In this protocol, only the client would broadcast a public key. Client broadcasts a file request and a public key, and somebody responds. Nobody knows who. The server never directly contacts the client under any circumstances.
The problem here is that it doesn't really matter where the transfer is originating from. The RIAA only needs to sue whoever they actually receive the file from, which in the case of this hypothetical protocol would be just some random computer acting as an intermediary. Here's the scenario:
1) Client (who we'll assume is RIAA) says "who has this file?" and provides a public key to encrypt responses.
2) A server somewhere receives the request and sends back the message "I have the file" encrypted with the client's public key.
3) The message is passed back through one or more intermediaries to the client.
Ok, here's the problems:
1) The client knows the address of the last computer in the chain that passed the message back to it. How does it tell the server to start sending? Pass a message back up the chain? That would be bad, because if the message can work it's way back up the chain, then so could the RIAA if they get a court order.
2) Even if the server just started sending packets after receiving the request, someone is still stuck being the last computer in the chain that passes the packets to the RIAA client. They get sued, and if they have any info on their puter about who they got the packets from, the RIAA can start suing all the way back up the chain.
Same thing applies here, the RIAA sees you requesting copyrighted music files, they file suit because they believe an infringement occurred. They offer to settle for a couple grand. Now, you could fight the law suit, but you are going to spend way more than a couple grand to do it.
I don't think requesting copyrighted files is illegal in the US. It's a little more of a gray area than uploading is, and it certainly isn't illegal in Canada. Only "distributing" copyrighted material is illegal, not receiving it, so you only get in trouble if you're caught uploading files.
The only other alternative I see that is pseudoanonymous is having a set of trusted friends, routing not only requests but also the data over it. That way, no part of the chain knows more than where it's coming from and where it's going
I don't think that's an acceptable solution either. The RIAA only needs to sue the person they got the file from, which would be the last person in the chain.
No, the question makes more sense when you realize that people who don't know what they're talking about or dealing with often refer to MS SQL Server as "SQL". I hear it ALL THE DAMN TIME at work. Quite annoying.
Kinda sucks since I was gonna pick up Raven Shield from Gogamer.com since they have it for $25. Instead, I emailed UBI to let them know that I changed my mind because they pulled this crap. Would be nice if other people would email them as well and let them know you're pissed about this. Maybe they'll get the message if enough people do this. Worth a shot anyway.
Well, developers disenfranchising their player-base seems to be becoming a regular thing lately. Look at Deus Ex 2. They pretty much tossed most of the things that made the first one fun and interesting out the window and created something that fans of the first game mostly hate. It's like a completely different game, and not in a good way either. And this from one of the most (formerly) respected developers around too.
Shouldn't there be some sort of way for people to practice being a commander? How do you learn if you don't get to play as a commander? If I just get impeached every time I get the role of commander, I'm not gonna learn much.
I used to be seriously hooked on that game. I have all the Continuum files and stuff now and even went back and played some about a year ago, but I had a lot of lag problems on the servers at the time, so it was less than fun. Not to mention my favorite game type was Turf, and I couldn't find any turf server with more than a handfull of players on it.:(
You mean a fad like boy-bands and crappy pop music?
I don't think pop-music is a fad. It exists because it's what a lot of people like. Of course people don't often like the same person or group for very long, so there's a high turnover rate for boybands. One minute you're at the top of the charts, the next you're only at number 27.
or maybe like crappy movies that flash some tits to keep the audience interested?
erm.. yeah.. damn shame about that. *cough* damn shame..:-P
the world would be a great place if dumb ideas just went away when it was obvious that they don't work, too bad the marketing execs of the world don't have the same insight you do.
Well, my point is that if it doesn't sell, they'll try something different. The problem with your examples is that those things do sell. They sell very well. People like them. So, if people like artificially hip video game characters, then they'll buy these games and the trend will continue. If they see through it, then the marketroids will have to come up with something else. One definite downside to it for game companies is that what's hip today most likely won't be hip tomorrow, so their games will end up with a very short shelf-life.
This is just another stupid marketing fad that will eventually fizzle out like all the rest. If the game is good, buy it. If not, don't buy it. That's how you tell them how you feel. It's the only thing they understand.
