P2P-Zone  

Go Back   P2P-Zone > Peer to Peer
FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Peer to Peer The 3rd millenium technology!

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 23-02-22, 07:07 AM   #1
JackSpratts
 
JackSpratts's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New England
Posts: 10,013
Default Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - February 26th, 22

Since 2002































Early Edition



February 26th, 2022










Elon Musk Says Streaming Services are a Nightmare and he may be Right

Streaming services got us hooked to watching our favourite movies with comfort, but over time it has become an annoyance, so much so that Elon Musk is talking about it.

Shubham Verma

• Elon Musk said entertainment today has become a nightmare.
• He referred to the increased hassle to managing passwords and 2FA.
• He apparently urged people to switch to pirating again.

Elon Musk has sparked a debate on Twitter. In his latest tweet, the tech and space honcho called streaming services a nightmare for entertainment and for the right reasons. Musk showed he has a problem with the login system of streaming services, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and I can relate to it.

Sparing nearly no one, Musk shared the iconic “distracted boyfriend” meme on Twitter to compare Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+ with The Pirate Bay. The boyfriend in the meme clearly represents Musk and several other streamers who once were distracted by Netflix, turning away from The Pirate Bay. But he seems no longer interested in them, so much so that The Pirate Bay managed to distract him back. That is the perfect analogy to show how streaming services have sabotaged the ease of streaming they introduced in the first place.

As it with memes, what Musk shared is light on details. But he may have hinted that using pirate websites is more convenient than streaming services today. Is he right? I think he may be.

The rat race

Netflix spearheaded the streaming revolution by giving customers easy access to all popular and anticipated movies and shows. But the streaming market is no longer just about Netflix. Amazon dipped its toes into the market with Prime Video in 2006. A year later, Netflix made it big. At present, there are tens of streaming services. Walt Disney has Disney+, Warner Media owns HBO Max, and Apple has Apple TV+. Besides international services, customers also have the option to switch to local streaming services, such as HoiChoi in India.

The existing diversity in the online video streaming market is good for competition and, with more choices, customers are at an advantage. However, at the cost of convenience. That is exactly what Musk has underscored through the meme.

With exclusive streaming rights, each streaming platform wants to promote itself. For instance, you can find Marvel, Pixar, and Disney content exclusively on Disney+ (Disney+ Hotstar in India), while for titles like Mirzapur and Panchayat, you go to Amazon Prime Video. But on pirate websites - which are illegal, you find everything in the same place. It is also not something that streaming companies can solve, because that would not be good for their individual business.

Managing passwords is not easy

To be able to access streaming services, you have to manage their credentials i.e., usernames, passwords, security questions. And if you want added security to your account - which you should, you have to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) that gives you access to your account only after authentication with passcodes.

This is perhaps the pain point of consuming entertainment legally - and the one Musk is referring to. It is difficult to manage passwords for each streaming service if you are not into password managers. On devices that support browsers such as Google Chrome, it is still easier to log in because you have the option to save login details, but when you have to log into a TV, your saved logins do not come into use. There is an entirely different process for logging into TVs, and it is cumbersome, to say the least.

I absolutely hate it when Netflix asks me to enter my email address and password manually. I am still fine with phone-based text inputs, but using the remote control to do that just takes that annoyance to the next level. Amazon Prime Video asks you to scan the QR code or go the conventional way of entering usernames and passwords manually.

More security, more steps

Two-factor authentication is good for account security, but it comes with caveats. For instance, if you have enabled one-time passwords, you should keep your mobile phone ready. Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, and some other streaming apps allow you to log in using a mobile number and a one-time password. And if that is the only way you have been using to log in to these services, you can get stuck in a situation when you have to use Disney+ Hotstar on a new device but, say, your phone is not working or dead. Using code-generating apps, such as Google Authenticator or Authy, is also a task if you compare it with the ease with which you simply land on a pirating website and download your favourite movie.

The bottom line is that despite several login methods available, there is not an easy way to get started with streaming on a new device, especially a television.

Is pirating the way to go?

Musk may have hinted that he prefers pirating now and that streaming services need to sort out the mess. And this could very well be him strongly urging people to consider pirating again. I do not know, but even though piracy is illegal, it is convenient in terms of finding titles you want to watch without putting in the extra effort.

