- I know, I know...everyone's gonna hate me as soon as they read the title and then start flaming me. Okay, bring it on. I don't care and I don't reply to trolls. But at least read and think about what I've written:
Yes, Bram is a genius. Obviously - as well as his IQ being officially documented. He did what no-one else could/would do. Besides creating the best-ever and most popular p2p program, he made it free and open source.
Okay, so he says he never intended it to be used for so-called "illegal filesharing", and states that he's never used it in that manner himself.
That's fine, too. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on those two statements. And I admire him for what he's done for millions of people, as well as being available online to help and answer questions, never charging a cent for his services.
I also know that he'd been unemployed for some time and had been looking for work in the software industry.
But now it looks as if he's getting all cozy with the cartels and the big players, and has got at least a foot in bed with them. It looks like pretty soon one of them will be pulling the blanket up above their heads.
BitTorrent was created as open source for anyone to use or develop/improve. The cartels don't have to ask Bram's permission to use it or change it, as far as i know. I might be wrong if it's for commercial use, but I might be right, too.
So, what happens when BT is in bed with the cartels? Well, the usual: Lots of heavy petting, groping...and finally...the average p2per gets "screwed" when the cartels buy the company "BitTorrent" from Bram, and have the so-called "legal right" to close down every tracker, and arrest and sue as many innocent people as they wish, at the very least for "using" THEIR BitTorrent technology "illegally".
At that point - and it looks like it might be much sooner than later - free BT will cease to exist and the cartels (btw, cartels are illegal by any definition) will control any and all trackers as well as the development of BitTorrent. And then it will probably be restricted to crappy wmv/wma files and loaded with DRM and who know's what else. Plus, you'll have to pay for it.
It'll either be that, or do it the old-fashioned way: wait years - or forever - for your local tv stations, theatres, and video shops to have what you want. Screwed again.
OKAY, yes! I know! Bram is free to do what he likes. He has the freedom to choose any type of employment he wants in order to support his family. And he deserves a good life after all the crap he's probably had to put up with the past few years.
Who do you think paid for his transfer to Frisco, bringing him and his family and all of their belongings many miles, possibly even buying a house or apartment for him? Before then, he was unemployed, subsisting solely (he says) on the few donation that trickled in each week. How else could he have afforded such an extreme change in lifestyle?
Doesn't this smell fishy to anyone else? Doesn't the possible demise of free BitTorrent outrage anyone else?
Remember, courts in several countries have recently made legal, purchaseable dvd-ripping programs and dvd creation programs illegal. Some have even gone as far as blocking access to those companies' websites. And some courts have even decided that it's illegal to even DISCUSS those programs in public forums!
Freedoms are being taken away every day from the non-criminal filesharer who has the right to do whatever he/she wants with a legally purchased item. The real pirates making money off of black-market sales get "raided", but not even arrested, according to a recent p2pnet article.
And now Bram Cohen, the genius creator of BitTorrent, is conspiring with the enemy to take our filesharing rights away.
Doesn't this look like a Loki-style scam? It looks that way to me.
If you've ever given a donation to Bram Cohen, you MUST demand "Where's the money?! Show us the money!"
Screwed again, and we weren't even invited to the orgy.
All in all, I remembered when Bram Cohen first published BT. I´ve been using it since, and I still remember it would occasionally redirect to his web page asking for PayPal. And I thought then, and I still think now, I want to help him out. I don´t have PayPal, and I’m also unemployed.
But I recognize his hard work, and many others like him. And I still want to help him out. So when I´m employed, I’ve made the firm commitment that I will help him out and others like him, both financially and in spreading the word.
Free Software is a great social cause. It has helped so many people and companies. Even mega-corporations incorporate FS (GPL) including IBM, and Microsoft (yes, Microsoft), and even the notorious SCO has included it in their recent version of OpenServer.It is a great idea, GPL, since developers and users use widgets and code from each other.
But, it would be really nice for those who benefited (and can afford) to help these guys out. They need to feed their families. But, if you are like me at the moment, unable to financially help, always keep this thought in mind. So when the time comes, help out your fellow GPL programmer who has given his time to help us - If you like help out with the programs you like and found useful.
But I would suggest, also help out the lesser known programs since they definitely need exposure and help.
Well, that´s all I have to say. I’m working hard looking for a job. I’ve always thought about setting up a ‘Free Software Charity Foundation’ whose aim is to assist those who contribute to the world by developing Free Software.
It´s harder than some people think. But, I also know that writing good code is hard work, so that is why I am so determined to create this FS Charity Foundation. For those who know me (and that is many), I always had ‘lofty’ ideals --- but, they also know that I’m an EXTREMELY dedicated person. They have learned from experience to never doubt my dedication and commitment to helping others.
