BitTorrent Protocol Goes Closed Source

[Malicious Intent]

BitTorrent, who's success is owed to its open source philosophy, has now gone completely closed source.

Ashwin, BitTorrent CEO, has been back peddling on previous statements, where the company promised to keep BitTorrent open source.

When confronted with these statements by Slyck.com, Ashwin attempted to spin himself out of trouble.

"We'll always maintain an open source version, although it may not necessarily reflect the latest client on the site," he told Slyck.com.

By closing the source code to the community that made them, BitTorrent now risk being left out in the cold as the power of open source development takes over the small BitTorrent development team. As Kazaa found when they attempted to ban other clients from the Fasttrack network, the trend setting core file sharers do not react positively to such behaviour.

Perhaps in an attempt to avoid such a split, BitTorrent will make the the source code open to developers under a software development kit (SDK or "devkit") license. SDKs are typically used by software companies to create additions or plugins for their programs, rather than build anything ground up.

According to Wikipedia, "SDKs may have attached licenses that make them unsuitable for building software intended to be developed under an incompatible license. For example, a proprietary SDK will likely be incompatible with Free software development."

The closure of the protocol follows the end of the Mainline client in December of last year. The Mainline client was an Open Source implementation of the BitTorrent protocol. However, development ended as BitTorrent bought out the light-weight, but closed source, BitTorrent client uTorrent.

The Kazaa comparisons continue as Ashwin also tried to further justify why the BitTorrent client is now closed source:

"There are two issues people need to come to grips with. Developers who produce open source products will often have their product repackaged and redistributed by businesses with malicious intent. They repackage the software with spyware or charge for the product. We often receive phone calls from people who complain they have paid for the BitTorrent client," he told Slyck.com. You'll be excused for suffering deja-vu.

However, spyware is nearly always bundled with program installers, rather than in the program itself, making the availability of source code completely irrelevantly. Furthermore, scam sites such as download-utorrent.com prove that closed source does not mean impossible to repackage and sell.

Despite BitTorrents attempts to justify each step of their plan individually, it is clear by looking back over previous decisions that BitTorrent are attempting to distance themselves from the core community and align themselves closer with the MPAA and their views on Open Source and piracy.

MI

[DudeAsInCool]

Does this mean that they are now going to license Bit Torrent? How would this affect others who have adopted their technology when it was open source?

[method77]

I don't think so. My guess is that there will be 2 bittorents now. One closed and the other will be developed by the open source community. Guess which one will win.

That is a guess. I still haven't read articles and opinions about this.

[Malicious Intent]

Dude-

Licenses will remain free, but developers will need to apply for one. BitTorrent pointed out that they have never said no. Yet.

Previous versions of the protocol will remain Open Source. Ashwin suggests that new versions will also be opened up as they too become dated, but I would put money on saying this will not materialise.

Method -

http://www.slyck.com/story1566_BitTorrent_...d_Source_Issues <- Another, softer opinion.

[method77]

thanks MI

[DudeAsInCool]

Dude-

Licenses will remain free, but developers will need to apply for one. BitTorrent pointed out that they have never said no. Yet.

Previous versions of the protocol will remain Open Source. Ashwin suggests that new versions will also be opened up as they too become dated, but I would put money on saying this will not materialise.

Method -

http://www.slyck.com/story1566_BitTorrent_...d_Source_Issues <- Another, softer opinion.

Trademark issues also enter in to the equation... Bit Torrent had to apply for one after the fact...and were a situation where they could have been beat out by competitors using their technology