BitTorrent Admin Monitored by US Government, Forced to Dump GNU/Linux
Written by enigmax on August 22, 2007Sk0t, an ex-administrator of the EliteTorrents BitTorrent tracker is to have his internet connection forcibly monitored by the US Government. If that wasn’t bad enough, the monitoring software is Windows based - which means he is being forced to ditch GNU/Linux - or face being barred from the internet.
Scott McCausland (sk0t), the ex-administrator of the EliteTorrents BitTorrent tracker isn’t having much luck lately. Back in September 2006, he pleaded guilty to two charges - ‘conspiracy to commit copyright infringement’ and ‘criminal copyright infringement’. Both charges relate to him uploading ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ onto the internet hours before the theatrical release, earning him 5 months in jail and 5 months home confinement.
Sk0t has now been released from jail but this doesn’t mean that everything is back to normal.
Back on 17 July, sk0t had to see his Probation Officer for the first time and two days later he had to have a special ankle bracelet attached. This monitoring device is there to enforce the terms of his release: Monday to Friday 08:30 to 21:00 he is free to do as he pleases. Weekends are more restrictive - freedom is allocated between 08:30 to 17:00. The one good thing about this device is that it will be removed before Christmas (Dec 19th).
According to a post on his blog, following another meeting with his Probation Officer, it seems sk0t is having more trouble:
So, I am getting shafted by the Justice Department again…”
sk0t was informed by his Probation Officer that he has to have special software installed on his PC so that the government can monitor his online activities. However, what is a more bitter pill to swallow for him is that the monitoring software is Windows only and as sk0t is an Ubuntu user, the Justice Department is forcing him to switch operating systems.
I had a meeting with my probation officer today, and he told me that he has to install monitoring software onto my PC. No big deal to me, that is part of my sentence. However, their software doesnt support GNU/Linux (Which is what I use). So, he told me that if I want to use a computer, I would have to use an OS that the software can be installed on.
Sk0t is left with a tough choice. Give in to the evils of the monitoring software, format his hard drive and install Windows - or be barred from using a PC completely.
Sk0t told TorrentFreak: “I think that this whole situation is just one more way that they can impose their will onto me. I have contacted my attorney, and we are going to fight this. It isn’t the fact that I have to be monitored that bothers me, it is the fact that I have restructure my life (different OS, different software on that OS) and that they would require (force) me to purchase software while I a currently unemployed and relatively unemployable with the 2 felonies that they gave me. It is just a ridiculous situation. Why should I conform to them when I am consenting to the software… they should have software that conforms to me.”
Unfortunately, thanks to the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act, some BitTorrent users are considered criminals these days, which means these unusual measures can be forced upon them. In a society where ‘the punishment should fit the crime’, you can’t help but think that somewhere along the line there’s been a big miscalculation when regular citizens are turned into criminals for sharing files.
Previously: Most Popular DVDrips on BitTorrent (wk33)
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446 Responses
“format his hard drive and install Windows”
Partitioning HDDs isn’t a new invention.
[quote comment="150798"]“format his hard drive and install Windows”
Partitioning HDDs isn’t a new invention.[/quote]
Seeing as how the software is required to RUN while OPERATING, partitioning a HD seems pretty moronic. You can’t boot into two OS’s at once.
He COULD however run a VMware computer ontop of his windows installation.
I AM NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION THAT ISNT MONITORED. Which means I cant be on the computer unless I use windows… so partitioning a useless drive for 2 years is worthless.
what about using this software with Wine or crossover ?
oh i forgot to mention: only in the U.S. a private person is forced to buy a commercial product by government. is that what u understand of liberal capitalism ? sounds kinda communism to me…
The point is, he doesn’t have money to pay for $100-$500 dollars worth of Microsoft software just so some cops can put their crappy VB.NET monitoring software on his computer. Unless the Justice Dept. buys him this software so that their software would work, he should not be subjugated to changing his primary operating system and selling his organs to do so. This is serious, if they want to, they can throw him back in jail for refusing a court order/probation terms. There needs to be a compromise somewhere…
@ Hansel
No, this is Corporate Capitalism…
Oh dear, the land of the free, ey?
The way things are going, they’ll tell you what to eat and where to defecate sometime soon. Repugnant Administration.
Cheer up sk0t!
Well, what it comes down to is this… they cant support Linux… and even though I AM CONSENTING TO THE MONITORING SOFTWARE… the software cannot be installed because I do not use windows… so basically I have to switch to comply with their rules…
I will keep you posted on the rulings in this matter.
he needs to tell them that he has to find a torrent so that he can download a copy of windows… :)
Bah.
Poor guy.
Poor country.
I’m sure he’s thought of this but don’t they have some sort of router or modem that will monitor him, and if it is taken off the internet it can send a message to our wonderful government when it’s reconnected. Sorry your gettin screwed by the system man.
What about less acceptance and more resistance from normal people in that obviously fucked up country? Good Heaven, I just can’t understand this passive attitude you’ve got there.
That’s horrible. You upload digital files to people over the internet and they do this to you (i’m talking about the whole thing; jail, monitoring, etc, them forcing windows on to you is bad too :P).
Give me a break, pop another HD in the machine and set up a dual boot. It’s your own fault that you need to face the “hardships”.
It seems that people that have no compunctions about breaking the law scream the loudest when they have to pay for the crime.
Put on some Big Boy pants, Sk0t.
[quote comment="150810"]oh i forgot to mention: only in the U.S. a private person is forced to buy a commercial product by government. is that what u understand of liberal capitalism ? sounds kinda communism to me…[/quote]
He is not forced to install Windows. He can always just not access the internet.
Alan you are a dick. You probably work for the MPAA nazis.
sk0t you should set something up where you can accept donations. I would send you some money to help you through the hard times.
A lot of people sympathise with you because they know you are not a criminal and that millions of other people are just as “guilty” as you.
You have been made into a martyr for the cause of freedom. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got fucked by the corporate greed machine.
Fuck the system and fuck the MPAA nazis. Long live freedom.
Sk0t TAKE THEM TO COURT AND TELL THOSE FUCKING PAKI’S THAT YOU’RE NOT GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANT!!
oh how my heart bleeds! how about just using a windows server as a router and have the spyware run on it. better yet, install vmware on the ubuntu machine and route from ubuntu to vmware and back, while monitoring on vmware.
and dont tell me that’d just cost more money.. any half-assed geek has at least two computers. I’ve got three I own in the same room as me right now.
what about an msdnaa version of xp or vista, or whatever he needs. it’s really not hard to get ahold of an account. scratch that - all he needs is an msdnaa key.
oh dear, how my heart bleeds for this sob story.
