Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Mega Strange

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  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    The example I used earlier was one of Louis CK’s specials – a DRM-free video file that I’d paid for and downloaded. I could store that on Mega (or Dropbox, or Google Drive) entirely legally – as far as I can tell.

    Yeah? I’m not sure it is legal. Making a copy is making a copy. The latest (2009) law allows for some specific format shifting, but general copying, even for backup? Been a while since I actually read the legislation, but I wouldn't assume that's covered…

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Brown, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Neo-fascist.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2013 • 137 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve, in reply to Russell Brown,

    This seems to be his best evidence for that:
    https://twitter.com/samelworthy/status/393467230882525184

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Yeah? I’m not sure it is legal. Making a copy is making a copy. The latest (2009) law allows for some specific format shifting, but general copying, even for backup? Been a while since I actually read the legislation, but I wouldn’t assume that’s covered…

    Nah, Dylan’s in the clear on that one:

    Are there any restrictions on what I can do with copies of shows?

    We only ask that you do not redistribute or sell the material. Once you download a show, it's yours to keep forever, and yours to use for any reasonable personal use.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    This seems to be his best evidence for that:
    https://twitter.com/samelworthy/status/393467230882525184

    Ah – not Google, then: FilesTube.

    But I still couldn’t replicate that search, even when I narrowed it down to Mega files only. The first few pages of a general search for ebook on Mega were fairly obscure results – an .rar containing a few dozen crappy, actually-free ebooks, some Polish-translation comics, etc. No Luminaries, no Lee Child.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • kiwicmc, in reply to Russell Brown,

    If you search filestube.com for "lee child free download" as per the twitter image, the first page that comes back has 7 links to mega.co.nz. Top two links point to 4shared.com. No links for "eleanor catton free download" though...

    Auckland, New Zealand • Since May 2008 • 88 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Ah – not Google, then: FilesTube.

    Maybe he equates the Internet with Google. There are people who do, you know.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    The whole issue is a red herring anyway. I can get all Lorde's music for free. Despite this she's #1 selling across the globe.

    I'm sorry but charging "only" $20 bucks for an ebook doesn't cut it. Whilst I continue to pay exorbitant prices for real books which I value I won't do that for electrons. So it's hard copy or Project Gutenberg for me, but others recognise a rip-off when they see one and act accordingly.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to kiwicmc,

    If you search filestube.com for “lee child free download” as per the twitter image, the first page that comes back has 7 links to mega.co.nz. Top two links point to 4shared.com. No links for “eleanor catton free download” though…

    Right you are – oddly, I thought that’s what I’d done.

    Tried six links. They all resulted in this message on the Mega site:

    The file you are trying to download is no longer available.
    This could be due to the following reasons:
    The file has been removed because of a ToS/AUP violation.
    Invalid URL – the link you are trying to access does not exist
    The file has been deleted by the user.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Man, that Kim Dotcom really is running a shitty pirate site. I went to mega.co.nz and there wasn't even a search box... How am I supposed to download all my favourite books now?

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • kiwicmc, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Link to 4shared.com works I note... Some fairly NSFW ads popping up on filestubes ...

    Auckland, New Zealand • Since May 2008 • 88 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    Mega is the internet's #1 source of Seven Sharp torrents. Every episode*. Zero downloads**. (* I'm guessing this first part. ** Confident about this.)

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Cat Weasel, in reply to Cam Slater,

    Curses, unmasked again.

    It might pay to dial back the persecution complex somewhat and wait till demands are issued before refusing them. It’s a bit of a give away otherwise.

    But then the problem with most bullies is they tend to make the mistake of picking on people for being cleverer than they are.

    Since Oct 2013 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve,

    So based on what we've seen from those decrying MEGA, they expect MEGA to pro-actively go out, somehow search for all copyright works that may exist, find any links for those works that are hosted on MEGA and remove them...

    Is that what is required?

    This requires that staff of MEGA know the copyright status of every creative work in existence, spend all their time searching for all instances of all those creative works, then remove the works...

    Why do we not expect this of YouTube? After all, The Nation's producers didn't raise the issue of their show being uploaded to YouTube by people other than themselves.

    Once again - the notion that MEGA profits from piracy seems laughable.. When you can get 50GB of storage simply by having an email address, why would any self-respecting pirate pay for the service to get more? MEGA's revenue from downloads hosted by those free accounts? $0 as far as I can see.

    The whole argument is different for MegaUpload of course, it was a very different business model. It hosted ads on download pages, encouraged downloaders to sign up for premium accounts to get faster access and more... MegaUpload gained financially from popular downloads (regardless of the content). They were operating in a legal grey area by responding to legal notices as required, but the US DoJ seems to think that grey was a little black... Maybe so. Regardless, MEGA is not a clone of MegaUpload.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    o based on what we’ve seen from those decrying MEGA, they expect MEGA to pro-actively go out, somehow search for all copyright works that may exist, find any links for those works that are hosted on MEGA and remove them…

    Is that what is required?

    You are letting logic get in the way of the OUTRAGE you are expected to feel coz something something kiwi something something booker something online something pirate something MEGA something Kim.

    Get with the programme.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    I went to mega.co.nz and there wasn’t even a search box

    A new PAS tshirt?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Martin Brown,

    Attachment

    Neo-fascist.

    In answer to the attached pic: no, it won’t be this obvious.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew C, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    The link from Fisher later in that twitter dialog was interesting too

    https://twitter.com/DFisherJourno/status/393480379518038016/photo/1

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 169 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve,

    If anyone is still interested in this - here is our Discourse Episode with Vikram, recorded on Tuesday. The first 30 minutes, roughly, are spend on this issue and associated things...

    http://www.discourse.co.nz/2013/10/episode-4-32-mega-controversy/

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to binary.heart,

    [Whaleoil is] “Jerry Springer meets Fox News” – Actually that’s pretty unfair on Jerry Springer and Fox News

    Certainly unfair on Jerry. I'm sure Faux News would consider it a compliment.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Jerry Springer in its heyday was WAY more entertaining than Whaleoil could ever hope to be.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Interesting.

    Seems at least as relevant in this thread as in the Len Brown one.

    See also item 7 here.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe, in reply to Stephen Judd,

    9. Matthew Hooton not only labels this National Government 'centre-left', but he also argues that John Key has presided over 'active continuation of [Helen Clark's] "communism by stealth" policies'.

    And this: barking.

    The claim about Key's office being involved with the Brown fiasco doesn't tally with the previously polished performances of the central spin machine. Seems more likely to be an attempt by the real culprits to pin the tail on another donkey (no pun intended).

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve,

    I wrote out all my words about this sillyness...

    http://also.dylanreeve.com/2013/10/a-mega-scandal/

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    Picky note – you have 24th of November as the starting date – should be October.

    [edit] otherwise, an excellent piece.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

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