(Mis)Uses of Technology

(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick




Secret Networks Protect Music Swappers

from the CNN-discovers-WASTE dept

There have been plenty of articles about more anonymous file sharing networks, and now CNN has written their article about it. They focus on private networks, such as those using Waste, the released and then denied product from Justin Frankel at AOL. What's odd is that the article seems to focus on the encryption part of the networks to keep them safe from the RIAA subpoena squads, when the more interesting thing is that these networks are private. That is, only a limited number of people are on them, and you can't get on them unless you know about them - which should help to keep RIAA scanners out. Yet another example of ways that consumers will route around the entertainment industry anytime they try to crack down.

8 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

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  1. Jul 29th, 2003 @ 9:31pm

    time to check out waste

    by e g

    IRC is not mentioned. Simple and effective file sharing. Kind of a private network for filesharing.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 6:35am

    No Subject Given

    by Anonymous Coward

    People are over reacting to Waste. Especially when you consider that file sharing is not even it's main application. Try again Mike.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 8:00am

    Private

    by Anonymous Coward

    What keeps the networks private IS their encryption. These swapping nodes are on still on the internet, why don't you believe they could be discovered?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 8:45am

    Re: No Subject Given

    People are over reacting to Waste. Especially when you consider that file sharing is not even it's main application. Try again Mike.

    But people are using it for file sharing.

    I agree that you can do a lot more with it, and people are, but there are some who use it as a private file sharing network.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 8:46am

    Re: Private

    What keeps the networks private IS their encryption. These swapping nodes are on still on the internet, why don't you believe they could be discovered?

    But it's not like Kazaa or the other "file sharing networks" out there where the clients are all designed to find each other. Waste is designed so that you can only connect with those you know about. Then the encryption is used to keep what happens over that connection quiet.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 9:35am

    Re: No Subject Given

    by Jack Ass

    But people are using it for file sharing. I agree that you can do a lot more with it, and people are, but there are some who use it as a private file sharing network.

    Right, but since it's not anywhere close to as easy as Kazaa or Napster, I don't see it becoming a mainstream issue. And if it's not mainstream, why is the music industry even wasting their time paying attention to it?

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 9:44am

    Re: No Subject Given

    Right, but since it's not anywhere close to as easy as Kazaa or Napster, I don't see it becoming a mainstream issue. And if it's not mainstream, why is the music industry even wasting their time paying attention to it?

    Actually, I don't think the music industry is paying attention to it. I think CNN is. ;)

    Besides, while it may not be as easy to use or as mainstream now that doesn't mean it won't be in the future.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. Jul 30th, 2003 @ 2:01pm

    Re: CNN is

    Actually, I don't think the music industry is paying attention to it. I think CNN is. ;)

    Funny thing is, CNN is AOL / Time Warner.. and technically IS part of the music industry.

    I guess it's another case of the right hand not knowing about the left hand's goings on.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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