OK guys, for all of you with the bleeding hearts…
Lets weigh some things:
And we will see how thine heart bleeds:
Lets weight returning back to prison by bypassing their monitoring softwares, and we will weigh that against putting up a legal stand against an unjust sentence requirement forcing me to switch to conform to their standards…
I wonder if eltopo and alan would be willing to serve my sentence if I follow their methods… I doubt it.
sk0t,
its in your best interests to have your lawyer put his all into this because you are seriously getting “1 Ass RApinG by thE Government AfTer anotHER & UNder the unITED states”
“The Vision”
i feel deep inside you will be assisted … but be warned as things aren’t what they seem at first. be sure to DIG DEEP to find the hidden truth. you will know when its time from a sign “161315 4:20xx”. . .
“Unfortunately, thanks to the Family Entertainment and Copyright Act, some BitTorrent users are considered criminals these days, which means these unusual measures can be forced upon them.”
He is a criminal. I’ve got no problem with ripping your CD’s or DVD’s for personal use but uploading the film before theatrical release? Yeah, that’s criminal.
I second the VMware idea. Keep using Ubuntu, and setup a Win98SE guest running the monitoring software and ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).
Then all your Ubuntu originated internet traffic will be routed through the Windows guest. The processor/memory overhead of Win98SE should be pretty low, plus you could also install Peer Guardian in it.
It’s not ideal, but that’s what I would do in your situation. Good luck man.
sk0t:
I too have been to jail before, and I know first hand how much it sucks. Its shitty that you are going through all this. I would definately throw a donate button on your site though, I’m sure you would get enough to purchase a legitimate copy of Winblowz, or someone may even send you a legal copy of it before then. However, I don’t think that this would be something that you could win. If it is a requirement of your probation that you must use this specific software to use the internet, than I think that is what it will be. Either use Windows + the software. Or don’t use a computer at all.
Hope everything works out, and please… keep us posted. Thnx.
Can you not install a windows gateway and point your ubuntu machine through that?? that way the windows machine can monitor your traffic but you can still use ubuntu on your desk
Sk0t if you want any form of life, after you’re finished with probation I suggest you leave the country. They will never leave you alone.
I suggest somewhere in Europe, maybe UK or Sweden ;)
sk0t,
I have one question. Do you have to have the monitoring software installed for a short period or the rest of your life? If it is for rest of your days maybe consider going over seas.
Kevin Mitnick fought back when he was not allowed to use a computer. He now can access the Internet through a judge ruling in his favor. I have not seen anything about his computer being tapped as yours soon will be. Good Luck, Long Live Linux.
A lot of people have to do way worse stuff when they are on parole. I’m sympathetic to “copyright infringers”, but he just needs to deal. ALSO, you need to pretend to be remorseful and thankful after you get busted so bitching about some little lame thing they make you do is a give away that you aren’t broken. Breaking the person is the whole point of all this shit, otherwise they would have to keep people locked up for a long time instead of shock sentences.
If it all wasn’t supposed to be some large secret, the court could just acknowledge that his internet use is already being monitored along with the rest of us. In addition to that the RIAA/MPAA etc. already monitor for everything the court is interested in which is how he got busted in the first place. Forcing him to install the courts silly software is ludicrous on its face for any real world effectiveness but then the court is quite likely to be making money from the process.
In my state the prisoner has to pay substantial fees covering both the bracelet and the monitoring service. Last I recall that cost was approximately $15/day plus the prisoner had to install a dedicated (wired) phone line if not otherwise available. Like phone calls and commissary from jail/prison, all such prices are hyper inflated and the court/police garner a hefty cut from providing the feedstock into these various prison industries which are also co-joined with a multitude of vertical up sells.
If a person or family has the money, this modicum of additional freedom might be worth the expense but those without the necessary resources simply get to sit it out. Such is not the preference of county governments and municipalities which far prefer to make money from prisoners via work release and or the bracelet for simply incarcerating them in traditional jails is far less lucrative.
OK, use winblows chunks, install their POS monitoring toolset, install virtualbox, and reinstall Ubuntu under virtualbox, profit!
Why not to buy vista, latest office, visual studio and charge it all to the justice dep. then ask for a refund for m$ and run the monitor software with wine?
Its part of his probation? Probation is not mandatory he can choose to go back in jail, correct? What’s his problem?
Probation has tons of limitations, its part of the deal you make to give up some rights to stay out of jail. If part of his probation was he had to attend some sort of counceling usually there is a list of places he can go, he can’t choose any random one he finds… if none of the places are local and he can’t afford bus fair or a car then thats his problem… go back to jail if he can’t handle it. Same with this, you can’t afford a Windows OS? Don’t use any. Still not happy? Go to jail. All choices. He started all this making his inital decicsion to break the law. COnsequences are a bitch.
Well… Might as well start seeding the torrent again… can’t be charged for the same crime twice can you? Not sure if that applies but it might just be funny enough to look into it.
“Well… Might as well start seeding the torrent again… can’t be charged for the same crime twice can you? Not sure if that applies but it might just be funny enough to look into it.”
You are so clever and smart. When a rapist gets out of jail he can continue to rape the person as he can’t get charged again! YEA! THAT WOULD BE FUNNY, LOL.
I suppose you think they should have OS X and Solaris clients as well?
I’ve done very well in life by not being under someone else’s thumb as much as possible. I think that if you’d tried harder to avoid getting caught, you might have room to complain.
This is bullshit.
Millions of Americans work with felonies. Don’t let that be an excuse - just let it be what it really is: an Experience that you have walked through.
Monitoring software?
Surely their issue is network rather monitoring desktop use, so why use software to begin with?
I would trust a hardwired network monitor/logger more than software.
First (though I’m not surprised) I’m amazed at all of the self serving holier than thou crap comments.
sk0t, unfortunately this is the way it goes. While you may not agree with today’s copyright laws (and nor do I) this is what happens when you get caught breaking a law. Eventually (hopefully) they will be lifted, and you should definitely fight it. You knew the consequences when you broke the law and it eventually caught up to you. That doesn’t mean you can’t make a difference, it just means life is going to suck for a while.
