DALnet For Chatting, Not File Sharing 442
PFAK writes "DALnet IRC Network, formerly the world's largest IRC Network has announced that the IRC network has implemented a new "policy" that will phrohibit "Using a channel for the primary purpose of facilitating the transfer of files", as of March 1st, 2003. This will be another staggering blow for the formerly largest IRC network in the world, this comes after one of the many suprises on DALnet, such as the recent DDoS attacks against the network."
Freenet Anyway (Score:5, Interesting)
What's the point? (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, if there was no point, why would the (arguably) largest IRC network [netsplit.de] have a very strict anti-warez [quakenet.org] rules? That's Quakenet [quakenet.org], by the way - and yes, it is my choice of IRC network.
Clearly there is a demand for a warez-free (OK, no specific file transfer channel) network. And yes, I've just continued the trend and said "Don't worry, the IRC network I use rocks, even if Dalnet sucks!" ;)
Why is "policy" in quotation marks? (Score:3, Interesting)
Why is the word "policy" in quotation marks here? I assume these are supposed to be "sarcastic quotation marks", as in
or
or
But in this case, I don't see why you would sarcastically call the new rules a "policy". They are a policy.
(Oh, that's on top of misspelling "prohibit". Nice work, dude.)
TheFrood
so what, (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:IRC sucks for file sharing (Score:3, Interesting)
sigh. (Score:2, Interesting)
the servers on dalnet used to have a little message in their motd's about irc being an "unmoderated medium". apparently, this is no longer the case.
i can only speculate about why this policy is being enacted, but as far as the result, wd had it pegged. they're shooting themselves in the foot. if it's enforced at all, a good chunk of the users that stuck around despite the recent attacks will abandon it without a moments hesitation.
as well, this will undoubtedly upset someone with the means to launch an attack equivalent to the attacks they suffered recently.
this is a bad idea, and they know it.
as a side note, support for this policy on the (moderated) mailing list is overwhelming!
No filesharing, no this, no that... (Score:2, Interesting)
Just think where we would've been today if we were allowed access to all and any information. Well, it would probably be overrun by porn and spam.. Nevermind.
Anyhoo.. I don't chat on Kazaa and I don't download on Dalnet.
Finally. (Score:5, Interesting)
Biased? Just a little peeved?
You better believe it.
I spent 6 years as an administrator on Dalnet, in the #1 help channel, often spending as much as 8-10 hours at a stretch JUST TYPING.
I have helped literally thousands of anonymous (nicknamed) people come and go about Dalnet, from 1994 - 2000, and have watched with sickening disdain how polluted it got over time.
It was bad enough to have the hordes of AOL users find Dalnet when they first got on the "real" internet, but these days, it's chock full of kids who have NO IDEA how online communities -should- behave.
Those that used BBS's in the day (anything after 1992 don't even bother posting.) will remember what I mean about netiquette and online communities.
I stand up, and applaud DalNet for taking this action. It's about time the filth that has clogged a valuable service has been flushed out of the system.
And I know you're curious as to what nickname I used on DalNet.
I am Duranos. I was one of the original help crew who volunteered their time in setting up #irchelp on Dalnet, still miss quite a few people to this day. I still check in from time to time, but have moved onto other avenues of internet life.
Flame away slashbots.
Re:Freenet Anyway (Score:5, Interesting)
If your idea holds, sounds like DALnet will be rid of the warez kiddies one way or the other.
This isnt suprising. (Score:2, Interesting)
Lets go back in history some.
Everyone knows that there are some DALnet admins that were also packet kiddies.
these admins basically tell the existing kiddies "you are free to do what you want, just dont attack my server"
meanwhile, dalnet holds the largest kiddie population and they dont do anything about it.
a network that I have a server on was attacked by these same kiddies. naturally, I find them on DALnet staging attacks.
I have told the admins, opers and the EB of DALnet about this.
I just get ignored or in some cases, killed.
they dont want to hear it.
a lot of the opers and admins have 'made deals with the devil'
I am labeled as a threatening user because I hate packet kiddies.
