[ILUG] FW: [linux-elitists] Microsoft goes after Linux kernel downloader s?

[Breathnach, Proinnsias (Dublin)]

> -----Forwarded Message-----
> From: Brian McGroarty <brian at hisnetwork.nospam>
> Subject: [linux-elitists] Microsoft goes after Linux kernel downloaders?
> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 20:15:28 -0600
> 
> I went trolling, and it seems I caught the biggest fish of them all.
> 
> 
> When the story about the MS leak appeared on Slashdot this past week,
> I thought I'd have a bit of fun. A post entitled "Kernel source here,"
> which pointed to a torrent of Linux 2.6.2, was all it took to hook
> about a thousand would-be NT and 2000 source downloaders.
> 
> 
> "You can find the build applications and such with Google already."
> 
> 
> I trickled the torrent out at about 1k/s for the first few hours, then
> let it go full-speed once we'd crossed over 600 active
> participants. Let 'em all have the punchline at once.
> 
> Imagine my surprise when my DSL stops working this morning, I call my
> provider, and I learn that I've been accused of copyright
> infringement. I argued that I was doing absolutely nothing wrong, and
> they turned service back on. After I asked to see the accuser's email,
> they forwarded the below. Sure enough, it's a bona fide valentine from
> MS Legal:
> 
> 
>   J.K. Weston
>   Microsoft Corporation
>   One Microsoft Way
>   Redmond, WA 98052
>   jkweston at microsoft.com
>   Tel: (425) 703-5529
> 
>   14 Feb 2004
> 
>   URGENT/IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED
>   VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
> 
>   [My ISP]
> 
>   Re: NOTICE OF POTENTIAL UNLAWFUL DISTRIBUTION OF MICROSOFT SOURCE
>   CODE AT: [one of my IPs]
> 
>   Date of Infringement: Detail below.
> 
>   Dear [My ISP]:
> 
>   We have received information that one of your users as identified
>   above by the SITE/URL [My IP] may have engaged in the unlawful
>   distribution of Microsoft's source code for Windows 2000, and/or
>   Windows NT4, by distributing and offering for download these source
>   code files via a peer-to-peer network.
> 
>   Since you own this IP address, we request that you take appropriate
>   action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms of
>   Service Agreement.
> 
> 
> The IP they chose wasn't the tracker, it was a system participating as
> a torrent peer. This makes me wonder if there are a thousand other
> P2P Linux 2.6.2 downloaders enjoying MS' Feb 14 love.
> 
> 
> Now, admittedly I was just asking for it by hinting at something that
> might offend the big giant. Still, it took them three or four days to
> issue this letter. In the meantime, shouldn't they have been able to
> find someone capable of cracking open a .tar.bz2? Did nobody raise the
> question of how a leaked CD fits into a 32m file?
> _______________________________________________
> linux-elitists 
> http://zgp.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-elitists
> 
> 
> 

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