The Pirate Bay does not need you to go through so many steps just to be able to stream or download a movie. Advertisements on pirating websites are an issue only until you activate an ad-blocker in the browser. Alternatively, websites like BitTorrent offer an ad-free experience through a premium subscription. It also accepts cryptocurrency now, if that is what some people call the easiest way to pay online these days.

Websites that let you pirate movies and shows have a huge collection, irrespective of the platforms they are originally available to watch on. Just go to a website and you will find Marvel movies, Amazon Prime Video shows, Netflix Originals, and much more at a single stop. On the other hand, you need different subscriptions for different streaming services. Some of them give you access to some shows for free, but to watch locked content, you have to pay.

But this is not a battle between paid and free services. The growing subscriber base of streaming services across the world shows people are willing to pay, but that should not happen at the cost of less convenience.

Musk’s concern with the login system on streaming services is legit and with popularity like his, a tweet calling streaming services a nightmare can influence people to switch to pirating again. That may turn out to be a big loss for streaming services. So, unless they want their precious paying subscribers to go, they need to convert this nightmare into a beautiful dream.
https://www.indiatoday.in/technology...198-2022-02-22





‘Omi in a Hellcat’ Case: YouTube Star Says he Pleaded Guilty in Federal Piracy Case

A New Jersey YouTube Star, known online as ‘Omi in a Hellcat’ says he has pleaded guilty in what federal prosecutors say was one of the largest illegal TV pirating rings they’ve ever seen.

Bill Omar Carrasquillo took to his YouTube channel earlier this month to share the news that he had pleaded guilty in the case.

"I’m letting you guys know that I’m pleading guilty," Carrasquillo said, adding that the decision came after long talks with his attorney.

"It sucks to lose my house, to lose properties, money, all my cars, my jewelry – it’s an embarrassment," he added. "This is to kind of let you know man that you don’t want to take easy routes in life."

Carrasquillo says in his video that he also did not pay his taxes and that his plea was about ‘accepting responsibility.’ He had previously claimed past accountants and tax preparers got him into tax trouble.

After a two-year investigation, the 34-year-old was named in a 62-count federal indictment. The charges included conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, tax evasion and fraud.

The indictment claimed that from 2016 to 2019, Carrasquillo and two partners created an illegal multi-million dollar TV streaming empire. It claims his company stole and retransmitted cable signals from companies like Comcast and Verizon FIOS. Subscribers would pay a $15 a month subscription for access to premium cable channels, on-demand movies, and pay-per-view events, according to the indictment.

Over the past several years, Carrasquillo gained internet fame and became known by his millions of followers for showing off his high-end cars, expensive jewelry, and megawatt smile.

Carrasquillo was arrested in his home back in September. The arrest was live-streamed to his followers on social media.

Shortly after getting out of federal custody, Carrasquillo spoke with FOX 29 outside of his Swedesboro home that was dotted with nearly a dozen high-end Mercedes, Jeep and Dodge vehicles.
YouTuber ‘Omi in a Hellcat’ speaks out after arrest in federal piracy case

Local YouTuber Bill Omar Carrasquillo, known as ‘Omi in a Hellcat,’ speaks with FOX 29's Chris O’Connell after he was accused by federal authorities of heading a massive digital piracy scheme.

"I don’t think I ever did anything wrong. Obviously, I was running businesses wide open in the public. Now, we are going to have our day in court," said Carrasquillo.

"You are saying you are completely innocent of those charges?" asked FOX 29 reporter Chris O’Connell. "Not completely innocent would be a false statement. Ignorance is no excuse for the law," said Carrasquillo.

"I found a loophole, I ran through it and I did great. There is other colleagues in the same business I was in and they never got in trouble with the FBI," he added in his Sept. 2021 interview with FOX 29.

Carrasquillo said at the time that he knew an arrest could be imminent. Back in November of 2019, his sprawling home was raided by agents who hauled away more than $35 million in assets. The government confiscated dozens of properties around Philadelphia and more than 50 vehicles, including a $205,000 Bentley, a $140,000 Tesla and a $233,000 Rolls Royce.

