AfterDawn: Tech news

The Pirate Bay will become a pay site

Written by Petteri Pyyny @ 17 Jul 2009 4:23 User comments (34)

The Pirate Bay will become a pay site Recently Global Gaming Factory, the company who announced that they'll acquire The Pirate Bay, hired a former Grokster exec Wayne Rosso to assist with the company with its future plans for TPB. In an interview with CNET News Wayne Rosso outlined GGF's plans for the notorious torrent site.
According to Rosso, GGF plans to build a massive "storage cloud" on top of TPB that would use individual users as storage system's nodes. Apparently users can opt out for being part of the decentralized storage system, but then they'd have to pay a monthly fee for the service. More resources the user is willing to commit for the service, the cheaper the monthly subscription fee will be.

"The more of your computer resources you contribute to the network, the less you pay down to zero," Rosso said.

GGF's plan is to harness the resources users are willing to allocate to the cloud service and sell that computing power and bandwidth to 3rd party companies, essentially creating a service that could be used as a content delivery network (system that most large sites -- including ours -- use to deliver static content, such as images, software downloads and stylesheets, faster to the end user) or even as a web hosting cloud. As the service would use P2P technology, it could bring massive savings to ISPs, as the delivery of content to an end user would be provided from the closest possible "node", most likely from an user within the same ISP network.



Company also believes that it has a chance to work together with music and movie industry and Rosso says he will meet a range of reps from content companies to get them support the service. Whether the company plans to turn the TPB into a legal-stuff-only P2P network or to get an agreement in place that would somehow subsidize the content providers, is still unknown.

But it seems that the story of TPB as one of the world's largest torrent trackers is about to end. Whether it'll mean that the story of TPB as a whole is reaching its end or not, is something that we will find out in the near future.

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34 user comments

117.7.2009 04:55

*shakes head* this will fail miserably as the title no the brand TPB is in direct opposition of orderly content distribution.

Its like turning Youtube into netflex, a bad idea.

Now if they change the name and focus on begin a backbone for legal content distro companies that could work, but the name needs to be changed.

217.7.2009 05:59
MummeIi
Inactive

This will mean TPB isn't TBP anymore..
R.I.P

317.7.2009 06:02

Originally posted by MummeIi:
This will mean TPB isn't TBP anymore..
R.I.P
That was a given since it was sold. Hard to give away crap legally when IP owners are not happy with the ad revenue.

417.7.2009 06:44

They're gonna run into a shed load of legal problems with this. Most ISPs forbid reselling bandwidth for their home users. Secondly if I'm contributing bandwidth then it follows that there's data being transferred and stored on my systems. Will I have any control over what kind of data I get ? What they're sending me might well be illegal where I am, porn in a muslim country for example, anti-government data in about half the worlds nations, nazi crap in Germany, etc etc.
Or I can pay to access content that's being monitored and controlled by Big Entertainment.
Or I can go somewhere else :( This is todays Napster.
So long TPB, it was a hell of a ride for five good years.

517.7.2009 06:47

Originally posted by draxen:
They're gonna run into a shed load of legal problems with this. Most ISPs forbid reselling bandwidth for their home users. Secondly if I'm contributing bandwidth then it follows that there's data being transferred and stored on my systems. Will I have any control over what kind of data I get ? What they're sending me might well be illegal where I am, porn in a muslim country for example, anti-government data in about half the worlds nations, nazi crap in Germany, etc etc.
Or I can pay to access content that's being monitored and controlled by Big Entertainment.
Or I can go somewhere else :( This is todays Napster.
So long TPB, it was a hell of a ride for five good years.
I thought it was more they provide a service akin to hosting, but its setup like a torrent where bites of information are shared across the network, the information would consist of licensed content from many holders.

617.7.2009 07:59

you know what i dont get... why do companies make a pirate site that fell on their ass hard, and make it into a paid site... do they think people who came to TPB and actually dled all those stuff are gonna come back and PAY for what they dled? and not to mention the new and improved PAID site usually have nothing good enough to even PAY for... and if it's music.. it fails cause they got nothing we want! *sigh*

717.7.2009 08:56

just plain crazy - the "good people" will think its a bad place and the "bad people" will move on.