Well, if you go and die before the movies are made, then you lose all right to bitch about them. That's just the way the world works. Of course if you leave a devoted fan base, they can bitch on your behalf. Of course most people will just write them off as whining geeks that have nothing better to do with their time.
Likewise, if you left a blank password on your shared folder which was running Kazaa you could potentially be sued for negligence.
Heh.. I can just see some lawyer trying to convince a jury that someone should have understood how to secure their Windows box:) Think of the field day the defense would have showing what an impossibility that would be.
And the people that actually have enough money to fight this just on the principle of the thing have much more to lose if they lose -- so they're likely to settle as well.
Have they even tried suing anyone with the ability to fight it?
If you didn't download the songs yourself, then you didn't break the law. If you didn't put them there to be uploaded, then you didn't break the law. Whoever compromised your machine broke the law, and just happened to be using your computer to do it. Kind of like if i broke into your house and used your computer to send a death threat to John Ashcroft. Would they be able to hold you responsible?
I see what you're trying to say, but you're still wrong. Many guns are specifically designed to be efficient at killing. That's their entire purpose for existence. The military or police tell the manufacturers what they want, and the manufacturer designs and makes it. They design it to be effective for killing. That's it. Believe me, they don't say "make it effective for damaging things at a distance."
At the time I was playing, the market was very broken, and even if you did find a decent trade route, it would generally take the better part of an hour to get from one system to the other. Assigning missions to other players wasn't an option at the time, but even if it had been, the profits would have been too low for anyone to even consider accepting the missions, considering how long it takes to run the route. Watching my ship flying through system after system all night isn't my idea of fun.
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In this protocol, only the client would broadcast a public key. Client broadcasts a file request and a public key, and somebody responds. Nobody knows who. The server never directly contacts the client under any circumstances.
The problem here is that it doesn't really matter where the transfer is originating from. The RIAA only needs to sue whoever they actually receive the file from, which in the case of this hypothetical protocol would be just some random computer acting as an intermediary. Here's the scenario:
1) Client (who we'll assume is RIAA) says "who has this file?" and provides a public key to encrypt responses.
2) A server somewhere receives the request and sends back the message "I have the file" encrypted with the client's public key.
3) The message is passed back through one or more intermediaries to the client.
Ok, here's the problems:
1) The client knows the address of the last computer in the chain that passed the message back to it. How does it tell the server to start sending? Pass a message back up the chain? That would be bad, because if the message can work it's way back up the chain, then so could the RIAA if they get a court order.
2) Even if the server just started sending packets after receiving the request, someone is still stuck being the last computer in the chain that passes the packets to the RIAA client. They get sued, and if they have any info on their puter about who they got the packets from, the RIAA can start suing all the way back up the chain.
Same thing applies here, the RIAA sees you requesting copyrighted music files, they file suit because they believe an infringement occurred. They offer to settle for a couple grand. Now, you could fight the law suit, but you are going to spend way more than a couple grand to do it.
I don't think requesting copyrighted files is illegal in the US. It's a little more of a gray area than uploading is, and it certainly isn't illegal in Canada. Only "distributing" copyrighted material is illegal, not receiving it, so you only get in trouble if you're caught uploading files.
The only other alternative I see that is pseudoanonymous is having a set of trusted friends, routing not only requests but also the data over it. That way, no part of the chain knows more than where it's coming from and where it's going
I don't think that's an acceptable solution either. The RIAA only needs to sue the person they got the file from, which would be the last person in the chain.
I don't know, if MS got into there, that would be money coming into America, and thus taxed.
Since when does Microsoft pay taxes?
No, the question makes more sense when you realize that people who don't know what they're talking about or dealing with often refer to MS SQL Server as "SQL". I hear it ALL THE DAMN TIME at work. Quite annoying.
Kinda sucks since I was gonna pick up Raven Shield from Gogamer.com since they have it for $25. Instead, I emailed UBI to let them know that I changed my mind because they pulled this crap. Would be nice if other people would email them as well and let them know you're pissed about this. Maybe they'll get the message if enough people do this. Worth a shot anyway.
