Calling the P2Pnet readership idiots (whether they are idiots or not is the matter) is not giving P2Pnet a good image.

You defend yourself constantly by simply stating this is your “opinion”, not “news”. I’m sorry, but this is not how good journalism works. Even columnists must back their opinions with facts. Misinformed statements aren’t an OPINION, they’re a show of IGNORANCE.

- Jeff T.

I have great admiration to Bram for developing the worlds greatest filesharing app to date. He is however only human, susceptible to the same foibles as any other person.

To think that he wouldn’t sell the rights to BT to enrich his family’s life is folly. Altruism tends to fly out the window when you are barely making it living on donations and you are suddenly offered large sums of money for your creation.

To believe that the cartels wouldn’t come up with a way to control all use of BT if they acquired the rights to it is self delusional.

Face it, p2p apps have a short shelf life and the more popular the app the shorter it is. Even if none of the points in the article are true (and I’m sure some research went into this), BT’s days are numbered.

BT will eventually fall, probably sooner than later. The good news is that undoubtedly something will replace it, almost sure to be even better. Historically p2p has always had a major technical advantage over its adversaries and at least since napster, has always anticipated the next move.

“So, what happens when BT is in bed with the cartels? Well, the usual: Lots of heavy petting, groping…and finally…the average p2per gets “screwed” when the cartels buy the company “BitTorrent” from Bram, and have the so-called “legal right” to close down every tracker, and arrest and sue as many innocent people as they wish, at the very least for “using” THEIR BitTorrent technology “illegally”.”

Oh wait, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT… the problem with you “op-ed” piece is that its pure trash and stupidity… it tarnishes p2pnet

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/12274166.htm also points out that Bram and BitTorrent’s COO met with them recently so it does look like they want to do business with Bram. However, I really doubt that the MPAA can outlaw anyone from using the BitTorrent protocol.

I’ve watched Bram speak a few times and he’s referred to the RIAA and MPAA as cartels so it would be disappointing to see him working with them.

I think the movie industry is interested in setting up a service similar to BT but with DRM included so that they can have complete control over the distribution.

I still don’t see how they can take over BitTorrent protocol though.

i was refering to the probable millions he received/will receive from the cartels.

and if you notice, it is an op-ed piece, labeled as “p2pnet.net News Views”. duh. get it? “VIEWS”, not “NEWS”.

as a regular contributor – and roving reporter for p2pnet – i was asked to contribute my comment as an op-ed piece.

if you ever grow up and have an original idea, maybe jon will publish it.

So what?!

READ, idiot!

“p2pnet.net News Views”

maybe one day when you grow up, you might have an original idea and we’ll post it here.

quite funny thanks for the LOL

So then what the hell is your argument?

Besides its open source, its not like it will disappear from public usage.

ugg…kids these days.

. . . u have got to be on crack to buy into this story

you’re supposed to be a writer for gods sake. how can you call this news???

what a joke!

This is the type of uninformed bullshit one would expect to find spewing from Earthstation5`s ( scam p2p application ) Sharepro

Bram moved with his family and you acuse him of stealing money ? What sort of idiot are you ?

There`s just so much wrong with this `story` I`d expect no one to take it the slightest bit seriously , shame this will end up everywhere on the net with p2pnet`s name

Please , jon , for the sake of this great site — dont allow useless rants like this story to filter onto this site

http://www.slyck.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13238

I posted this story from here on Slyck’s forums and I think this was an interesting response to Catflap’s story:

“Isn’t this inaccurate?

“and finally…the average p2per gets “screwed” when the cartels buy the company “BitTorrent” from Bram, and have the so-called “legal right” to close down every tracker, and arrest and sue as many innocent people as they wish, at the very least for “using” THEIR BitTorrent technology “illegally”.”

Under the GPL license, BT is open-source, and will remain that way. I think if a company modifies it for proprietary use, they must release the source code, under the terms of the GPL license.

The developer of the code, as owner of the GNU/GPL license, can write a non-free program using the same code, but cannot withdraw or make illegal the original free program.

See this section of this page:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhatIfSchool

I would like to release a program I wrote under the GNU GPL, but I would like to use the same code in non-free programs.
To release a non-free program is always ethically tainted, but legally there is no obstacle to your doing this. If you are the copyright holder for the code, you can release it under various different non-exclusive licenses at various times.

Is the developer of a GPL-covered program bound by the GPL? Could the developer’s actions ever be a violation of the GPL?
Strictly speaking, the GPL is a license from the developer for others to use, distribute and change the program. The developer itself is not bound by it, so no matter what the developer does, this is not a “violation” of the GPL.

However, if the developer does something that would violate the GPL if done by someone else, the developer will surely lose moral standing in the community.
Can the developer of a program who distributed it under the GPL later license it to another party for exclusive use?
No, because the public already has the right to use the program under the GPL, and this right cannot be withdrawn.”

And yes, he is a family man at 29. Good for him. I am also 29, however no children and not married. But I do have lady friends. Some would say that is genius.

Again, my vote is for no on Bram. Time to scrape him off his high tower.

i’m also pretty sure that he’s been married for several years and has at least one child. i remember reading a bit about/from him in the past.

so yes, he’s a genius. yes he’s a family man. can he do all those things you listed? i don’t know. can YOU?