The file-sharing thread

[Esotera]

I've noticed a fair amount of posts recently assuming that if you're using a torrenting service, then you're pirating something. Or that if you don't pay for a piece of content, then it must be obtained illegally. Although BitTorrent can be used for these purposes, there's also a gigantic amount of creative-commons and other free content out there, which is all legal.

So let's try downloading some of it & recommending the good stuff. I'll list two websites that host entirely legal torrents, but if someone knows of others then I'll add those to the OP:

http://www.clearbits.net/
http://www.jamendo.com/en/

Obviously if you've already downloaded something, then you can skip the downloading part. If you haven't got a torrent client, then you'll probably want to install one before participating.



A few rules for comments

- Do NOT link to material you're not allowed to distribute, legal torrents only please.
- Youtube videos etc are encouraged, as this makes it easier to experience suggestions
- If you have a legal torrenting website that I haven't mentioned, please include a link, and I'll add it to the OP.


And now, I'll list a few cool things I've found & used a lot through torrents:

Spoiler: Spoilered for size

[link]http://www.clearbits.net/torrents/1254-the-yes-men-fix-the-world-hd[/link]
Brilliant movie...

[link]http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/alternative-download#bt[/link]
...watched on a brilliant operating system.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Although this isn't EXACTLY file-sharing... it's link sharing.
To free stuff.
That's legal.
http://nitronic-rush.com/ < Awesome racing game.
http://katawa-shoujo.com/ < You need to play this, if only so you can actually judge.
http://stealthbastard.com/ < A little 2D platformer stealth thing.
http://www.mediafire.com/?241lmty0ebtlbrb < A fantastic... heh... little game.
http://scpcb.wordpress.com/ < Free survival horror that isn't finished yet!

Captcha: Fools gold
Whatcha' trying to say?

 

[DoPo]

Almost any Linux distro ever. Most of them even have torrent links for easier download.

The Darker Days radio podcasts (White Wolf/World of Darkness related. Also quite good for spooky stories) moved websites at some point, and that lost them the previous links, so they offer their archive [http://www.legittorrents.info/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=ee99cfce11def7ec32fb2e3a3477270e381ad31b] through a site called Legit Torrents [http://www.legittorrents.info/]. I can only assume it's for torrents which are legal.

- Do NOT link to copyrighted material, legal torrents only please.

Technically these are copyrighted but free to download, is that OK?

There are the quite a lot free games [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.369017-Fantastic-freeware].

 

[Something Amyss]

- Do NOT link to copyrighted material, legal torrents only please.

Except copyrighted material can still be legal. One can still distribute something and maintain copyright. Hell, Creative Commons doesn't actually opt-out of copyright. While I'm an American, the same rules seem to apply to the UK.

 

[Mayhaps]

L5, crowd-funded Sci-fi miniseries, only 1 part so far.
http://vodo.net/l5

 

[Esotera]

Almost any Linux distro ever. Most of them even have torrent links for easier download.

The Darker Days radio podcasts (White Wolf/World of Darkness related. Also quite good for spooky stories) moved websites at some point, and that lost them the previous links, so they offer their archive [http://www.legittorrents.info/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=ee99cfce11def7ec32fb2e3a3477270e381ad31b] through a site called Legit Torrents [http://www.legittorrents.info/]. I can only assume it's for torrents which are legal.

- Do NOT link to copyrighted material, legal torrents only please.

Technically these are copyrighted but free to download, is that OK?

There are the quite a lot free games [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.369017-Fantastic-freeware].

- Do NOT link to copyrighted material, legal torrents only please.

Except copyrighted material can still be legal. One can still distribute something and maintain copyright. Hell, Creative Commons doesn't actually opt-out of copyright. While I'm an American, the same rules seem to apply to the UK.

You both got me. I'll change the OP.

I think I might watch that "The Yes..." movie, it sounds pretty good.

It's amazing how they get away with everything, it's a bit surreal compared to other documentaries of a similar type, but really really funny to watch when they're lying on the BBC etc.

 

[DoPo]

- Do NOT link to material you're not allowed to distribute, legal torrents only please.

This is better. I just want to take the opportunity to mention abandonware. Technically, it's software (especially games) that has no support any more, is not sold, maybe the IP holders went bust and so on, they end up in nobody's hands. So abandonware is sort of a grey area legally (as far as I know, I'd love some clarification). Abandonware is still copyrighted but you do not have any means to distribute it nor anybody to take the rights from. And so, it's easy to find old games which turn up as abandonware and are technically free.

I didn't mind them that much. I have exactly one abandonware game and that is Arcomage (originally, the tavern card game from M&M7 and 8. it was later released standalone). But some time after 3DO died, I decided to look for the game. It was nowhere to be found. I finally found a free copy on one abandonware website. So aside from that, I hadn't pondered these games much.

However, very recently, I came upon a PC game that isn't sold any more so it's available for free, however the IP holders were still available. True, there was a bit of a legal battle over the rights at one point, between the creators and those who later bought them, but there is the issue that is bothering me - the console version of the same game is still available and sold on PSN. So I'm starting to question exactly how grey is the grey legal matter.

 

[DoPo]

Rise up, thread, stop being not on page one!

Anyway, I was a bit surprised very recently, as in "today", when I found out another site for legal torrents. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been that surprised, but then again, I had my reasons.

Anyway, the site is called Mininova [http://www.mininova.org/].

 

[Lucem712]

As someone said earlier, I use mine for Linux distros. Currently using 'Transmission' that came pre-installed on my OS.