[OPLINLIST] Torrents & Copyright Notice

Tue Aug 21 12:12:34 EDT 2012

Torrents are also used to distribute FREE software. Several linux distributions use torrents. When a popular linux distro is released, often times the FTP/http servers and mirror servers get overwhelmed with everyone trying to download the cd/dvd images at the same time which can make the download a lot slower. Torrents are nice in this scenario because people can download the distribution's CD/DVD iso images a lot faster. It helps avoid network bottle necks since the torrent download pulls from many sources at the same time instead of just a single server over 1 connection. Libre Office also has torrent downloads available.  

Of course downloading a torrent can consume a lot of bandwidth on the downloader's internet connection. 

-Ed Liddle

Marysville Public Lilbrary
http://marysvillelib.org
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From: oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org [oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Chad Neeper [cneeper at level9networks.com]
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 12:05 PM
To: oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] Torrents & Copyright Notice

The problem is that torrents are not inherently a bad thing. They can be, in fact, very useful. The problem is the user using the torrents for illegal purposes.

Torrents are a way to download very large files in a way that is somewhat like crowd-sourcing. As an example, let's image that the library has created a video of a wildly popular SRP event and for some reason has opted to put the video on the library's website rather than YouTube, etc. Being such a popular event, hundreds of people have gone to the website and are trying to download the video. With so many people trying to download the video at the same time, pretty much nobody manages to download it because the library's pipe to the Internet isn't big enough to handle that much data at the same time.

Enter torrents. The library could put a torrent link on the website as an alternative to downloading the large video. The torrent link is a very tiny file and can be downloaded very quickly. When a torrent file is used via the appropriate software, the video is not only downloaded from the library's website, but pieces of it are also downloaded from other people who have already downloaded the video. So the library is no longer the single source for the file. Everyone who has already...or is in the process of...downloading the video is now a source for the video. By using the torrent, the library's limited pipe to the Internet isn't filled up and everyone gets the video in the fastest way possible.

That's a very simplistic view of torrents, but should be the general concept. It's just a tool which provides an effective solution to limited Internet bandwidth problem.

Chad

(Looks like I'm a little late to the game here as other people have already chimed in!)

--
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Chad Neeper
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Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070<tel:740-548-8070> (voice)
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On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 11:05 AM, Karen Jensen <kjensenmls at yahoo.com<mailto:kjensenmls at yahoo.com>> wrote:
Do you have public wifi access? This happened to our library when someone was using our wifi but their own computer to download. Depending on how your policy is worded ad war kind of filtering software you have, you may want to consider making access to torrent sites forbidden via your filter because - it is my understanding - these sites exist solely for the purpose of illegal downloads. Most library policies have a policy against illegal downloads so this would fit within your library rights. I would talk further to your IT staff. This is how they solved the problem at a previous job given frequent notices.

Have a good day,
Karen

Karen Jensen, MLS
Teen Librarian's Toolbox
www.teenlibrarianstoolbox.blogspot.com<http://www.teenlibrarianstoolbox.blogspot.com>
@tlt16 on Twitter, also on Facebook
Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 20, 2012, at 8:56 AM, Susan Pieper <susanhillpieper at gmail.com<mailto:susanhillpieper at gmail.com>> wrote:

Please share with your IT folks, too.

Hello all:
We received a "form" letter via OPLIN this morning regarding the illegal attempt to download a movie via our IP address. The alleged incident took place on August 14th at 7:00 p.m. As we investigated, we had no laptops logged into our WiFi at that time. (In order to use our wireless, patrons must log in with their library card and pin). If anyone was going to try to download a movie via our public computers, they would have to know the password to get into an Admin profile (which we change frequently) and also be able to unlock our Deep Freeze (which requires another password). If they were able to breech these two security measures they would have to download the movie to a flash.

Because of these two points, I investigated further the complaint and the responsible company. I found that there are many concerns about this form letter going out to people and something about downloading "torrents" which I have never heard of but am trying to educate myself.

The company, Irdeto USA, Inc. seems legit, but I still have my suspicions that this was an attempt to invade or compromise our system.

Has anyone else received a form letter from Osama Hussain, Esq. claiming to represent Irdeto USA?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks for your help in clearing up this matter.
Susan
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Susan Hill Pieper, M.S.L.S.
Director/Editor
Paulding County Carnegie Library
Rural Library Services Newsletter
205 S Main St, Paulding, Ohio 45879
419-399-2032<tel:419-399-2032> voice 419-399-2114<tel:419-399-2114> fax
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