Playing the “this law sucks” card isn’t going to work for you, you need to be as professional as you can be about this. Suggest changes and maybe compromises and show you are willing to work with the legal system instead of against it. This doesn’t always work but you never know. If you can, fight it and let them know in a professional matter why you use Linux and that its not some ‘copyright infringement hacker tool.’ Provide solid reasoning and you might be surprised of the outcome.
You may be innocent in the moral (though subjective) sense but you are not in the legal sense, and that was proven by the sentencing.
Don’t listen to the ‘use a VM’ and comments of the like. You don’t want to rock the boat. If they say ‘use windows’ and you skirt by using something else however creatively, it will be viewed as a violation of your probation. Remember, your not dealing with smart IT guys and in a lot of cases, you already have a mark against you as ‘that hacker kid.’ It doesn’t happen as often as it use to but it still does.
Good luck.
This is the RIAA having it’s way!!
If you want it to stop, protest and boycott the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
boycott the RIAA’s offices and stop buying CD’s and DVD’s and going to the Movies!
The only way it will stop is if it hurts their pockets!!
Oh poor f*ckin boy.
You break the law and now your bitchin because you are made to use Windows.
Something about making your bed and laying in it.
Boohoo.
Would this kid stop crying?
Maybe try this skOt…
Use a porting program, install it on the windows computer thats connected to internet with the listening program, thats allows your computer to share its internet connection. This way you can run Linux on your next computer and they monitor all they want, isn’t it? *would be fun to send encrypted data from Ubuntu in this situation…*
sk0t, your an idiot. You’re getting exactly what you deserve.
If windows is supplied along with their monitoring software, then I’d probably say he has to deal with it. But no way should he have to buy windows in order to comply.
Still, to have to agree to the windows EULA would suck.
[quote]I second the VMware idea. Keep using Ubuntu, and setup a Win98SE guest running the monitoring software and ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).
Then all your Ubuntu originated internet traffic will be routed through the Windows guest. The processor/memory overhead of Win98SE should be pretty low, plus you could also install Peer Guardian in it.[/quote]
Peerguardian? You expect someone to use torrents while being monitored by fascists?
[quote]go back to jail if he can’t handle it. Same with this, you can’t afford a Windows OS? Don’t use any. Still not happy? Go to jail. All choices.[/quote]
Well now isn’t that a lot of choice…
[quote]I suppose you think they should have OS X and Solaris clients as well?[/quote]
Well, if the government was to serve the people, then that would be a good idea. BSD too (though if the government served the people then people wouldn’t go to jail for sharing). But this is the time of people serving government, it’s not gonna happen…
I would refuse to install the software and simply tell them shut off my internet for 5 months. Thats all his probation is right? after that he can do what he wants. I would rather have no internet for 5 months than put up with this.
FYI what he did WAS criminal and he should and was properly punished for it. (sorry facts are facts no matter how much I hate the MPAA etc..) but a FELONY it is not and should never be. This should be a CIVIL matter AS WAS INTENDED buy original copyright laws. Remember the DMCA is NOT LAW. its illegal and was null and void the moment it was signed. The problem is the law has no real meaning. ENFORCEMENT is everything and even though the DMCA is not lawful and null and void its ENFORCED. See the problem ??
not to be obvious or anything, but is anyone else not thinking that maybe skOt should have used a different username, and encrypted the upload… maybe put a few redirects in the way. sure it would have slowed the upload, but then he would never have been caught in the first place and we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. But those restrictions are a little harsh for filesharing. And there is no f’ing way I’d let the man screw with my OS. If they told me I couldn’t use my computer the way I choose to use it, I would get out of the country, and find somewhere else to live. Go underground. Basically , FUCK THA’ MAN!
I haven’t read through all the comments but…
He could run a virtual machine on windows and use his linux formatted partition to get the image from (a bit tricky though)
Second, windows supports ICS so he might be able to route his traffic through an old box.
Either way requires money though, just less of it.
I’m a little confused:
Is it part of your probation that your internet access is to be monitored, or that your computer usage is to be monitored?
Because this demand seems to lean towards the “computer usage” side of things. Or else, wouldn’t it be easier for the government simply to use the already-in-place CALEA functions of your ISP?
” go back to jail if he can’t handle it. Same with this, you can’t afford a Windows OS? Don’t use any. Still not happy? Go to jail. All choices.
Well now isn’t that a lot of choice…”
Why not put in the rest of the quote?
“He started all this making his inital decicsion to break the law.”
That was the only important choice to make. Bunch of whiners, go cry to mommy.
If I were you sk0t, I would comply with whatever they want, but then go to an internet cafe for an hour a day. Beating the system that way will make you feel better.
we all know the penalties..no use bitching about them after the fact
man up
Sk0t, get an old computer and throw windows on it, and then use ICS to use it as a gateway. Assuming their monitoring software isn’t absolute shit, it will see the packets going through the windows box.
If their monitoring software is shit, then perhaps offer them a deal while in court: You’ll keep pcap output from wireshark or something. If their monitoring software doesn’t actually monitor _network_ traffic, then they have issues.
Why not just use your linux box as you normally do sans internet surfing and file sharing. Then when you HAVE to use the internet for email or just your browsing pleasure you use their monitored connection. This would even allow you to keep using things like OpenOffice and just transfer it to the Win-Crap-os box when you need to send a document or the like. Its not an ideal situation and you wont be in one until the whole ordeal is over but it sure as hell beats using/buying all the programs you would need to use on the monitored machine.
Good luck fighting it though. Im rooting for you!
By the way i would NOT recommend any of the internet sharing that people have suggested. That just has going back to jail written all over it.
“Why should I conform to them when I am consenting to the software… they should have software that conforms to me.”
Another Linux user moaning because the world doesnt revolve around him and his choice of operating system. Ill keep that statement in mind if ever I get myself a felony and argue that their prison clothes goes against my sense of fashion.
[quote comment="151079"]Peerguardian? You expect someone to use torrents while being monitored by fascists?[/quote]
@NItrate Row - Peer Guardian can block advertisements and spyware. Quite useful on Windows don’t you think? Peer Guardian does not imply torrenting in any way, dumb ass.
Haha
OWNED SO HARD
USA is based on Freedom. Your government attacks other countries cause they are not as free as USA. Tell you what, this is another case which proves to the world that USA is not free, and it has no morals of FREEDOM. Pffft how ridiculous is USA government! They are torturing their people and telling the world they are free!
