BitTorrent Admin Monitored by US Government, Forced to Dump Linux

[S25]

This is just a news post I came across and I thought it was very fucked up.

You get convicted of something which should not be a crime then you are forced to pay for software which you cannot afford so they can spy on you?

http://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-admin-monitored-by-us-government-forced-to-dump-linux/

[odin_dax]

This is just a news post I came across and I thought it was very fucked up.

You get convicted of something which should not be a crime then you are forced to pay for software which you cannot afford so they can spy on you?

http://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-admin-monitored-by-us-government-forced-to-dump-linux/

It's a crime! He got caught! Don't do the crime if you can't do the time or probation.

[headcase]

I might feel a little sympathy if he wasn't so full of himself. Judging by his quotes you'd swear he was the was the new Che Guevara.

[Stone]

Software piracy is and always should be a crime. Believe it or not, but there are people who program as a career and need to get paid.

Saying that, I have no problem paying for software that I think is priced reasonably, but I prefer not to pay the extortionate amounts that companies like m$ charge. I could name quite a few companies that charge hugely inflated amounts because they know that people have no other real choice.

I do not feel sympathy for the guy in question, he knew what he was doing was illegal and should have been prepared to accept the circumstances.

[torcher]

all the monitoring software comes off after his Probation though. and probation for copyright infringement cant be that long

[S25]

Is it wrong then that the state is forcing him to use software which requires him to buy a different OS? What I mean is that it should be something the state should solve if there software is not compatible on more than ones OS.

Yes you should not do the crime if you cannot do the time but the punishment does not fit the crime, 5 months in jail and 5 months home imprisonment that does not seem fair. People who have committed assault get off with less than that.

I think people who design software should be rewarded in the same way I think people make music should be rewarded but it gets to a stage where the prices are not fair and how much of the money do you think the developers get?

[headcase]

I agree with the point on assault, but that issue is with the punishment for assault being too lenient, not piracy being too harsh.

Even if the term didn't fit the crime, he was probably treated like a bit of an Al Capone or Timothy Leary character (although I hesitate to mention "Scott" amoung such company). He was an administrator of the tracker so chances are he was uploading a lot more than Star Wars. So..... the term hit him for as much as it could when they got the chance.

What exactly would changing your OS entail?

[S25]

Would be a pain in the ass getting new programs and if using windows it is likely those programs cost money, It would cost him a copy of windows and a back up and re-install.
But this guy is un-employed and so probably cannot afford any of this. Also i think the punishment was rather harsh, It is a victim less crime when done against time warner or something like that. Now if it was some small indy company they would be harder pushed.

[headcase]

Yeah, it's kind of hard to moralise about because I download and have no issue with it. I guess I'm going to sit on the fence again and rehash my drug-legalisation arguement. We need this kind of law enforcement or everyone will be downloading illegally and the music companies will collapse. Ah well, thanks for taking one for the team Scott.

[S25]

I actually agree with you on that one FireXtol. Making money by tours is the real way I think of making money. What if the music companies were removed? How would that effect music? Would that mean a much broader base of music being available to the general public?

[Stone]

Look, he fucking new if he got caught he would get punished. And, his punishment is so bad, he's very unlikely to do it again. Lesson learned. That's what punishment by the law is all about, trying to stop repeat offences.

And, it's not really a victim-less crime. In black and white, you are still stealing from that company. If there is a grey in between, it is that you just don't give a fuck.

[S25]

Going on that theory Stone if I get caught for jaywalking my legs should be broken, I know I should not do it and it is against the law, And since my punishment is so harsh I will not do it again.
The punishment should fit the crime, The punishment should be retribution to society for what you have done, It should not be a message to you or anyone else.

[Stone]

Actually, jaywalking isn't illegal in Ireland!

I see your point, but he should consider himself lucky he's allowed to access the internet at all. It seems to me that he's just looking for an excuse to whine and make it look like he's the victim.

I would compare it to some rapist who goes to jail for his crime and becomes Bubba's trophy polisher. He did the crime, so he's being punished. Tough shit. If I got caught running a bittorrent tracker that was distributing illegal material, yeah I'd be pissed off at the punishment, but I wouldn't be whining like a kid and trying to make it look like I'm the victim.

[odin_dax]

Can't forget, this guy pleaded guilty. He only got 5 months jail and probation each. He probably whined to some friend who runs a popular blog and it got around.

[S25]

If I got done I would whine :) I would make a big song and dance then sell the domain :D :D

I can see where you are coming from though but I still do not agree, Rape is a much more serious offense and so deserves to be treated with in a more serious manner although if he plead guilty then in all likelihood he should probably not have an excuse to give out...

[odin_dax]

If I got done I would whine :) I would make a big song and dance then sell the domain :D :D

I can see where you are coming from though but I still do not agree, Rape is a much more serious offense and so deserves to be treated with in a more serious manner although if he plead guilty then in all likelihood he should probably not have an excuse to give out...

Rape isn't treated in a serious manner?

[headcase]

Not seriously enough. At least, not anywhere where "death by decades of horrific torture" isn't used. Headcase for President.

[Stone]

I'd vote for ya if you were going for Bertie's job....

[S25]

I'd vote for him :p Once I can vote!

[headcase]

2 small steps on my way to World Domination!







Now I just need a way to take care of that damned bunny...

[odin_dax]

2 small steps on my way to World Domination!



Journey of a 1,000 miles begins with 1 step.

[kspn]

Good link, this may set precedence if he can get them to find monitoring software for linux to show that changing OSs is something that cannot be forced upon somebody. I'd be surprised to see him win any appeal of any sort but hte government just sucks so I'm hoping he succeeds.

[Armalite]

How is it illegal to own a set of 1s and 0s? Information should be free. Those programmers making a living off the software hold a position equal to a highwayman on a bridge demanding tribute from all passersby.

[Stone]

That's bullshit. It takes time and money to make programs. Yes, there is open source stuff, but sometimes it's not as good. The GIMP is nothing to Photoshop, Blender is nothing to 3DS Max, Maya, XSI.

I'm doing a lot of php programming at work now. My next project is a management system for the business. It incorporates project management, billing management, enquiries, job q's, an email server, and more. It will be running on apache on a debian box. Programmed in php, mysql DB, XHTML markup, css styles, XML datasheets, charts dynamically generated in flash and the ability to generate invoices from the info and it'll create a printable pdf automatically.

Are you trying to say I shouldn't get paid for this work? That I should do it for free? If not, are you saying that I would have no rights to this piece of work if somebody decided to steal the source files and deploy it for themselves?

What you said armalite, is like saying that nobody can own sound frequencies and that musicians shouldn't get paid for their work. Or saying that nobody can own photons of light so that any video cannot be owned.

The simple fact is, if you put time and work into making something then you are damned entitled to be paid for it.