In his video, Carrasquillo says he is awaiting sentencing and that he faces up to 10 years in prison.
https://www.fox29.com/news/omi-in-a-...al-piracy-case





Report: Qualcomm will Support AV1 Video Codec in 2023

The open source, royalty-free codec should hit most flagship Android phones next year.
Ron Amadeo

Protocol reports that Qualcomm will finally jump on the AV1 video codec bandwagon next year. AV1 is the web's next open, royalty-free video codec, and widespread adoption will require hardware support from the world's chip vendors.

Qualcomm's 2022 flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, doesn't support AV1. Samsung's Exynos 2200 managed to ship the video codec this year in international versions of the Galaxy S22, while the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 SoC has been shipping in phones for over a year now with AV1 support. Apple is a founding member of the AV1 Alliance, but its devices also don't support the codec yet.

The report says Qualcomm's "upcoming flagship Snapdragon mobile processor"—model number "SM8550"—will support AV1. That would probably be called the "Snapdragon 8 Gen 2" SoC, due out in 2023.

Wide adoption of AV1 seems inevitable, though it is taking a while. The codec is a successor to Google's VP8 and VP9 codecs and is being built by the Alliance for Open Media. The alliance's lineup is a who's who of tech companies, with founding members like Amazon, Apple, ARM, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, Nvidia, and Samsung. Netflix and Google's YouTube are both making AV1 support "a requirement" for future products that want to support either video service. That should motivate just about every hardware and software vendor out there to get the job done.

AV1's major competition is H.265, aka HEVC, developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). Some tests show the newer AV1 codec having 30 percent higher efficiency than H.265, but what really matters is that AV1 is royalty-free. When using the H.265 codec, vendors have to pay various licensing fees for H.265's patented technology, while AV1 members have pledged to pool their patents to create the royalty-free codec. Being open source and royalty-free also means that AV1 support is welcome in open source codebases like Firefox and Chromium, while H.265 is not.

Google is going all-in on AV1 adoption and is already building custom AV1 video transcoding hardware for its YouTube data centers. The company is also requiring AV1 support for Android TV devices and is going to war with companies, like Roku, that have been reluctant to roll out support. Google's Hardware division is the company's main laggard; there is no AV1 support yet from the Pixel phone line or Chromecast/Google TV. Getting Qualcomm on board would mean that nearly every 2023 Android flagship smartphone would support the codec.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022...codec-in-2023/





Windows 10 and 11 21H2 Data Wiping Tool Leaves User Data on Disk

A big security flaw for those wishing to clean a PC to pass it on.
Mark Tyson

Microsoft MVP Rudy Ooms has discovered that the built-in Windows data wiping functions aren't doing their job. In other words, say you want to sell on or recycle a PC system, and you prudently use the "Reset PC > Remove Everything" option. That should be a good way to wipe your drive, but there will still be personal data left behind on the old system. This error applies to both local and remote wiping of PCs running Windows 10 version 21H2 and Windows 11 version 21H2.

Sorry for ruining your Sunday, but performing a remote or local Wipe on Windows 10 21H2 also leaves the userdata readable in the Windows.old folder#intune #mem #msintune #mempowered https://t.co/439FCyh59MFebruary 20, 2022

Ooms first discovered that there were problems with the disk wipe functionality provided by Microsoft when doing a remote wipe via Microsoft Intune system management. However, he has tested several Windows versions and both local and remote wiping over the weekend to compile the following summary table.

At the bottom of the table you can see that both Wipe and Fresh Start options appear to work as expected in Windows 10 and 11 version 21H1, but are ineffectual in versions 21H2. Ooms installed and tested these four OSes, with local and remote wipe operations, then checked the results.

The most common issue was the leaving behind of user data in a folder called Windows.old on the "wiped" or "fresh start" disk. This is despite Microsoft warning users ahead of the action that "This removes all personal and company data and settings from this device."

Bitlocker Protection Is Also Removed

In his blog post, Oooms notes that some users might feel assured that their personal data was always stored on a Bitlocker drive. However, when a device is wiped, Bitlocker is removed, and he discovered that the Windows.old folder contained previously encrypted data, now non-encrypted. It was also noted that OneDrive files, which had been marked as "Always Keep on this device" in Windows previously, remained in Windows.old too.