I know that entertainment has to be paid for - my beef is that the current method of individual payment narrows the fields you can explore and favours popularist themes thereby effectively dumbing down enterntainment - its happened with TV Radio and every other medium.

The people controlling companies neither give the public what they really want nor do they provide a culturally diverse spectrum of entertainment - everything is based around "what will generate the most cash" - until this mentality changes we are doomed to deteriorating and inferior entertainment in all media formats - no wonder people want to get it for FREE since 90% of it isnt worth paying for

817.7.2009 10:16

It already sucks balls .... now one has to enable several other add sites just to get the text description to appear

917.7.2009 10:23

Originally posted by draxen:
Will I have any control over what kind of data I get ? What they're sending me might well be illegal where I am, porn in a muslim country for example, anti-government data in about half the worlds nations, nazi crap in Germany, etc etc.

I suppose if they were broken into small encrypted chunks so no one had direct access, one might get around local laws ... still at this point IMHO the whole site is going to go down in flaming wreckage

1017.7.2009 10:34

What will happen is what happens whenever someone comes up with an idea to enforce payment for any type of media. Another group of people will find a different means for file sharing, they will grow as the word spreads out until the day comes where they too get tackled with law suits or jail time.

When will the cycle end? Likely never, as gov't and judicial systems keep getting paid off by record labels and other major companies this battle will always be continuous despite the fact we have better things to spend our tax dollars on.

So in the mean time, Google is oddly our friend as millions of people will search out these means for file sharing. In the mean time we can only hope the gov't listens to the majority of the public including artists that think companies like RIAA are in the wrong, and that there should be another way to work out file-sharing issues that will have the mass public support.

1117.7.2009 11:15

The headline should read "The Pirate Bay will become a distant memory."

RIP, THB. It was fun while it lasted. Say hi to Napster!

1217.7.2009 11:19

Well I used TPB for its Unix section and to find the odd song or film, which I may add are all completely legal to download from my country. But I have deleted my account there, as I will not be part of this new regime. I think its all a power struggle thing. The corps are not bothered if TPB guys start up another site. As long as TPB domain is no longer owned or controlled by the boys. Anyway all this nonsense about legal downloads doesnt bother me in the slightest, cause as I said downloading is legal in my country so I will just move elsewhere, as will most others.

1317.7.2009 12:31

One thing I will keep an eye on, just for the fun of it, is the site's Alexa rank. I believe it's peak was somewhere close to 100 (That is, the 100th most popular site on the internet) and is currently at 112, hence their decent ad-revenue.

However, with the site becoming a pay site I wonder how far down it's rank will go.

Peace

1417.7.2009 14:29

RIP Pirate Bay, about the only site that allowed us true freedom fighters to get what we need!!! And before you flame throwers throw me in the brig, let me remind you that if it wasn't for sites like this, some products that are now popular now wouldn't be at all!! - BLUEBOY

1517.7.2009 14:39

If anyone sees the any of the Pirate Bay founders walking down the street..walk up to them and slap them in the face for being sellout asshats.

1617.7.2009 14:46
Demonix90
Inactive

RIP cannot be said enough. TPB taught me everything I know about computers by giving me access to the programs needed to suffice my hunger for computer engineering. Youtube meets Netflix, LimeWire(or preferably FrostWire) meets iTunes/Zune Store.

We all know the Pirate bay was notorious for providing some pirated content, however this redefined image won't erase that legacy to those unfamiliar with the client. So on top of losing millions of users (seeders), they won't be making 1% of their desired revenue my the next financial quarter. Who would want to join?

Special thanks to the former PB, all seeders, and users who helped me, and I'm sure most of this forums members, for sharing the world. We will friggin miss you.

RIP

1717.7.2009 15:56

*moment of silence for TPB...

Now where to? Mininova? Somebody tell me where da party at!

1817.7.2009 16:53

Originally posted by wiseguy0:
*moment of silence for TPB...

Now where to? Mininova? Somebody tell me where da party at!
Mininova are all ready putting filters in place. But and this is a very big but, When the bay goes down mininova (the search engine) will be a ghost town, as they index alot of torrents from TPB. So its time to concentrate on your ratios at private or semi private sites. And remember the sharing is caring moto will always survive. You know what they say to the media corps? Share or be shared

1917.7.2009 17:12

There goes the neighborhood!

