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Ulrich Kinbote · Mar 18, 2006, 10:39 AM

Any reason not to use BitTorrent?

SpaceMonkey · Mar 18, 2006, 10:48 AM

In terms of what?

If you don't cap the upload/download rate, then it can start to use a lot of network resources, which can annoy others if you are on a shared network.

If you are downloading pirated material, it is easy for the RIAA/MPAA to track down your computer and serve you with a notice. And they've started to pay more attention to BitTorrent recently.

ghporter · Mar 18, 2006, 11:22 AM

...and you have to trust that the source of the torrent you download hasn't either messed it up or added crap to it to mess with Windows users. It's a big gamble.

Ulrich Kinbote · Mar 18, 2006, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

...and you have to trust that the source of the torrent you download hasn't either messed it up or added crap to it to mess with Windows users. It's a big gamble.

What about Mac users?

Anyway, all I want to download is the Oscars to see how John Stewart did, and BitTorrent doesn't have it anyway.

Anyone know where I can download more than just the first ten minutes?

ghporter · Mar 18, 2006, 08:07 PM

Even if the adulteration doesn't hurt your Mac, it can and often does completely hose up whatever media it's embedded in. So you spend some time downloading what you think is the Oscars, and wind up a) getting something that is not nice to watch because someone screwed with it on purpose and b) while you have it, you distribute the same stuff to other people, many with Windows machines who WILL be hurt by it.

kman42 · Mar 19, 2006, 08:00 AM

Since we are on the topic. What about gnutella/limewire or other P2P services. File corruption is obviously oblivious to the method of download, but what about tracking and security? And not necessarily just tracking by the RIAA/MPAA folks, but just nefarious individuals in general? Do these services track IPs, etc?

I'm a bit older than most of the people that frequent these parts of the internet, but I work with a ton of them and I'd love to be able to educate them on the pitfalls. That is, other than the inherent evil that is piracy as most of them don't buy into the argument. However, they are all into internet privacy and security.

kman

Big Mac · Mar 19, 2006, 09:22 AM

For a torrent to be corrupted, it has to be corrupted at the point of the original distribution or later redistribution. Once it's out there and everyone has copies they're serving up in small packets, if someone tries to modify any part of the file and upload it to others the clients will automatically reject it. Every once in a while you'll see that a small part of a torrent you've downloaded has been discarded as bad. At times you'll even see a particular IP address blacklisted in your client for sending bad data. That's my understanding of it, at least.

Weyland-Yutani · Mar 19, 2006, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ulrich Kinbote

What about Mac users?

Anyway, all I want to download is the Oscars to see how John Stewart did, and BitTorrent doesn't have it anyway.

Anyone know where I can download more than just the first ten minutes?

Perhaps here?

cheers

W-Y