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Maybe it's a generational thing, but the /. summary writer seems to have missed the point of why people (used to) dumpster dive: collect intelligence that could be used AGAINST the divee. I'd LOVE to pick through other people's stuff, but I'll be GD'ed if I'm going to reciprocate. The crap I delete includes material nearly as valuable in terms of PII, PI, and IP as the stuff I keep on my drives, whether home or office.

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    1. Re:You Know What Dumpster Diving Is For, Right? by Amouth · · Score: 1

      i remember dumpster diving.. many years ago.. always went to one where there was this really bad computer repair shop.. they had a large customer base because they had no competition for a long time. anyways their techs had the the mentality of just replace and throw away and make the customer pay for it.. i never once found a bad part in that dumpster except ones that had been smashed by other things falling into it

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
    2. Re:You Know What Dumpster Diving Is For, Right? by John+Hasler · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's a generational thing, but the /. summary writer seems to have missed the point of why people (used to) dumpster dive: collect intelligence that could be used AGAINST the divee.

      Speak for yourself. Those of us who were not in the blackmail business did it to scrounge valuable junk.

      I'd LOVE to pick through other people's stuff,

      I wouldn't. I'd find yours quite boring.

      The crap I delete includes material nearly as valuable in terms of PII, PI, and IP as the stuff I keep on my drives, whether home or office.

      So in other words it's all worthless to anyone.

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      Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  15. No way. by JustAnotherIdiot · · Score: 1

    This is such a security risk, just thinking about about the concept makes my head hurt.

    --
    What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
  16. Re:Really not the bad... by kaizendojo · · Score: 1

    Really? Your average "bright" user is still patently unaware of the amount of meta data hidden in the standard Word document. This is a stupid idea, and is either a joke or a scam to get users to part with information.

  17. Great Idea! by Ozymandias_KoK · · Score: 2

    Can't see how it could possibly go wrong...

  18. Re:Seems people are intentionally missing the poin by some_guy_88 · · Score: 2

    For instance, on installation, you tell it to only send mp3s, or pdfs to the dumpster drive, and even then, you have to go in and OK the individual files so you don't accidentally delete and upload your tax return.

    It is an alternative to your normal trash, not a replacement. You have to explicitly drag a file in there that you wish to be deleted and shared.

  19. Why? by Taibhsear · · Score: 2

    A.) What could I possibly want to delete from my computer that I would actively want to share with anyone? (ie. to my benefit)
    B.) Can you imagine the number of copies of "New Folder" and "untitled folder" there would be in there?

  20. I hear the RIAA's footsteps by kiehlster · · Score: 2

    But I swear I didn't share any of my legally obtained music before I deleted it.

    1. Re:I hear the RIAA's footsteps by hAckz0r · · Score: 2
      What's that? An echo? No. Thats the MPAA right behind them.

      Next thing you know is we will have anonymous and distributed recycle bins rather than file sharing. "But your honour, I thought they were throwing it away!"

  21. Doesn't the "cloud" already do this? by John+Hasler · · Score: 1

    n/t

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    Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  22. NEVER AUTOPLAY ANYTHING ON YOUR SITE!!!!! by evan+fitzgerald · · Score: 1

    Did these people never get the message? I load pages in background tabs. Sudden blaring descriptions of Dumpster Drive echoing through the office while I try to figure out which tab it opened in PISS ME OFF! Everyone remember, if you autoplay audio of any kind on your website there are large numbers of us who will hunt you down and beat you to a bloody pulp. Thank you.

  23. interesting social experiment by snero3 · · Score: 1

    I think it will be cool to see files added to and passed around through this system, say something like daily journal with one entry from every person that picks up the file.

    but in reality I think it is going to end up with full of trolls, p0rn and people looking for another way to "illegally" share copyrighted material.

    --
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  24. Re:Seems people are intentionally missing the poin by Dr+Herbert+West · · Score: 1

    Mod AC up please. There's all kinds of fun/interesting/theoretical projects that can come from this, and security will only be an issue for those who are security impaired regardless.

    The rest of us can see this as a place where bits and bytes can go to die... and live on! With a thirst for BRAAAAAAIIIIINNNNSSSSSS.....