XP SP2 Torrent Shows Legal P2P's Promise

Downhill Battle writes "With Congress debating new legislation that would ban p2p networks (along with other innovations and beloved products), we thought it was important to demonstrate the huge potential of p2p software to benefit the public. So now at SP2torrent.com you can get Windows XP SP2 via BitTorrent." Update: 08/09 21:10 GMT by S : As commenters note, you can also get XP SP2 from Microsoft's site, but it's explained: "DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER: A smaller, more appropriate download will be available soon on Windows Update."

What about last week?

[Anonymous Coward]

I know a lot of people got the DOOM 3 trailer via torrent.

Loads of uses on legal P2P

[barcodez]

Check out The Linux Mirror Project [tlm-project.org] for example. Which has torrents for Slackware, Slax, Fedora, Mandrake, Knoppix, Debian, Gentoo & FreeBSD

Re:Now, really...

[Anonymous Coward]

Why wait? Get it Here :) [microsoft.com]

Re:A nice idea...

[garcia]

I don't use my Windows machine for BitTorrent. I prefer the console client that comes with Linux.

btdownloadcurses --url "$URL" --max_upload_rate 5

That way I can start the download to my home machine at work and still have it done by the time I get there.

Get it direct from Microsoft

[Anonymous Coward]

You can now get it directly from Microsoft [microsoft.com].

Re:Now, really...

[Anonymous Coward]

All MS patches/service packs have an automatic CRC check routine before installation. If it installs it is from a valid source, i.e. MS.

Re:Slashdotted ?

[barcodez]

Yes, it is entirely possible to slashdot a torrent. Each client polls a central server (or in more modern clients one of a number of servers) for new hosts and to update the server on its progress. If this server can't service all the polls from all the clients then a torrent has been ./ed.

Re:Slashdotted ?

[ViolentGreen]

I believe that it is possible to overload a tracker. That sounds like it might be what you are experiencing.

Re:This would be exciting..

[Zackbass]

I DLd SP2 this morning at speeds between 250 and 500KBps. On a good days I've gotten >700KBps on single downloads. Good luck slashdotting Microsoft.

you can download it from microsoft now

[Neophytus]

You can download it now from Microsoft [microsoft.com]. This isn't the streamlined version you would get from the automatic updater, but is official all the same.

Re:Uh...Legal?

[Anonymous Coward]

You do not have permission from the copyright holder to distribute the file, therefore you are in violation of the law.

Re:Uh...Legal?

[Anonymous Coward]

It has nothing to do with the EULA. Copyright law gives MS control over the distribution of the service pack. By law, if MS doesn't say you can distribute it, you can't distribute it. No EULA required.

Re:Now, really...

[riscthis]

Yes -- it's linked from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?Fa milyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displa ylang=en [microsoft.com]

Although Microsoft would prefer people that only need to install on a single machine wait for it to be pushed via Windows Update, which will be a considerably smaller download specific for your OS version.

Re:Now, really...

[Bishop]

As seen on Ars Technica [arstechnica.com] it is legit [microsoft.com].

Legal?

[Karma Farmer]

Has the copyright owner approved the redistribtion of this patch by third parties? Or can this be described as "Legal P2P" only using some brand new defintion of "Legal"?

I think inexpensive distributed file hosting is a great idea, and I think P2P networks are a great way to implement that. But, copyright infringement is still copyright infringement, even if you're able to justify it to yourself.

Re:Slashdotted ?

[b4k4]

If you're behind a router, make sure you forward the appropriate ports (6881-6889 by default) to your computer. That's all I had to do to get the torrent going for me.

Re:This would be exciting..

[C10H14N2]

I tried the BitTorrent connection and got 25Kb/s. I went to a remote server of mine that is connected via OC192 and got 12Mb/s downloading SP2 directly from MS with wget. Downloading from that server with sFTP over a public WiFi connection, I'm now pulling 640Kb/s.

I should use BitTorrent WHY?

Re:Uh...Legal?

