Big-O Software

According to an article on MSNBC, a bill introduced in the Senate gives the FBI power to police file sharing. As if the FBI didn't have their own messes to clean up such as the handling of pre-911 intelligence, FBI agents turned spy (Robert Hanssen), the Los Alamos lab debacle, double agent Mrs. Katrina Leung, need I say more?"

Read the full article here: http://www.msnbc.com/news/929428.asp?0cv=TB10

Hmm.. that's really gay.

But how would they be able to police file share?? it just doesn't really make sense. How could they monitor what we are trading?

That shouldn't be legal. We as americans have certain privacy rights... just as they are supposed to have a warrant to bug a phone line... same principal IMO.

And plus, it's impossible to monitor decentralized file-sharing simply due to the fact that it's decentralized.




What's next? Having the Internet run through a major transit hub like it did in Deus Ex? (You know what I mean, right Ken?)

central hub lol... I'd like to have internet access at the central terminal

DADINK13 wrote:And plus, it's impossible to monitor decentralized file-sharing simply due to the fact that it's decentralized.

What's next? Having the Internet run through a major transit hub like it did in Deus Ex? (You know what I mean, right Ken?)

exactly my point as well. Peer 2 Peer. Meaning you don't connect through a central server... it would be kind of hard to monitor.

And yes I do know what you mean.. that game was crazy. I may start up a new game. For old times sake!

It would actually be a simple principle to monitor file sharing. One could infect mp3s with a 'virus' so that when executed, it reports you to the FBI AND it infects all other mp3s on your HD with the same 'virus'. This would propagate very fast.

However... There would be so many programs to stop this virus it wouldn't be funny... People that have to do with K-Lite is a prime example.

And lets not also forget commercial anti-virus software. I've had NAV Pro catch things downloaded from KaZaA as soon as the file completed downloading. Nothing can and will get passed it.

Master Jedi wrote:It would actually be a simple principle to monitor file sharing. One could infect mp3s with a 'virus' so that when executed, it reports you to the FBI AND it infects all other mp3s on your HD with the same 'virus'. This would propagate very fast.

What you talk of is actually being proposed by the RIAA and the DMCA.
It would allow the Recording Industry and Artists to litterally attack your computer if they catch you downloading their music. How they attack is another matter.

Some article I read stated that as Master Jedi said, infected Mp3s that would render your computer useless, forcing you to format the harddrive.

Another way would be to contact you twice, asking you to stop.. if you don't the 3rd time they have a legal right to attack your computer through some other undisclosed method.

This is all craziness if you ask me. It's going to far..

... I didn't know MP3s could actually contain a virus though... And if they could then everyone would quickly move to something that can't...

PhaseDMA wrote:... I didn't know MP3s could actually contain a virus though... And if they could then everyone would quickly move to something that can't...

What the heck are you talking about? ANY file of any kind can be infected by a virus.

One reason I dont use K-lite as much as I do is because of a) virus and b) wrong files. Instead, I use emule which may take longer to download, but you can be sure you are getting the file you are downloading and also be sure its not a virus (well, you cant be COMPLETELY sure of either of those, but its a much MUCH less probablilty than k-lite)

jester22c wrote:

PhaseDMA wrote:... I didn't know MP3s could actually contain a virus though... And if they could then everyone would quickly move to something that can't...

What the heck are you talking about? ANY file of any kind can be infected by a virus.

I thought only files that could be excuted could... Like exe bas and scr.

PhaseDMA wrote:I thought only files that could be excuted could... Like exe bas and scr.

When a file is opened by a program it is executed. Viruses often do nothing until their host file is accessed.

A virus doesn't even necessarily need a host file if it is in a stream of processed data such as an email. Viruses can be written right into the email code itself so that it is launched when your email client processes the message.

I know for a fact that MP3s CAN contain virii. I got the LoveBug virus from Morpheus P2P program about 2 years ago.
I didn't know it until I started playing the infected song(s) that I downloaded.

And it's a nasty little booger too. It started renaming all the file exstensions little by little to .VBS on ALL my MP3s, JPGs, GIFs, and DLLs, EXEs.
Changed the Properties of the files.. some became hidden, (I have Show hidden files turned on). Some became marked as a system file so I couldn't delete them. It was a real pain in the ass.

I just formatted to get rid of it.