Well, developers disenfranchising their player-base seems to be becoming a regular thing lately. Look at Deus Ex 2. They pretty much tossed most of the things that made the first one fun and interesting out the window and created something that fans of the first game mostly hate. It's like a completely different game, and not in a good way either. And this from one of the most (formerly) respected developers around too.
LOL.. what's the point in buying the console before the game is out anyway?? Hell, if you wait it'll probably be cheaper by then anyway!
Shouldn't there be some sort of way for people to practice being a commander? How do you learn if you don't get to play as a commander? If I just get impeached every time I get the role of commander, I'm not gonna learn much.
I'm predicting online fruit-cake gifts that will be "regifted" around the net for all eternity....
Is there a decent working GiFT frontend for Windows? The only ones listed on SourceForge seem to be dead or still in alpha...
Maybe you should try something wild and crazy like providing some evidence for your claims, hmm?
I used to be seriously hooked on that game. I have all the Continuum files and stuff now and even went back and played some about a year ago, but I had a lot of lag problems on the servers at the time, so it was less than fun. Not to mention my favorite game type was Turf, and I couldn't find any turf server with more than a handfull of players on it. :(
Haven't they already used the solar flare excuse? I woulda gone with "there was a plasma conduit breach".
You mean a fad like boy-bands and crappy pop music?
:-P
I don't think pop-music is a fad. It exists because it's what a lot of people like. Of course people don't often like the same person or group for very long, so there's a high turnover rate for boybands. One minute you're at the top of the charts, the next you're only at number 27.
or maybe like crappy movies that flash some tits to keep the audience interested?
erm.. yeah.. damn shame about that. *cough* damn shame..
the world would be a great place if dumb ideas just went away when it was obvious that they don't work, too bad the marketing execs of the world don't have the same insight you do.
Well, my point is that if it doesn't sell, they'll try something different. The problem with your examples is that those things do sell. They sell very well. People like them. So, if people like artificially hip video game characters, then they'll buy these games and the trend will continue. If they see through it, then the marketroids will have to come up with something else. One definite downside to it for game companies is that what's hip today most likely won't be hip tomorrow, so their games will end up with a very short shelf-life.
This is just another stupid marketing fad that will eventually fizzle out like all the rest. If the game is good, buy it. If not, don't buy it. That's how you tell them how you feel. It's the only thing they understand.
The government should not be able to use forcefull restrictive means to suppress your rights.
Umm, if the government was doing what it was supposed to, then rebellion wouldn't be needed in the first place...
Looks really cool, but I stopped it halfway through... didn't want to reveal any more than that... they tend to go overboard in the trailers..
Well, if you go and die before the movies are made, then you lose all right to bitch about them. That's just the way the world works. Of course if you leave a devoted fan base, they can bitch on your behalf. Of course most people will just write them off as whining geeks that have nothing better to do with their time.
Likewise, if you left a blank password on your shared folder which was running Kazaa you could potentially be sued for negligence.
:) Think of the field day the defense would have showing what an impossibility that would be.
Heh.. I can just see some lawyer trying to convince a jury that someone should have understood how to secure their Windows box
And the people that actually have enough money to fight this just on the principle of the thing have much more to lose if they lose -- so they're likely to settle as well.
Have they even tried suing anyone with the ability to fight it?
Why not... seems to be working for SCO...
If you didn't download the songs yourself, then you didn't break the law. If you didn't put them there to be uploaded, then you didn't break the law. Whoever compromised your machine broke the law, and just happened to be using your computer to do it. Kind of like if i broke into your house and used your computer to send a death threat to John Ashcroft. Would they be able to hold you responsible?
I see what you're trying to say, but you're still wrong. Many guns are specifically designed to be efficient at killing. That's their entire purpose for existence. The military or police tell the manufacturers what they want, and the manufacturer designs and makes it. They design it to be effective for killing. That's it. Believe me, they don't say "make it effective for damaging things at a distance."
At the time I was playing, the market was very broken, and even if you did find a decent trade route, it would generally take the better part of an hour to get from one system to the other. Assigning missions to other players wasn't an option at the time, but even if it had been, the profits would have been too low for anyone to even consider accepting the missions, considering how long it takes to run the route. Watching my ship flying through system after system all night isn't my idea of fun.