Ooms has kindly put together a PowerShell Script to fix this security blunder by Microsoft. One needs to run the script ahead of wiping / resetting your old device. Hopefully Microsoft will step up and fix this faulty behaviour in the coming weeks, so you don't need to remember to run third party scripts.

If you must reset or refresh a PC soon, you could just restart the reset / refreshed device and go into Windows to check for and delete the Windows.old files manually. Then a wipe-free space utility might be useful to make sure any sensitive data can't be recovered using any undelete style utilities. Always double-check the contents of the drive after wiping, as you might not only find your old files in Windows.old but also on other storage hardware installed in your PC / laptop.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/wi...s-data-on-disk





The US Copyright Office Says an AI Can’t Copyright its Art
Adi Robertson

The US Copyright Office has rejected a request to let an AI copyright a work of art. Last week, a three-person board reviewed a 2019 ruling against Steven Thaler, who tried to copyright a picture on behalf of an algorithm he dubbed Creativity Machine. The board found that Thaler’s AI-created image didn’t include an element of “human authorship” — a necessary standard, it said, for protection.

Creativity Machine’s work, seen above, is named “A Recent Entrance to Paradise.” It’s part of a series Thaler has described as a “simulated near-death experience” in which an algorithm reprocesses pictures to create hallucinatory images and a fictional narrative about the afterlife. Crucially, the AI is supposed to do this with extremely minimal human intervention, which has proven a dealbreaker for the Copyright Office.

The board’s decision calls “the nexus between the human mind and creative expression” a vital element of copyright. As it notes, copyright law doesn’t directly outline rules for non-humans, but courts have taken a dim view of claims that animals or divine beings can take advantage of copyright protections. A 1997 decision says that a book of (supposed) divine revelations, for instance, could be protected if there was (again, supposedly) an element of human arrangement and curation. More recently, a court found that a monkey couldn’t sue for copyright infringement. “The courts have been consistent in finding that non-human expression is ineligible for copyright protection,” the board says.

This doesn’t necessarily mean any art with an AI component is ineligible. Thaler emphasized that humans weren’t meaningfully involved because his goal was to prove that machine-created works could receive protection, not simply to stop people from infringing on the picture. (He’s unsuccessfully tried to establish that AIs can patent inventions in the US as well.) The board’s reasoning takes his explanation for granted. So if someone tried to copyright a similar work by arguing it was a product of their own creativity executed by a machine, the outcome might look different. A court could also reach an alternate conclusion on Thaler’s work if he follows his rejection with a lawsuit.

Even so, the Copyright Office is highlighting the importance of human agency in machine-produced works. As AI becomes a bigger part of artists’ repertoires, the limits of that conclusion could be tested for years to come.
https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/21/2...ce-to-paradise

















Until next week,

- js.



















Current Week In Review





Recent WiRs -

February 19th, February 12th, February 5th, January 29th

Jack Spratts' Week In Review is published every Friday. Submit letters, articles, press releases, comments, questions etc. in plain text English to jackspratts (at) lycos (dot) com. Submission deadlines are Thursdays @ 1400 UTC. Please include contact info. The right to publish all remarks is reserved.


"The First Amendment rests on the assumption that the widest possible dissemination of information from diverse and antagonistic sources is essential to the welfare of the public."
- Hugo Black
__________________
Thanks For Sharing
JackSpratts is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - July 16th, '11 JackSpratts Peer to Peer 0 13-07-11 06:43 AM
Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - July 9th, '11 JackSpratts Peer to Peer 0 06-07-11 05:36 AM
Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - January 30th, '10 JackSpratts Peer to Peer 0 27-01-10 07:49 AM
Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - January 16th, '10 JackSpratts Peer to Peer 0 13-01-10 09:02 AM
Peer-To-Peer News - The Week In Review - December 5th, '09 JackSpratts Peer to Peer 0 02-12-09 08:32 AM






All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© www.p2p-zone.com - Napsterites - 2000 - 2024 (Contact grm1@iinet.net.au for all admin enquiries)