On Jan 17, 2008 4:19 AM, Ryan Prior <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks for the reply, > > On Jan 16, 2008 7:27 PM, Elizabeth Stark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > That does indeed sound frustrating. Have you considered arguing that the > > free software BT clients don't contain spyware, and that users can directly > > audit the code to confirm this? > > > I may write something for a university circular or news publication about > BitTorrent and the reality of legal file sharing, but I have not considered > in depth what I will write and whether I will push a free-software slant. > The BitTorrent client named by the tech I talked to as an example of one > containing spyware was uTorrent, which is not open-source to my knowledge > but is very popular and renowned for its small memory footprint, but I have > heard reports that some versions of uTorrent do indeed contain spyware. >
The original bit torrent client software by Bram Cohen and Azureus are both examlpes of free software clients that you should consider using. Also consider switching to Linux -- no spyware or reason to pirate software on that platform. > > > Of course it's possible that you could download something containing > > spyware with a BT client, but that is really no different than anywhere else > > on the internet. > > > I asked if that was the intended message, and the response I got was > "While it's possible to download spyware using BitTorrent, the client itself > is also spyware." > > > > > > > > What are they threatening to do if you refuse to stop or at least reduce > > your BT usage? > > > I have heard no threats related to BitTorrent use. As far as I can tell, > they are simply strongly discouraging it and making BitTorrent users > uncomfortable with harassing emails. There is a policy for suspected > copyright infringement, but since the university claims that it does not > look at the content of the files being downloaded, it would seem that the > copyright infringement bit would only be triggered by a complaint of such, > not simply by a flag sent up by the network hub. It would seem that they > determine whether you are using BitTorrent by watching which IPs you connect > to, how much traffic you send and receive, and perhaps the signature packet > handshake used by the BitTorrent protocol. I have not confirmed any of that, > but the emails I got complained about how many IPs I was connecting to and > how much bandwidth I was using, saying that my patterns of use are > consistent with those of "illegal file sharing". > > Thanks for the idea about suggesting free software clients. If the > resident computer administrators are truly concerned about spyware, I think > they should encourage users to use BitTorrent clients that do not contain > spyware rather than warning that BitTorrent clients in general contain > spyware. > I think you should consider opening up a dialog with them and trying to discourage them from using fear, uncertainty and doubt to discourage a perfectly legitimate tool. If things get bad you can consider offering them a compromise -- throttling your own bandwidth using the built in scheduler in the client. If you say something like "I'll keep it under 500kbps down and 100kpbs up" they might be happier about you using your network resources. Situations like this are tough because universities essentially function as your ISP but with stricter and less clear terms of use. Another thing to consider if they start getting really aggressive is writing an Op-Ed column for your newspaper. They'll most likely be very happy about a new voice talking about an issue that is becoming more and more relevant to students -- and it'll put you in a good position to properly craft the dialog: Allowing BitTorrent transfers is crucial to preserving network neutrality on campus, and despite its legitimate uses, BT is an effective and useful tool for students. At the end of the OpEd you can recruit for a Free Culture chapter! Chances are there will be a number of other people who received similar e-mails and feel the same way you do. You should see this as an opportunity to get active! Good luck, Fred
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