2017.7.2009 19:44
jony218
Inactive

Pirates only have 2 rules, so it will be easy to remember.
1. pirate don't pay for stuff ever.
2. see rule number 1

2117.7.2009 22:10

it's sad to me that i could not enjoy more of the pirate bay, as i was locked up for a good part of their life, but, nonetheless, it will be a sorely missed public tracker. i think this is a bigger loss than napster --especially since, due to technology, we can dl a lot more than an album, and very quickly at that.
there are other public trackers, tho most are niche, and no one thing will fill this omnibus void.
i need a good tutorial on mule-ing.

RIP TPB

2217.7.2009 22:53

AAAAAAAAH! This sucks. If they make TPB a paysite I'm gonna have to use the other not so good torrent sites! TPB has always had a good medium of movies, music, software, pictures and books. Now I'm gonna have to go to like three different sites every time I can't find what I need. And I agree. If they buy it out it is no longer a pirate site.

2317.7.2009 23:28

The buyer pay website :(

2418.7.2009 01:35

They went from heroes to assholes.

2518.7.2009 13:30

seriously guys, you're giving TPB too much credit, this has happened before, and yet here we are.

2619.7.2009 00:45

Quote:
As the service would use P2P technology, it could bring massive savings to ISPs, as the delivery of content to an end user would be provided from the closest possible "node", most likely from an user within the same ISP network.
Why in the world would anyone give a crap about bringing "massive savings to the ISP's"?
The ISP's have done nothing but screw with the end user. Prices have done nothing but rise, and with new caps, availability has done nothing but shrink.
Anyone honestly think that these so-called "massive savings" would be passed on to you and me? Or do you think it's more likely that while they are generating their "massive savings" on your back, they'll be simultaneously ripping you off for your heavy bandwidth use.
Gotcha coming and going, I think.

I have no desire for any kind of a paid or subsidized "pirate" site.
As for "the boys"... I'll reserve my judgment until I see what happens with the tracker.

2719.7.2009 01:01

Originally posted by MummeIi:
This will mean TPB isn't TBP anymore..
R.I.P

Shouldn't the second TBP be TPB?
It's bothering me.

2819.7.2009 02:00

the pay bay,
so yes.

i won't hate the original owners for selling,
but new site = fail.

2919.7.2009 10:10

Oh come on. If someone offered you millions for your pirate site, you wouldn't take it? Pleeeze.

I say more power to them for becoming millionaires. They didn't sell-out. They looked after number one.

The buyers are the idiots. Their investment is as good as money in the toilet.

3020.7.2009 07:01

windsong, maybe you ought to cut off your right hand in protest! Them going to jail would not help anyone any more than if you cut off your hand. Why should they give a rats ass about what you think, I sure don't! What did you do to to earn that kind of loyalty? Download files for free? I am sure you are the last of the big spenders.


ChiefBrdy, they only got enough cash to pay their legal fees. The rest was stock in the new site. That isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

Does anyone know when they will pull the plug?

3120.7.2009 14:24

Originally posted by ChiefBrdy:
Oh come on. If someone offered you millions for your pirate site, you wouldn't take it? Pleeeze.

I say more power to them for becoming millionaires. They didn't sell-out. They looked after number one.

The buyers are the idiots. Their investment is as good as money in the toilet.
No unless its stated in the contractual sale that they resume and hold all responsibilities to anything criminal or otherwise activity of the site.

The media mafia wont get far taking a poor guy to court but good lord if they take someone with money to court >>

3220.7.2009 20:08

The pirate bay is only forcing us to now download movies music and games to sell to others to maintain the cash to have a subscription. so in other words they are making piracy worse.

3320.7.2009 22:31

Reality check!!!

Come on Zippy you are smarter than that! They (media mafia) are not even close to that smart. Those rabid dogs will go after anyone or anything, breathing or not. They have gone after Jamie Thomas and not lets not forget printers and fax machines.

Brian0423 you say what???

3429.4.2012 07:03
webpirate1212
Unverified new user

Who wants the piratebay now???...Pirates don't pay..They steal... There are a lot of torrent sites on the internet..Lets exclude the piratebay link from the google search results..

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