[UFO Chicago] corporate bit-torrent

[Brian Sobolak]

I was reading the nytimes online today when I came across this little item:

(read full article here:
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/14/business/14warner.html>
)

"There is a catch. To use the technology, viewers will have to agree to
participate in a special file-sharing network. This approach helps AOL
reduce the cost of distributing-high quality video files by passing
portions of the video files from one user's computer to another. AOL says
that since it will control the network, it can protect users from the
sorts of viruses and spyware that infect other peer-to-peer systems.

AOL is using file-sharing technology from Kontiki, a Silicon Valley
company providing a similar system to the ambitious Internet video program
of the BBC."

WOW.  I never would have thought this possible.  A company will trade off
letting people watch old TV for free so long as they agree to share some
of the bandwidth to distribute it on a virtual private network.

AOL has always  been the M$ of the internet, trying to subvery useful open
standards with proprietary crap.  I was pretty excited about being able to
watch TV on the internet, even if I had to pay for it.  But not at that
price.

brian



--
Brian Sobolak
http://www.planetshwoop.com/