Hollywood Hopes to Reduce Movie Downloads

[Kooperman]

Hollywood Hopes to Reduce Movie Downloads

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood hopes that an agreement with the creator of BitTorrent software, popular for downloading pirated movies over the Internet, will reduce illegal traffic in online films.

The agreement negotiated Tuesday requires 30-year-old software designer Bram Cohen to remove Web links to pirated versions of movies from his Web site, bittorrent.com, effectively frustrating people who search for illegal copies of films.

For the complete article click here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051123/ap_en_...nloading_movies

[Malicious Intent]

I was expecting a bit more given the build up to it.

BitTorrent itself is open source. Cohen cant add anti-piracy measures to it. Developers would simply stop following him, so at best it would cause a fraction.

Nobody uses Mainline Search, the alternatives are just too good.

I think the main point about this story is that it is now likely that the MPAA will use BT technology for distribution.

However, before the details are annouced, I know that:

- It wont be BT, it will be a closed source version which is incompatible with current torrents.

- The encoding will be proprietary. Sold to the industry under the promise of it being better than other formats for only a few billion. It will be crap.

- The files will be wrapped in stupidly restrictive DRM. Forget playing it on your home cinema.

- There will be further restrictions to make sure that DVDs and the Cinema dont become redundant.

- It will cost too much.

- Companies will know everything you download in order to spam you.

- The selection will be poor.

meh. just call me cynical.

[DudeAsInCool]

Better for them if the downloads were just streaming...no doubt they will use BitTorrent, but I dont think they will come up with any DRM that will work...

Movies are different than songs - its a hell of alot more investment. I dont mind people downloading movies - but I am against them downloading them before they are released, or if they make mass copies and sell them for profit, like they do in China, etc

[method77]

We are all against people making profit from illegal copies dude.

Anyway, what Mal is correct. All Bram did is get out of the lawsuit because they can't blaim him for not trying. He can claim he did everything he was told.

It's open source now so nothing can be done.

Smart move Bram

[method77]

Wired:

The MPAA's deal with BitTorrent will do little to change the landscape for file swapping -- but it could create the best chance yet for a meaningful and legal P2P media-distribution system. News analysis by Xeni Jardin.

Read the article...