[pyros]

man did you miss the point (at least I'm assuming you did since you didn't respond to it directly). The topic is using redistribution of SP2 to demonstrate a legal use of p2p. If MS doesn't allow redistribution, then this is still an example of illegal use. Copyright is the determining factor here, not the legality of p2p networks, which is what the OP was alluding to. Microsoft holds the copyright for the code in SP2, so they have the legal authority to say distribution of SP2 on p2p networks is not allowed.

Now, before you go off on me for thinking I missed your point, I agree that Congress is out of touch with the tech community and behind the curve on what legislation will have the intended impact. All they seem to do is make things harder for honest people (the copyright infringers won't be slowed down, but people trying to spread valid security patches might for fear of prosecution).

Re:hyperbole

[Minna Kirai]

Everyone knows that they're for downloading MP3s and DivX's and warez.

Interestingly, the act's sponsor disagrees with you. Orrin Hatch claims [senate.gov] that users of Kazaa and eDonkey assume that because the program is from a corporation, then it's major use must be legal.

it bans the setup of networks explicitly for exchanging pirated materials..

No, it says nothing about networks or piracy. Sounds like you might be arguing from ignorance. Since the INDUCE Act is trivially short, I'll post the whole thing here:

1. the term 'intentionally infringes' means intentionally aids, abets, induces, or procures, and intent may be shown by acts which a reasonable person would find intent to induce infringement based upon all relevant information about such acts then reasonably available to the actor, including whether the activity relies on infringement for its commercial viability.
2. Whoever intentionally induces any violation indentified in (...) shall be liable as an infringer.
3. Nothing in this subsection shall enlarge or diminish the doctrines of vicarious and contributory liability for copyright infringement or require any court to unjustly withhold or impose any secondary liability for copyright infringement

So what it says is that "inducing copyright infringement" is now a form of copyright infringement itself, which is already illegal.

That's a nonsensical and moderately dangerous path: creating redundant laws. Copyright infringement is already illegal. Inducing a crime is also already illegal. Therefore INDUCE either has absolutely no effect and was a waste of Congressional time, or it means that inducement of infringement will be interpreted more loosely in the future.

Note that under this act, Bram Moolenar would've been guilty for the publication of the BitTorrent protocol, which by his own admission was intended to aid in copyright infringement (of Phish concert tapes, which are illegal to share, even though the band has no intention of ever enforcing).

The "Save The iPod" stuff is a stretch, but it'd be possible to prosecute Apple under this law too. All you'd have to do is show that iPod sales are somehow higher due to illegal copying. I bet a survey could be done showing that buyers of iPods often had pre-existing MP3 music collections, and that some of that came from copyright infringement.

Furthermore, and more realistically, freenet and similar anonymizing networks would become illegal. Anyone running a freenet node will be subject to arrest.

Re:Uh...Legal?

[cpt kangarooski]

SP2 is a free update. If I download it, put it on a CD, and give it to someone else to install, it's not illegal.

Oh yes it is. Reproduction and distribution are both exclusive to the copyright holder per 17 USC 106.

In that example, you are reproducing it probably beyond what MS has given you permission to do, and are definately distributing it without permission.

So that's illegal.

It doesn't matter if it's free. Free is a total non-issue.

Re:MD5 Handy?

[Indy1]

the md5sum is

59a98f181fe383907e520a391d75b5a7

Re:Imagine If...

[AKnightCowboy]

Imagine if the vaudeville and stage actors had gotten together back in the early 20th century and gotten motion pictures outlawed. Or if actresses and actors who had horrible speaking voices had gotten talkies outlawed in the late 1920's, etc.

Actually I recall watching a documentary on Thomas Edison that said he tried to do exactly that. He wanted to retain firm control over silent motion picture distribution and sued anyone that tried to compete with his patents. Truly ahead of his time. ;-)

MD5

[Futurepower(R)]

As others have said:

WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe, MD5: 59a98f181fe383907e520a391d75b5a7, size: 278,927,592 bytes

I downloaded the file from Microsoft, and the MD5 checks.