Get your neighbour to set up a wireless network and buy yourself a new laptop ;)
he mate, im on your side
but then your fighting the goverment an there so called laws,
there tryiny to make you stuff up big time so they can put you in jail.. saying for the win soft only was there way of baiting you
I myself have gotten into trouble an have a felliony as well due to the internet, but i agree i was stupid (i got caught), so i did what they said for 3yrs, moral of the story, put up with there shit cause it wont happen for too much longer mate.. (think of happy days, goverments getting bommed..lmao)
Flee to canada/mexico while you can!
Hey Government: Why don’t you go after FOX for not paying their taxes, THEN go after the little guy.
“Newscorp Investments had made £1.4 billion ($2.1 billion) in profits over the previous 11 years but had paid no net corporation tax. It further reported, after an examination of what was available of the accounts, that Newscorp would normally have expected to pay a corporate tax of approximately $350 million.”
On second thoughts you should Object on the grounds that Windows is patently insecure and that you could not in good concious use it and comply with the court order at the same time. Quote a few security experts on the availablity of exploits for Windows and point out that your status in the media and as a cyber criminal would make you a prime target for those exploits. It may also be advantageous to suggest that allowing you to have the monitoring software may reveal secret technology to 3rd partys, like hackers. And that such revalations would be outside of your control as you didn’t choose the O/S and therefore didn’t choose the vulnerabilities that came with it.
Boohoo. You got caught. Pay the consequences, and STFU.
wow, lots of cluelessness here. Allow me to explain. Reality here is defined by the justice system, not geeks. Any deviation from their directions results in instant jail, and new criminal charges, and more jail. Even if he complies, visiting one web site they don’t like = instant jail. The monitoring software is just an invitation to incriminate himself. To these people, ‘ubuntu’ is an illicit criminal tool - and they know a judge who will believe that.
Sk0t would be better off with no internet or computer use for now. If he finds a job, they will have less or no influence over the employers computers.
Could hve been worse, they could have banned him from going anywhere near a computer ala Gary McKinnon. Or would that be better? At least then there would be nothing to complain about. Fact is, unfortunately, he now has 2 felonys, one more and it will be bumsecs for life. Sell your crap and find something else to do with your time.
:D Know what’s awesome? This bullshit would -never- happen in my country!
Those of you who are complacently using Windows anyway in your everyday lives probably cannot begin to understand what a punishment it is in and of itself to be forced to use Windows.
Perhaps you could alert the judge to the fact that this additional burden ought to be compensated by reducing some other part of the sentence.
Seriously, it’s not about the money, it’s about the principle to be forced to sponsor Microsoft even though the free alternatives are superior in terms of flexibility and utility.
Either use internet connection sharing so it can monitor linux traffic, or do what I did and install coLinux which can boot a real linux partition as a windows service.
Cygwin’s X server then lets you login.
You have to freak the ubuntu startup slightly so it doesn’t startx or die when it can’t find a graphics card, so maybe boot into singleuser more first and start services 1 by 1 till you find what makes it stick.
To all those who are telling sk0t to put up and shut up, why the hell are you even on this site in the first place? You’re either grubby little leeches who don’t bother to help seed the torrents they download, or the world’s biggest hypocrites. We sympathize for sk0t because in a “normal” country, this wouldn’t even be a crime, let alone a felony. This would be the same as someone recording a movie via tape recorder, and taking it to a buddy’s house to watch it with a few friends, who also want copies of it. It would be nice for Canada to take sk0t, but not sure if he can even get in here considering he has a 2 felony criminal record attached to his name.
I can’t believe it. Here is what you do, install windows. Then if you need to go “off the record” for internet access (lol), use a cellphone, psp, OR THE WII, YES GET A WII. FULL NET ACCESS THEY CANT MONITOR AND ITS NOT A PC! I can’t believe nobody thought of that.
It sucks ass, i got in trouble also. Paramount Pic’s got my isp and shit. Said i was seeding Hot Rod. Uh No, i downloaded the avi about 45%, stopped the torrent, played in media player, and yes it was that fake bs about downloading a player thats really a virus. Damn morons, it was a STING OP lol.
Anyway, wtf good is a plea deal, the one i took for something related didnt, said i get probation, and i could get fines, jail, blah blah blah. So wtf is the point of the Deal?
Niceone yourahat. I second it!
“To all those who are telling sk0t to put up and shut up, why the hell are you even on this site in the first place? You’re either grubby little leeches who don’t bother to help seed the torrents they download, or the world’s biggest hypocrites. We sympathize for sk0t because in a “normal” country, this wouldn’t even be a crime, let alone a felony. This would be the same as someone recording a movie via tape recorder, and taking it to a buddy’s house to watch it with a few friends, who also want copies of it. It would be nice for Canada to take sk0t, but not sure if he can even get in here considering he has a 2 felony criminal record attached to his name.” - youreahat
just like some poor country, in usa there is no law…”big” bosses just make whatever they want and not caring about anyone else…so usa is no better then some afganistan or iraq…war and money rules…no law
(but as a little hope…bush is stepping down in less then 1½ year…maybe then innocent peoples stop dying…FFS just buy the oil, dont go to war for it!!!)
All you people giving him options on how to abide by his condition, while keeping ubuntu forgot oneof his issues. Out of principle or his budget, he stil would need to install windows. Maybe Mr Bill Gates will issue him a complimentary copy as a good gesture for leaving the linux community.. lol. anyways.. Im with you sk0t. By the way.. what is this software. Who makes it. And I wonder what else this mandatory software does.
That whole double jeopardy thing is an interesting concept though. May just work.
Im praying for you bud!!
[quote comment="151162"]:D Know what’s awesome? This bullshit would -never- happen in my country![/quote]
Tell him to leave the US after his Probation is up. TELL HIM TO LEAVE THE FU*KING USA.
This is a fake message.
Don’t believe this guy.
his fuck-up, his problem.
Wait, is this FOREVER? Or just until your probation is over?
I mean, for the rest of your life you can never ever use Linux again and you’ll always have to be monitored? How could they impose that at all? After a while, you will have paid your dept to society and done your time…therefore it should be over.
Also, since when did copyright violations equal jail time? I thought this was all a civil matter.
Well He Should Move to Russia or some other country that accomodates Hackers and pirates ,and Ditch the USA ,as he knows well that living within the USA will no longer be any good
Wow, some rabid readers here.
First he broke the law, that you all don’t like it is irrelevant.
He doesn’t have to comply, he can go back to jail, or as has been suggested, just give up the net for a while. I have a third idea… Why not offer to write a linux based version of the monitoring software. It helps you, or anyone else who might get in your position in the future.
