I have noticed that alot of bit-torrent sites are now uploading MSTS add-ons,mostly German & American add-ons, is this good or bad?
It is "good" because it keeps the hobby alive around the world but the "bad" outweighs this in many ways because I think its illegal, the developers make no money from it and you probably wont get all of the down load.
Not to mention, their probably embedded with Trojans & Viruses!
Bit-torrent Sites,good or bad?
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Easilyconfused
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The mind boggles !
MSTS addons are not generally released as "public domain" so should not be made available on file sharing services without the authors permission.
One by one the file sharing networks are being shutdown by legal threats and action and about time too. I am sure there are legitimate files on them that the authors want spread far and wide but the majority of stuff is copyrighted material and downloading it could land you in a shed load of trouble. Take a look at http://www.theregister.co.uk and see where all sorts of people have been chased by the music industry for downloading illegally. There are cases where teenagers have downloaded stuff and they and their parents are now facing large bills http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/12 ... _lawsuits/
I have every sympathy for artists and authors who want to punt their early work to a wide audience cheaply via file sharing networks but it must be said that the majority of the stuff on the popular networks is illegal.
There - rant over.
Cheers
John
MSTS addons are not generally released as "public domain" so should not be made available on file sharing services without the authors permission.
One by one the file sharing networks are being shutdown by legal threats and action and about time too. I am sure there are legitimate files on them that the authors want spread far and wide but the majority of stuff is copyrighted material and downloading it could land you in a shed load of trouble. Take a look at http://www.theregister.co.uk and see where all sorts of people have been chased by the music industry for downloading illegally. There are cases where teenagers have downloaded stuff and they and their parents are now facing large bills http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/12 ... _lawsuits/
I have every sympathy for artists and authors who want to punt their early work to a wide audience cheaply via file sharing networks but it must be said that the majority of the stuff on the popular networks is illegal.
There - rant over.
Cheers
John
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petermakosch
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Yes, File-Sharing games and such (like MSTS Addons) IS illegal.
However, like every type of P2P (Peer to Peer) file sharing service, it is only the people that make it bad. Many blame the software makers who may have made the program to share a lot of large files he has made to his friends, or distribute website downloads this way. But i suspect quite strongly the majority of the Software makers have made it for illegal use. Notice how it is the servers and webmasters who get the kick in the bum and not the actual program? Because the program is not illegal, just what the public do with it. Is it much different from stealing out of a shop? But then is it much different from speeding on the motorway?
In a freaky sort of weird way, could this be a way foreward for MSTS files?
Instead of using bandwidth from a particular site, you could simply transfer files from each other? However, this relys on people making those files available to download. That idea has just popped into my head, i havent had much sleep, so apologies also for any bad spelling mistakes.
However, I know many people here who use P2P networks to get files that are rare, some people do it for the latest things and some do it because they are plain ignorant to buy the actual product - although looking at Microsoft's Prices for their Operating Systems then I can see why so many choose to illegally download. I have heard Microsoft do not mind some of their products being illegally downloaded as it gets them around the nation, however, don't quote me on that.
Many P2P downloading networks have comment boxes, so if a file contains anything nasty, or isnt what it says it is, someone will have commented to warn others off of it. In the dabbling that I have done and the friends I have, none of us have ever caught anything bad, although this could be down to the IT expertise - saying that, the amount of people i personally talk to (out of work life) who have caught nasty things is amazing. I have never caught a virus and would quite confidently browse the internet with no virus protection what-so-ever.
In short:
Yes, they are illegal.
BUT they will always be around.
First it was Napster, then KazZa, now there's all sorts of ones. Emule is Kazzaa like, yet torrents are proving to be the next generation. Now torrents are being caught out, there IS another new way to illegally distribute files, but the name of it has slipped me for now. Software for it is available but not many are using it, so it hasnt taken off. . . yet.
Peter
However, like every type of P2P (Peer to Peer) file sharing service, it is only the people that make it bad. Many blame the software makers who may have made the program to share a lot of large files he has made to his friends, or distribute website downloads this way. But i suspect quite strongly the majority of the Software makers have made it for illegal use. Notice how it is the servers and webmasters who get the kick in the bum and not the actual program? Because the program is not illegal, just what the public do with it. Is it much different from stealing out of a shop? But then is it much different from speeding on the motorway?
In a freaky sort of weird way, could this be a way foreward for MSTS files?
Instead of using bandwidth from a particular site, you could simply transfer files from each other? However, this relys on people making those files available to download. That idea has just popped into my head, i havent had much sleep, so apologies also for any bad spelling mistakes.
However, I know many people here who use P2P networks to get files that are rare, some people do it for the latest things and some do it because they are plain ignorant to buy the actual product - although looking at Microsoft's Prices for their Operating Systems then I can see why so many choose to illegally download. I have heard Microsoft do not mind some of their products being illegally downloaded as it gets them around the nation, however, don't quote me on that.
Many P2P downloading networks have comment boxes, so if a file contains anything nasty, or isnt what it says it is, someone will have commented to warn others off of it. In the dabbling that I have done and the friends I have, none of us have ever caught anything bad, although this could be down to the IT expertise - saying that, the amount of people i personally talk to (out of work life) who have caught nasty things is amazing. I have never caught a virus and would quite confidently browse the internet with no virus protection what-so-ever.
In short:
Yes, they are illegal.
BUT they will always be around.
First it was Napster, then KazZa, now there's all sorts of ones. Emule is Kazzaa like, yet torrents are proving to be the next generation. Now torrents are being caught out, there IS another new way to illegally distribute files, but the name of it has slipped me for now. Software for it is available but not many are using it, so it hasnt taken off. . . yet.
Peter
i want to be uploaded
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NeutronIC
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There's nothing illegal about BitTorrent per-se, it's just another mechanism for transporting data like the web, ftp and any number of other technologies.
What IS illegal, via *any* transport mechanism, is distribution of materials you do not have permission to distribute, such things are punished by *hefty* fines. The legalities of downloading illegally distributed items are somewhat blurred, but common sense should tell you which side is the safest.
Ultimately, every time you download something commercial you damage the commercial aspect of the hobby, so while short term it might "keep things alive", long term it will kill things off as the commercial developers will move on to something else or stop altogether.
The other major difference between BitTorrent and most P2P networks is that with BitTorrent you are a distributor just by downloading, because it uploads at the same time... that means you're facing the large and very clear fines of piracy and distribution if it's ever cracked down on.
It's wrong and IMHO it's stupid and detrimental long term, so don't do it.
I'm locking this topic as there simply is no need for further discussion on this, feel free to raise a complaint if you feel otherwise.
Matt.
What IS illegal, via *any* transport mechanism, is distribution of materials you do not have permission to distribute, such things are punished by *hefty* fines. The legalities of downloading illegally distributed items are somewhat blurred, but common sense should tell you which side is the safest.
Ultimately, every time you download something commercial you damage the commercial aspect of the hobby, so while short term it might "keep things alive", long term it will kill things off as the commercial developers will move on to something else or stop altogether.
The other major difference between BitTorrent and most P2P networks is that with BitTorrent you are a distributor just by downloading, because it uploads at the same time... that means you're facing the large and very clear fines of piracy and distribution if it's ever cracked down on.
It's wrong and IMHO it's stupid and detrimental long term, so don't do it.
I'm locking this topic as there simply is no need for further discussion on this, feel free to raise a complaint if you feel otherwise.
Matt.