Dvorak Sees MS Conspiracy Against BitTorrent

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Dvorak has an interesting editorial up, where he links the recent stories of alleged 'security problems' and 'spyware problems' bittorent has been having with the recent MS announcement of research into a file sharing app called 'Avalanche'. concluding it's all part of an orchestrated MS disinformation campaign against BitTorrent." From the article: "The problem is that no big company controls it, and Microsoft, asleep at the wheel, let it slip too long to do much about it. So now I suspect Microsoft is playing dirty to discredit the thing. There is no other explanation for the recent series of coincidental stories and events." Especially interesting in light of Bram Cohen's take on the situation.

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The Scheme to discredit BitTorrent



Bram Cohen's responce:

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Bram Cohen has reduced Microsoft's proposed file-sharing application--codenamed Avalanche--to vaporware, dubbing its paper on the subject as "complete garbage". "I'd like to clarify that Avalanche is vapourware," Cohen said. "It isn't a product which you can use or test with, it's a bunch of proposed algorithms. There isn't even a fleshed-out network protocol. The 'experiments' they've done are simulations.""

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BitTorrent Creator slams Microsofts Methods

Talk about a war heating up between MS and BT.

First I'd like to say, Microsoft is being unreasonable for mentioning these "security problems" and "spyware problems" Bittorrent is "supposedly" having. A major point of Bittorrent was to prevent all this spread of spyware and ad-ware between peers, and to have a simple interface which would allow it not to become acessible by hackers and spammers. Also, the checksum system that Bittorrent has pretty much disallows any kind of spread of a spyware covered file as it checks the original file's checksum to see if it has any changes on it.

Also, I agree when the first quote says "So now I suspect Microsoft is playing dirty to discredit the thing." Microsoft has been known for some dirty tactics in the past (and even currrently...try going to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com with any other browser than IE and see what happens). It seems a little low to do something like that.

Also I'd like to say I'm not bashing Microsoft for its past accomplishments (hey, I've been running Windows all my life... I'm just starting to become Linux oriented), It's just a little annoying how they have to compete with the open-source project that has revolutionized the internet in such a big way. At least, those are my two cents.

I find it funny that Mircrosoft is now loseing ground to free software. Ohh and its open source too. Microsoft will never be able to compete on a higher level than free.

Well thats why they hired Gentoo's software founder. He said he wanted to help MS "understand opensource". I guess they made him an offer he couldnt refuse...

It will turn out bad for MS. They;ll never put anything out thats as good or reliable as BT(granted BT has it's problems but not as much as WOS). And on the spyware stuff, just be smart about what you DL.

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Originally posted by: woofcat
Microsoft will never be able to compete on a higher level than free.

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um.....remember Netscape?


stos: Dvorak being unreasonable for mentioning security problems? I think you have it the other way around.....he's the one saying they're unreasonable

I'm often surprised when people even mention that guy. He's always quite the alarmist. I think it's up to 8 times so far this year that he has pronounced that something innocuous spells the death of the Linux desktop.

That said ... he has a valid perspective on this one. I gotta give him props, he didn't completely fail at the internet this time.

I think there's a lot of misinterpretation of the "bittorrent spyware" thing though. The slightest bit of attention paid reveals that there was some spyware using the bittorrent protocol (and in fact, executables) to redistribute itself. But that's hardly bittorrent infecting machines with spyware, it's just spyware seeing a useful technology and embracing it. Just like blizzard realized it'd be a good idea to use an adaptation of the protocol for their purposes.

Assertn, your right. I read the article wrong. After reading it over, Dvorak is actually supporting my opinions on the subject. I was actually aiming that statement towards Microsoft (for some odd reason, I thought Dvorak was affiliated with Microsoft). I apologize and I will edit my post from before so I get my facts straight. Thanks for pointing that out.

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Originally posted by: complich8
I'm often surprised when people even mention that guy. He's always quite the alarmist. I think it's up to 8 times so far this year that he has pronounced that something innocuous spells the death of the Linux desktop.

That said ... he has a valid perspective on this one. I gotta give him props, he didn't completely fail at the internet this time.

I think there's a lot of misinterpretation of the "bittorrent spyware" thing though. The slightest bit of attention paid reveals that there was some spyware using the bittorrent protocol (and in fact, executables) to redistribute itself. But that's hardly bittorrent infecting machines with spyware, it's just spyware seeing a useful technology and embracing it. Just like blizzard realized it'd be a good idea to use an adaptation of the protocol for their purposes.

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Its about time he started to get his facts stright. But seriously anyone who thinks BT comes with malicious spyware is a complete moron.

Microsoft just can't compete with the ingenuity behind BT. BT is probably one of the most brilliant things ever created by man.

And it certainly proves that 640 kb isn't enough.

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Originally posted by: BOARD_of_command

And it certainly proves that 640 kb isn't enough.

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I hope you're not referring to this quote that Bill Gates never said.

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I find it funny that Mircrosoft is now loseing ground to free software. Ohh and its open source too. Microsoft will never be able to compete on a higher level than free.

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Yeah, Microsoft will never be able to compete, that is why they make billions of dollars!

http://img2.echo.cx/img2/5337/rolleyesbarf35tc.gif