Whine less, think outside the box. (god I hate that phrase). Be PROACTIVE. Your probation officer might even be impressed with your efforts, and good reports are important for early release.
The US Government can’t code for Linux?
Dear Skot. I have read a lot of suggestions on installing the spyware under vmware or wine in Linux. However, as you state this kind of legal shit is not to be played with (guy, it is your life, fuck what all of us say).
However I could recommend you to do following. Install Windows, install nothing but the spyware over there. Then just install VMWARE (the player or the server, which is free too). You can then install Ubuntu on the virtual machine. All the traffic will still be passing through the Windows spyware, and you will be able to use your Linux system with all the apps.
That is the way I have Linux at home, with VMWARE server + xming+putty+Ubuntu, I can run whatever Linux app (I personally use Kile a lot) and still have Windows running.
Are they going to offer him the Windows license?
:x
[quote]@NItrate Row - Peer Guardian can block advertisements and spyware. Quite useful on Windows don’t you think? Peer Guardian does not imply torrenting in any way, dumb ass.[/quote]
Peerguardian is mainly used for P2P.
Odd how you insult people over the internet for something as frivolous as this :)
Anyway, move to a country that doesn’t hate freedom as much as America (which happens to be many countries in the world).
hey sk0t, I’ve got an idea. go ahead, do it their way. get the windows, install the software, make it a router and use linux or whatever. Then encrypt all of your traffic. Just make sure that it’s all useless traffic. You know, maybe make a program that sends an email to the Justice Department regarding your unfair treatment. Send it ever hour on the hour. Encrypt all traffic, then when they tell you to stop, tell them you’ll happily supply the passphrase, then change the encryption type/passphrase. Do this every single day. Your situation sucks, don’t bitch about it, have some fun with it. Make the tax payers pay for it. The money is being wasted one way or another, might as well play with it yourself somehow.
Not that I condone any of the activities that led to your unfortunate circumstances, but hey, grow some ballz. Got screwed, guess what, gonna stay that way, might as well spit in their eye while they’re doing it.
[quote comment="151297"]Peerguardian is mainly used for P2P.[/quote]
Care to quote sources? Out of the box, PG can block 5 different lists: Spyware, Advertisements, Government, Educational and P2P addresses.
[quote comment="151297"]Odd how you insult people over the internet for something as frivolous as this :)[/quote]
Odd how you insult those monitoring internet activity by labeling them “fascists”. It’s their job. If you want someone to blame, maybe the judge, legal system or probation officer is a better place to direct your teenage angst?
Can you not open an SSH connection from your Forced windows machine to a server owned by you, or a friend on the internet?
I’m not sure if SSH2 has been cracked, or how easy it is to sniff, but better than nothing.
(oh, don’t forget that in firefox you need to go into about:config and set network.proxy.socks_remote_dns to true to stop DNS leakage.
[quote]Care to quote sources? Out of the box, PG can block 5 different lists: Spyware, Advertisements, Government, Educational and P2P addresses.[/quote]
http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/
“PeerGuardian 2 is Phoenix Labs’ premier IP blocker for Windows. PeerGuardian 2 integrates support for multiple lists, list editing, automatic updates, and blocking all of IPv4 (TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc), making it the safest and easiest way to protect your privacy on P2P.”
“Phoenix Labs and the PeerGuardian team do not condone copyright infringement. There are many legal uses of P2P and we are sick of being treated like criminals! We want to keep organizations and individuals from collecting data about us without our consent.”
[quote]Odd how you insult those monitoring internet activity by labeling them “fascists”. It’s their job.[/quote]
Monitored by fascists / Monitored by the government.
I wasn’t talking about the individuals doing the actual monitoring, but what they are doing is still bad.
Just saying “it’s their job” isn’t an excuse to do it.
Spend the time going to university. Don’t play their game. Better yourself in the 5 years they have you under their thumb.
[quote comment="151287"]The US Government can’t code for Linux?[/quote]
It aint that. Bill Gates probably gave a nice donation to the state’s senate or something..
a few years from now “The Microsoft Supreme Court”
those mother fuckers! that would piss me off so bad if they were looking over my shoulder like that… i would find a way to get around that though..
Now that I think about it… and keep in mind I support this guy, and Im on his side… but he is lucky he isnt banned from using electronics, or computers all together for a couple years. It could have been worse.. Thank god for the internet almost being refered to as a nessesity for life like water and hydro.
So governed internet is better than no internet at all. If he looks up porn he should just look up ugly/fat chicks just to bug the monitoring people
I’m quite amazed that the US Government doesn’t have the resources to hire a programmer to create a spyware program to monitor Linux based Operating Systems. I mean, they’ve invaded our privacy and reduced our civil liberties in most other ways I can think of, why not add one more to the growing list.
Somebody needs to develop some Linux open-source net monitoring software… :P
I feel for you sk0t, but I doubt the government cares that you can’t use Linux. =( It might be a hopeless fight but hang in there.
My answer would be “fine then, I will have no Internet connection for X long” followed by “then you can put me back in jail because I WILL NOT use M$ bugware” if they still insist.
(Also, this sort of possibility is a reason that all my computers after this one will be likely be non-x86.
Something nice about having hardware that, put simply, CANNOT run Wincrash. :) )
sk0t if u need a new hard drive and WIndows OS I’m willing to help if the fight doesn’t go well.
Don’t give in you pussy.
[quote]Thank god for the internet almost being refered to as a nessesity for life like water and hydro.[/quote]
?!?
Water is hydro :P
My god, what an insane sentence for downloading a movie. Scott, you’re like a dog on a fucking leash because you ‘let your friends sneak into the drive-in movie theater’! Agreed, you must have had about a million friends, but still no reason to treat you like a criminal.
If the government can now also let you pay for things they force upon you, well… You are en route towards a fascist state. Basically, there is no more control over your money, because the state can order where it should go.
You know, people get killed. In your country they sell firearms openly in the store for God’s sake! Let the Justice Departement go after some real threats.
Oh wait, I forgot, we are the real threat…
[quote comment="151365"]I’m quite amazed that the US Government doesn’t have the resources to hire a programmer to create a spyware program to monitor Linux based Operating Systems. I mean, they’ve invaded our privacy and reduced our civil liberties in most other ways I can think of, why not add one more to the growing list.[/quote]
Maybe this only shows that they haven’t figured out Linus yet.
