I`ve read about it`s etymology once. And IIRC it was used to shed a bad light on copyright infringers from the very beginning. So from my point of view it never was a vox medium and never was accurate in that context.
So old or not, one shouldn`t call copyrigth infringers "pirates". The word "nigger" is also a very old word, but I think we can be glad that it isn`t used by the media anymore to describe a group of people.
"They maintain a hidden network of top-level FTP sites that get the best files first and allow them to trickle down the pyramid [...]"
Because there are sites that are called top sites doesn`t mean scene FTP sites are hirarchically organised. They are most certainly not. If they would be they all would be gone a long time ago.
The best and most popular clubs in a town might be called "top clubs" by those who frequent them, but that doesn`t mean they control all other clubs in town or are directly connected with them in any way.
On a site note, it is pretty obvious that most content on top sites and p2p networks is originally leaked by journalists and other people that have pre release access to software, movies, music, etc...
And judging from a previous SOUTH PARK episodes that dealt with copyright infringement and it`s socially context it might even be more insightful than a Wired article.
DISCLAIMER: I`m not in any way part of the scene, so everything I say may be uninformed and wrong.
This "pirate" network or "the scene" isn`t that hidden at all.
I`m pretty sure every slashdotter at least knows someone who knows someone who is in some way part of the scene. If a 14 y/o with some talent and enough free time can make it into the scene, so can almost anybody. And from the very beginning of the scene when software was traded via snail mail the scene always needed new people because most people retire from the scene at some point of their lives.
And what is so secret about a group of people who don`t even release something without an.nfo file?
IMHO it is still pretty easy to get into the scene and maybe even into some higher ranks if you can provide anything scene groups need. But that is not the point, the point is that they are still secret and paranoid enough that they will stay as long as they want. If one group falls there will pop up three new ones.
You can almost compare it to how other illegal things are distributed. And you don`t think that any 14y/o will ever have any problems to get some weed, do you?
That said, please stop calling them "pirates", they don`t have ships, they don`t wear eye patches and peg legs and they don`t kill and rape. They are just some high level copyright infringers. And you can even argue about if copyright infringement is wrong at all.
Well, Indy is the nickname for the fictional character Indiana Jones.;-)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones)
Besides that, he term indie is short for "independent" and refers to artistic creations outside the commercial mainstream, without the support of a major record label, major movie studio, or other source of a large budget. For example,
* independent film
* indie rock
* indie radio
* indie label
For all those who think that the best games that came out this year were all sequels Game Tunnel presents a different angle on things with their 2004 Independent Game of the Year awards. For those who believe that the best game this year was that badly named expansion pack that they have the nerve to call Halo 2, check out the awards for a different side of gaming than you are used to.
Translation:
Please visit my site, it is only 8 pages full of pictures and I think I can survive a slashdotting.
I never heard of any of these games before and that might even be the worst thing to say about them.
A lot of games that come from one of the big players aren`t any good, but whenever they realease something decent it definately will find a quite big audience. But when it comes to those independent game developers there seems to be a high chance that even if they produce a really decent game nobody will ever hear about it. That said, if you enjoy turn-based strategy games, you should give Battle of Wesnoth a try - it`s free and open source: http://wesnoth.org/
Slashdot Mirror
And there I thought I was using apostrophes for apostrophes.
I`ve read about it`s etymology once. And IIRC it was used to shed a bad light on copyright infringers from the very beginning. So from my point of view it never was a vox medium and never was accurate in that context.
So old or not, one shouldn`t call copyrigth infringers "pirates". The word "nigger" is also a very old word, but I think we can be glad that it isn`t used by the media anymore to describe a group of people.
Obvious: It was invented by Al Gore AND is run by Dick Cheney.
And they only get all the crap jobs to prevent them from doing greater damages.
Well that sure makes it two of us...
"They maintain a hidden network of top-level FTP sites that get the best files first and allow them to trickle down the pyramid [...]"
Because there are sites that are called top sites doesn`t mean scene FTP sites are hirarchically organised. They are most certainly not.
If they would be they all would be gone a long time ago.
The best and most popular clubs in a town might be called "top clubs" by those who frequent them, but that doesn`t mean they control all other clubs in town or are directly connected with them in any way.
On a site note, it is pretty obvious that most content on top sites and p2p networks is originally leaked by journalists and other people that have pre release access to software, movies, music, etc...
Without this duplication and distribution structure providing content, the P2P networks would run dry.
Holy flying pony... is the Wired author clueless...
Inside the Shadow Internet
That would make a nice SOUTH PARK episode title.
And judging from a previous SOUTH PARK episodes that dealt with copyright infringement and it`s socially context it might even be more insightful than a Wired article.
DISCLAIMER: I`m not in any way part of the scene, so everything I say may be uninformed and wrong.
.nfo file?
This "pirate" network or "the scene" isn`t that hidden at all.
I`m pretty sure every slashdotter at least knows someone who knows someone who is in some way part of the scene. If a 14 y/o with some talent and enough free time can make it into the scene, so can almost anybody.
And from the very beginning of the scene when software was traded via snail mail the scene always needed new people because most people retire from the scene at some point of their lives.
And what is so secret about a group of people who don`t even release something without an
IMHO it is still pretty easy to get into the scene and maybe even into some higher ranks if you can provide anything scene groups need.
But that is not the point, the point is that they are still secret and paranoid enough that they will stay as long as they want.
If one group falls there will pop up three new ones.
You can almost compare it to how other illegal things are distributed. And you don`t think that any 14y/o will ever have any problems to get some weed, do you?
That said, please stop calling them "pirates", they don`t have ships, they don`t wear eye patches and peg legs and they don`t kill and rape. They are just some high level copyright infringers. And you can even argue about if copyright infringement is wrong at all.
"These people are highly organized and very paranoid about secrecy."
That`s why they made Wired.
Well, Indy is the nickname for the fictional character Indiana Jones. ;-)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones)
Besides that, he term indie is short for "independent" and refers to artistic creations outside the commercial mainstream, without the support of a major record label, major movie studio, or other source of a large budget. For example,
* independent film
* indie rock
* indie radio
* indie label
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie)
Buying HALO 2: 45 bucks.
Submitting a self promotional story to slashdot and seeing your servers catching fire: priceless!
For all those who think that the best games
that came out this year were all sequels Game
Tunnel presents a different angle on things
with their 2004 Independent Game of the Year
awards. For those who believe that the best
game this year was that badly named expansion
pack that they have the nerve to call Halo 2,
check out the awards for a different side of
gaming than you are used to.
Translation:
Please visit my site, it is only 8 pages full of pictures and I think I can survive a slashdotting.
I never heard of any of these games before and that might even be the worst thing to say about them. A lot of games that come from one of the big players aren`t any good, but whenever they realease something decent it definately will find a quite big audience. But when it comes to those independent game developers there seems to be a high chance that even if they produce a really decent game nobody will ever hear about it. That said, if you enjoy turn-based strategy games, you should give Battle of Wesnoth a try - it`s free and open source: http://wesnoth.org/