NOW, as far as the trading if files, that will never stop.
what are they going to do about it?
they cant possibly close all of those channels
or stop all of those people from doing it.
looks like another DCC restriction.
if you are looking for a network to put a server, dont even think about DALnet.
I can get into many, many things but this would turn into a flame war.
if you want to know more contact me off
I can fill your inbox with logs, and incriminating information.
such as, admins that ARE packet kiddies.
and I will leave it at that.
oh come on now, really (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm sure that DCC bots generate quite a bit of useless junk traffic on their network.. that sort of thing didn't exist when I was big time into IRC development.. in fact, DCC was a brand new capability, and didn't include file transfers at that point.
I was against even having the clients having the ability to script responses to certain things. Unfortunatly, people went through with it.
Next, they should make an idle time-out (anyone idle more than an hour gets
Primary? and How do they plan to enforce (Score:3, Interesting)
Transferrs are done via DCC and dont even go thru their servers its direct client to client
It is their network, but you happen to be an ass (Score:5, Interesting)
Personally I think its a moral mistake to enforce their beliefs on others when they offer a free service, but that is their choice.
But you sir are an ass for your attitude toward people that do things other then simple chat.
Not all 'transfers' are illegal in all parts of the global network. If they are in your area, then consult your legislature, that's not my problem.
People that do use IRC for transfers don't leech any bandwidth, the key component to DCC is *DIRECT*, it does NOT load the IRC network at all. In reality they use LESS resources then a 8 hour a day 'chatter'.
Whiners? Not really, just people that would like to keep what they have now, ( or expand features )if you don't speak out you loose it, regardless of the topic.
IRC sucks anyway (Score:2, Interesting)
I never liked IRC from the moment I first tried it. Happen to get into an argument with someone who is buddy-buddy with the admins in a channel? Wham, bam... banned. If you can play by the rules and not upset anyone (or you're lucky enough to be in a channel that actually has some mature admins), you'll probably enjoy IRC.
Re:Caving to the RIAA's attacks (Score:2, Interesting)
I've got hundreds of tracks in my bin that were regional to the area that I lived at the time (Florida) and outside of the southeast, probably have never been heard. Just for fun, during the height of napster and AG popularity I would plug in various names of groups and producers that I'd like and I'd maybe get a handful of hits , say 5 or so for even big run stuff on vinyl.. Now, with Soulseek I don't get anything..
IRC was kind of a saving grace in a way once AG disappeared. I could turn to there and get the tracks that I wanted (most of them at least) and even better, I could download the stuff that i REALLY wanted to get, even moreso than individual tracks: Live sets.. THAT was the true benefit, being able to hear your favorite DJ's throw down live
This is a big blow to electronic music..hopefully Efnet won't follow suit . .
why were they still there in the first place? (Score:3, Interesting)
IIRC, the last time I checked out a DCC channel, it seemed like the most inefficient and slowest possible way to transfer files amongst people
Hasn't Kazaa/eMule/Overnet/etc. made the whole IRC file-sharing thing completely depreciated? I mean, sure, back when the only way to get warez was to have access to a private FTP site or a BBS, the public warez movement on IRC made sense
Are we talking about kiddie porn, then? And if so, good riddence!
nlh
Re:Staggering blow? (Score:3, Interesting)
Not yours?
You see, copyrighted works aren't owned, rather the copyright holder is granted an exclusive, though limited monopoly. That is, they are the only ones allowed to sell software, which is more than OK by me. I think copyright is a great idea, as it is expressed in the Constitution of the United states. If anything, I might even lengthen it a bit, 14 years is somewhat short.
However, there are politicians and executives that never learned that they can't steal justice, law enforcement, or the goverment, that it isn't theirs to take. So, before you start serving life sentences to 14 yr olds that can't afford $20 for an album that costs all of 75 cents to produce, why don't you do us all a favor, and take your holy war to these subhuman pols and CEOs.
Or, failing that, drop dead.