Hmm… Now that’s a nice thought.
*Switches to Linux*
If I were you, I’d just spend the time in jail and get the free food/housing on the taxpayers’ dime.
Seems to me that the politicians in USA have forgotten the three legal principles of proportion, legality and equality.
This punishment would be illegal in Denmark (§77 in the Danish Constitution). And the punishment is out of proportion. Completely out of proportion. Too bad the left and the right in USA have managed to undermine the US Constitution - and completely disregard the Human Rights.
Let’s see.. at this point I’d probably try and leave the United States. Sweden!
Welcome to Amerika
It’s called Fascism.
Scott must have had an idiot for a lawyer, “ABA”. Have all of you here got your national ID card yet?
No Sympathy For The Ignorant.
http://www.infowars.com/
wasnt there somebody recently who got windows to boot from a usb-key? but then again, that software might be copyright infringment as well.
oh well…
Keep fighting Sk0t, and thank you for putting yourself at risk for other peoples pleasure and benefit!
What all you haters seem to forget is that this man did something that is getting very rare nowadays, doing something for others (sharing a movie) without any personal gain + a lot of risk!
YOu get all this freeshit from ELITE TORRENTS and bitch because you have to spend 200 bucks for windows xp.. You need a reality check.. THe governement didnt screw you, you screwed the government and now your just have to do your time and instead of bitching about it.
[quote comment="150939"]Alan you are a dick. You probably work for the MPAA nazis.
sk0t you should set something up where you can accept donations. I would send you some money to help you through the hard times.
A lot of people sympathise with you because they know you are not a criminal and that millions of other people are just as “guilty” as you.
You have been made into a martyr for the cause of freedom. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got fucked by the corporate greed machine.
Fuck the system and fuck the MPAA nazis. Long live freedom.[/quote]
I agree, we should start fighting these guys one way or the other.
These kinda stuff kan only happen in US. In the name of law f**k everyone.
eh “shawners” r u a police dog!
[quote]THe governement didnt screw you, you screwed the government and now your just have to do your time and instead of bitching about it.[/quote]
He didn’t harm anyone. He just shared a digital file to people over the internet.
You’re a F’N MORON!!!
While it is true that probation is optional (don’t like it, go back to jail). It is also true that they can’t make arbitrary demands for probation. “You can have probation if you hop around on one foot 3 hours a day” doesn’t work. So the question is, is forcing MS Windows use, reasonable or not? Some judge that doesn’t know that the internet explorer icon on his gateway computer isn’t what the internet is, will decide that. Sk0t is so screwed. Say hello to clippy for me.
This reminds me of A Clockwork Orange when Alex can no longer listen to Beethoven’s ninth.
Can someone not get a legal copy of the software and figure out a way to get this to work for sk0t?
[quote comment="151512"]This reminds me of A Clockwork Orange when Alex can no longer listen to Beethoven’s ninth.
Can someone not get a legal copy of the software and figure out a way to get this to work for sk0t?[/quote]
Edit: I meant get this to work under wine for sk0t.
Knoppix. The government apparently is not too bright (ok, really not bright). The family entertainment and copyright act makes me look like a crimminal too, because I use bittorrent to get linux (full versions), and related software, plus movies created under the cc license. OH NO! He’s downloading movies via bittorrent, CRIMMINAL! They will all shout, even though the license allows it all legally, and the original owners wanted and intended it to be distributed this way (went out of their way to distribute this way too).
at least they arent making you use an apple…
Well, sk0t, lemme get you set on the right foot with Windows. nLite. It’s required with any Windows installation. Never let plain Windows touch your computer. Best of all, it’s legal to use. ;)
Hopefully you’ll learn to ninja Windows the same as you can probably already ninja Linsux. Except Windows doesn’t suck, and has many millions more users. ;)
Fuck Vista.
http://nliteos.com
[quote comment="151448"]YOu get all this freeshit from ELITE TORRENTS and bitch because you have to spend 200 bucks for windows xp.. You need a reality check.. THe governement didnt screw you, you screwed the government and now your just have to do your time and instead of bitching about it.[/quote]
Hey shawners you’re a F’N moron and he didnt screw the Government they screwed him instead dumb ass!!! Hey sk0t fuck the US government!!! The only way they will take my computers is over my DEAD F’N body. If they want to stop me they will have to KILL me otherwise I won’t be stopped from using the internet and torrents and usenet. Also I am well armed and an expert shot as well. Im not afraid of the F’N PIGS if they want some then I say come get some!!! I’m well prepared with 3000 rounds of teflon coated hollow point armor piercing 9mm rounds and then the PIGS will have a bloodbath on their hands for what sharing some F’N video files over the internet? F-CK THE MPAA, RIAA, BSA, FBI, CIA, US GOVERNMENT, ETC. Face reality file sharing will never, ever be stopped no matter how much they would like to think they can stop it because Information is POWER and the sooner they realize that fact and figure out they will never stop ThePirateBay.org or the usenet as much as they would like to do so. The Pirate Bay in case you people forgot gave Hollywood the middle finger 2 days after they were taken down and the MPAA and RIAA can F-CK off forever as far as Im concerned!!!
Stop using a computer and read alot for the next five months.
[quote comment="150808"]I AM NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION THAT ISNT MONITORED. Which means I cant be on the computer unless I use windows… so partitioning a useless drive for 2 years is worthless.[/quote]
Did the insanity of using a software-based solution on the PC to be monitored evade them? Wouldn’t it make more sense to preserve the freedom to choose to avoid proprietary software altogether, and use a monitoring device at the connection’s entry-point into the residence? Or monitor the connection from the vantage point of the ISP (and make *damn* sure that it’s limited to just the involved party)?
This wreaks of injustice to me.
[quote comment="150815"]The point is, he doesn’t have money to pay for $100-$500 dollars worth of Microsoft software just so some cops can put their crappy VB.NET monitoring software on his computer. Unless the Justice Dept. buys him this software so that their software would work, he should not be subjugated to changing his primary operating system and selling his organs to do so. This is serious, if they want to, they can throw him back in jail for refusing a court order/probation terms. There needs to be a compromise somewhere…[/quote]
Except that if the government buys yet another license of Windows for this purpose, then *we* have to pay for it. That’s not a desirable solution, either. I abhor paying for the licenses of Windows that I pay for every year on April 15 as it is.
