XPost: alt.2600.warez, misc.consumers   
   From: Some@Guy.com   
      
   root wrote:   
      
   > > Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload   
   >   
   > I thought that Megaupload provided file storage space for   
   > a fee. Does anyone know if it was the case that Megaupload   
   > also sold or distributed those files?   
      
   MegaUpload has a business model that's identical to other file lockers   
   like:   
      
   - fileserve   
   - filesonic   
   - uploaded.to   
   - filejungle   
   - uploadstation   
   - (etc)   
      
   The model being that uploaders are given a cut based on how much of   
   their stuff gets downloaded by others.   
      
   Downloaders can either buy access (1 day, 5 days, 30 days, 1 year, etc)   
   for a fee (and have unlimited downloading for the duration of the paid   
   term) or they can download files for free - but with delay timers,   
   captcha challenges and other restrictions imposed on them.   
      
   The free-access mode is (I think) more easily controlled if the   
   downloaders are in certain countries that hand out static IP addresses   
   to broadband customers (which I'm guessing is common in Europe).  The   
   most limiting handicaps for free downloaders is easily circumvented by   
   having your modem re-connect to give you a different IP address when   
   necessary.   
      
   Automated file-retrieval software (like jdownloader) has scripts for   
   many modems and routers and automates the process of link-grabbing, file   
   downloading and IP-recycling such that the only thing the free user must   
   do is answer captcha challenges.   
      
   ===========   
   As I type this, I'm downloading the 3 episodes of season 2 of the BBC   
   series Sherlock, which were originally aired on Jan 1, Jan 9 and Jan 15   
   this year.  These are 720p resolution HDTV rips, each file being about   
   2.5 gb in size.  I think it will be another 6 months to a year before   
   these episodes air in Canada.  I will transfer the finished files to my   
   networked TrendNet EVA9150 set-top media player connected to my TV for   
   later viewing at my leisure.   
   ==========   
      
   > In either case it seems a blow to "cloud" file storage.   
      
   People that upload movies, music, books/magazines (etc) to file lockers   
   are only doing it because the lockers provide a financial kick-back   
   based on a revenue model paid by (some? many? most?) of the downloaders.   
      
   The cloud-storage concept often talked about in the press is very   
   different than this file-locker business.   
      
   > If the provider of the storage facilities can be held   
   > liable for the files that is a problem.   
      
   File lockers provide very accessible DMCA takedown interfaces for   
   copyright holders.  It's not unusual to see dead links for current   
   movies and TV shows on file lockers because the rights-holder (or a   
   hired company) has discovered the existance of the links and has filed a   
   DMCA take-down notice to the file-locker.   
      
   Uploaders who get their links deleted simple re-upload the files and the   
   game continues.   
      
   > If megaupload was distributing the files that suggests that cloud   
   > storage may not be what anyone wants.   
      
   It's my impression that the cloud storage model is intended to be used   
   as a repository for purchased media, not necessarily for your own   
   pre-existing multi-media files.  So when you make an on-line purchase of   
   a movie or music, your purchased files are not downloaded to you but   
   instead some sort of token is transfered to a cloud account in your   
   name, and then when you want to view/listen to them they are streamed to   
   your playback device, thereby promoting bandwidth usage and likely   
   bandwidth costs that your ISP will enjoy billing you for.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)