F-CK BUSH. HE IS NOTHING MORE THEN PRESIDENT ADOLF “COCKSUCKER” HITLER!!! And if you dont like that fact tough titty said the F’N kitty and the milk is still shitty!!!
So… This seems pretty easy to me…
Don’t break the law, moron.
If I get a DUI, and later I want to drive, I have to buy special expensive insurance. Same type of deal here. You have a choice, you just don’t like it.
This guy wasn’t a casual file sharer, his actions were tantamount to grand theft.
Stop complaining.
Why don’t you start a blog? You need a job anyways… obviously, by the string of comments on this bulletin board, plenty of people are interested. You could keep them reading for months. Publish your story. It’s an important one.
Also, videoman413 had a decent idea: make linux monitoring software yourself!
Whatever you decide to do (or not do), good luck!
Can you run the software under WINE?:)
Do you have any open wireless APs in your area? If so, get a decent antenna and a amplifier and connect to one of these APs for your internet connection.
But, of course, that requires some spare money to get the equipment.
IF the American Government and the US military is as great as they claim to be then why havent they captured Osama Bin Laden yet? I’ll tell you why cause he has more brains in his pinky finger then President Cocksucker and the US Military has because IF they can’t catch Osama Bin Laden after 5 years or more then they are FAILURES at what they get paid to do and are wasting the taxpayers money. Im not being Unamerican I’m simply stating the TRUE facts whether the US Government, the news media who is CENSORED in the USA, or you republican supporting assclowns are willing to admit it or not.
maybe the justice dept could provide SK0T with a confiscated pirated windoze for free:-)
or the OLPC project could donate a laptop he could use in any hotspot.
call it One Laptop Per ‘Criminal’ as the MPAA likes to depict sharing citizens as criminals.
America, the land of the Brave and the Free, I suppose? Thanx, but no thanx.
Anyway, almost everybody on the planet has access to the star wars 3 movie by now. so why punish only the one who published it, and not the rest who watches it. plain hypocrisy imho.
He is a criminal. I’ve got no problem with ripping your CD’s or DVD’s for personal use but uploading the film before theatrical release? Yeah, that’s criminal.[/quote]
No, what Lucas did to a perfectly good movie is the REAL crime, here.
I don’t like the MPAA/RIAA, but sk0t did release something _before_ it even hit the theaters.
If I paid for a list of computer parts from an online store and had those parts get stolen as they were en route to my house, I’d be furious and would want those responsible to have an appropriate punishment.
sk0t if you are reading this, don’t make a big deal out of it (any more so than you’ve done already) so as to lessen the suspicion that you are just a trouble maker, then after you’ve served your time, see if you can skip on over to Sweden.
Best regards.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
You got fucking owned.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
*snort*
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahaha
hah
hahaha
*sniff*
Oh man, you got owned.
The Jews has controlled Hollywood, **AA, Democrats and Republicans, financial and IT industry, law enforcement, and many other industries etc.
Your only way is to utilize the second amendment of the constitution, which give you some rights to take over Washington D.C. and declare presidency, or move to China immediately.
HEIL HITLER
So it says he HAS to run that software, not on what OS. So he should try it in WINE and go on with his life.
Really, shouldn’t the gov better monitor his IP? rather than having him install the software on his pc? it’s like keeping the key of the cell inside it and tell him not to use it.
Can they provide you with the software installed on a windows “server” acting as a router of sorts? Then you could use that machine as a router for any device “behind” it.
What else is new about the USA government? As they say “follow the money”
Install VMWarer Player and a GNU/Linux image with non-persistent writes. Then use SSH2 to tunnel a socks proxy connection.
“relatively unemployable with the 2 felonies that they gave me”
sorry, but you earned it. they didn’t just grab you off the street and give it to you. yes, alot of people are guilty of the same thing, but that doesn’t make it any less illegal.
I think preventing Mr. Sk0t from using Ubuntu sends a really bad message. A standard Ubuntu installation, no matter how much software is installed, has no pirated software. The fact that he’s using it means he’s on the right path (away from using cracked copies of Windows and the pir4ted gam3z that run on it); this would be like a parole officer telling a recovering alcoholic to drink a glass of beer every day after dinner, or a rapist that he needs to keep up a subscription to Hustler and Penthouse.
Even if some particular monitoring-program won’t work, it’s quite possible to monitor a Ubuntu installation. The parole officer just needs to set a root password, turn off sudo, turn on process accounting and set the append-only attribute on a few log files.
I feel for this guy I really do, but all you hacker wannabe’s yes you can part the HDD, but if caught he will be banned from his PC and possibly go back to jail.
would you want to go back to jail?
back up your movies don’t share them, lend them…….
Hi Scott,
ever considered emigrating to a free country? One where the government is not a corporate franchise, and the judicial system not mere corporate hitmen? One with a better standard of living and much better life expectancy than your current human rights backwater?
There is intelligent life outside the bible belt, especially in countries where your court sentences would not be in the way of gaining employment adequate to your level of skills - where in fact this obscene parody of justice never would have happened. Check out the Netherlands, Denmark etc.
[quote comment="151517"][quote comment="151448"]YOu get all this freeshit from ELITE TORRENTS and bitch because you have to spend 200 bucks for windows xp.. You need a reality check.. THe governement didnt screw you, you screwed the government and now your just have to do your time and instead of bitching about it.[/quote]
Hey shawners you’re a F’N moron and he didnt screw the Government they screwed him instead dumb ass!!! Hey sk0t fuck the US government!!! The only way they will take my computers is over my DEAD F’N body. If they want to stop me they will have to KILL me otherwise I won’t be stopped from using the internet and torrents and usenet. Also I am well armed and an expert shot as well. Im not afraid of the F’N PIGS if they want some then I say come get some!!! I’m well prepared with 3000 rounds of teflon coated hollow point armor piercing 9mm rounds and then the PIGS will have a bloodbath on their hands for what sharing some F’N video files over the internet? F-CK THE MPAA, RIAA, BSA, FBI, CIA, US GOVERNMENT, ETC. Face reality file sharing will never, ever be stopped no matter how much they would like to think they can stop it because Information is POWER and the sooner they realize that fact and figure out they will never stop ThePirateBay.org or the usenet as much as they would like to do so. The Pirate Bay in case you people forgot gave Hollywood the middle finger 2 days after they were taken down and the MPAA and RIAA can F-CK off forever as far as Im concerned!!![/quote]
Holly Crap this 110ilb NERD has played way to many FPS’s theft is theft. and if you can sit there and claim to go Waco over a ripped copy of your favorite porn. then you have bigger problems than the government
[quote]If I paid for a list of computer parts from an online store and had those parts get stolen as they were en route to my house, I’d be furious and would want those responsible to have an appropriate punishment.
[/quote]
Bad analogy because he didn’t steal anything.
Dude guys… I use both, Windows stinks, and so does Linux.
Both has issues, and always will have issues. It’s comparing apple and apple.
sk0t, live with it. Or move out of USA. There are no real fair law, just at best, “Almost” fair.
I do believe I would go the “no internet access” route, plus sic your lawyer on them as you are.
1) All you guys saying “just use Windows” aren’t getting the point. It’s PAINFUL to use WIndows at all after having used Ubuntu for long. I use gentoo, and Windows is crap compared to that. Ubuntu is even better (I just haven’t wanted to do the ol’ backup and reinstall yet on my personal systems.) Compared to Windows it’s faster, needs less RAM to operate, easier to use, more secure, among other advantages. The update is slick like “Windows update”, except it updates all apps instead of just supposed OS components like Windows update.
2) Security! Using a Windows PC risks probation. It’s easy to get (additional..) spyware and virii under Windows, which could easily do probation-breaking activities. Plus, if sk0t is required to ALREADY install spyware on his machine, he clearly won’t be able to install good antispyware software since it would detect and remove the government-mandated spyware.
3) What about a separate box? As a side note, running a Windows VM UNDER Linux wouldn’t work, the VM can be bypassed easily without the VM knowing. But, yes, if traffic monitoring is the goal, why is the gov’t wanting to put on tameperable spyware ON the computer, instead of a tamper-resistant, tamper-evident external box between him and the internet connection? He can run Linux, the gov’t can know he’s not generating naughty traffic.
4) Again, sk0t is right, being expected to buy software from a convicted monopolist is unconscionable. I liked the analogy of someone having to install an in-car breathylizer, but being told “Nope, we only install it in Chevys.. .you must dump your (awesome car of choice) and purchase a Chevy.” Again, if the choice is no internet or purchasing windows, I’d go for no ‘net. It’s only 5 months.
1) install vmware/virtualbox/qemu or w.e in ubuntu, install window$ in there and run it full screen to fool them since they wouldnt figure it out
2) tell them to tell his isp to monitor the traffic, that way all his computers would be monitored
3) refuse to use the internet, buy a wifi adapter and steal from neighbours
4) get out of the damn country
:)
Guys, this is not about whether Sk0t deserves this or not, its about the ‘extra’ punishment he’s getting for being a linux user. Sk0t is complying with the rules, served his time etc etc. If you were caught speeding and given a fine, well that’s how it goes. If you had to pay that fine in person to a place 5 states away because the government hadn’t got the facilities anywhere near you however, that would seem a little unfair. People next to it have far less of a punishment then you.
Sk0t is being forced to use a different OS that costs more, works differently and will have quite an impact on his life, any other offenders who happen to use windows already will not suffer from this, so he is being unfairly penalised.
Sk0t good luck if you chose to fight it. Its a silly situation, and one that really shouldn’t exist. My best suggestion is to offer to make a version of the monitoring software for Linux (if your skills extend in that area). If not, would you be allowed a Linux computer that’s not connected to the internet? Might suck but it’d be something.
Sk0t:
I’d be quite tempted myself to just say, “disconnect me” than have to suffer the indignity of using Microsoft products.
Best of luck.
To you losers blaming Bush for sk0t’s fate: joke’s on you, Bill Clinton signed all these new stupid craptastic copyright laws, so put the blame on ol’ Slick Willie and stop knocking out your own teeth with the knee jerk reaction.
i second the people who say that this is much better than it could be. however, in the interests of thinking people should be able to compute the way they choose….can’t they run the internet connection through a windows box, which has the software? and the linux box only goes through that to get to the net? they could log each and every packet (or at least the headers), regardless of what os is being used. just a thought.
Such a non-story. The guy could build and install a Windows gateway running the monitoring software in less than 2 hours and be done with it. Instead, he’s drawing this out so that you random fanboi types keep feeding him your sympathy. For the love of Pete, knock it off. You look like idiots.
sk0t, stop being a baby and deal. You got off easier than most, and you still have it better than a lot of people who haven’t committed any crimes whatsoever.
[quote comment="151530"]Do you have any open wireless APs in your area? If so, get a decent antenna and a amplifier and connect to one of these APs for your internet connection.
But, of course, that requires some spare money to get the equipment.[/quote]
It’s also theft of service, which is … drumroll… A FELONY! Yay! He already has two strikes - a third will land him in FPMITA prison, which I don’t think is desirable.
I don’t know the software concerned, but I’d imagine it’d monitor not just network data but also be a keylogger. If that’s the case, there should be no problem with using Ubuntu inside VMWare - provided those reviewing the logs aren’t complete arsehats out for technicalities to screw him on, which means that in practice the safest way forward is to bend over and do exactly what they want him to do and thank them for the privilege, because you can guarantee they’ll be looking for the slightest reason to come down on him like a tonne of bricks. The smart thing is to not give them an excuse.
OK, let me get this straight - he obtains and uploads a copy of a major motion picture 5 days before it’s in theaters for everyone to download. What part of that doesn’t sound like he’s breaking the law? Get real, guys - he stepped over the line.
I’m all against the MPAA, RIAA, DRM and all that BS, (see my blog at http://www.themonsterjam.com!) but there’s a HUGE difference between copying a song or movie for personal use and sharing a major motion picture release with the rest of the internet! I’m sorry, but I’m with the courts on this one.
We’re asking the copyright nazis to be reasonable, I think they should expect the same from us, and what he did is not reasonable. This is a prime example of why the RIAA has been on a lawsuit spree for the last 5 years.
With that said, it’s a sad, sad thing to have to use Windows (I’m a hardcore Mac user - can’t STAND windows!) and I agree that he shouldn’t have to change OS’s to run their monitoring software - if they’re going to impose it, they should provide a version for the OS he’s on. Not doing so infringes on our rights to choose, that’s the core issue that he’s fighting on, and with good reason. It’s not a matter of “oh, poor guy has to run windows” but a matter of the government setting a precedent that takes away our freedom of personal choice.
I agree with many here that there needs to be a compromise. If they’re packet sniffing, the software could be installed on a seperate win box acting as a gateway. Surely they could find an old govn’t surplus computer capable of running windows and their software…