Downloads all torrents now?

users
#1

I went to download the 4.1.4 upgrade and it looks as if all the
downloads are now torrents.

I vastly prefer to download the files directly.

Is this no longer possible, or is there somewhere these are still available?

I don't believe I should be forced to use a torrent if all I want is
to download a file.

Thanks.

MR

#2

Oh, foo. I used the wrong link.

Never mind - apologies for my clicko....

#3

I believe that using Torrent is a security problem and I would not use it. I hope I never have to
download this upgrade. The system packager should do that for me.

--doug

#4

I believe that using Torrent is a security problem

It isn't. I use torrents so as to share with other users and not stress the LO servers

#5

Hi Doug

doug-2 wrote

I believe that using Torrent is a security problem and I would not use
it.

That is FUD spread by the music and film industry. If the torrent is created
by someone you trust (in this case TDF), even if the data is spread through
the computers of many users (that is the principle of peer to peer or p2p)
you don't trust, they can ONLY send the data that was originally on the
torrent created by TDF.

Torrents are a way to distribute data in a reliable way (data is checked
against the original string) but it has the fantastic advantage that it
doesn't rely on the ability of a single server. Everyone who has
successfully completed the download is then a source for others to complete
theirs.

The fact that the torrent method is used to transmit illegal and copyrighted
material is a consequence of the success of the method.

doug-2 wrote

--
Blessed are the peacemakers...for they shall be shot at from both sides.
--A. M. Greeley

That is sadly very true...

Cheers,
Pedro

#6

Hi :slight_smile:
Many people think it's a security problem before they
1. Use it and poke around to see what is going on, what it's doing (or
more importantly what they are NOT doing!), monitor download/upload
traffic
or
2. Read up on it, study the specs, find out about the protocols or
read through the code of an open source one to see what it would do.

Oddly, people DONT worry about uploading attachments to emails,
playing games online, online banking, giving out credit card info
online, using "The Cloud", uploading to SkyDrive, filling in online
forms, remote desktopping. People seldom bother to check what ports
are routinely open or which flick open temporarily while using
proprietary programs. Lets not even start going into cookies and why
so many apparently innocuous websites need to install a little bit of
code onto your machine. People also feel safe with ActiveX, macros
(in documents using MS formats) and even with Java despite articles in
the news and warnings from Homeland Security.

The most popular password is "password" and has been for decades! 25%
(= 1 in 4) of people use 1 of these three as their pin-number for
credit cards and other banking cards, door access and other
pin-numbers; 1234, 1111, 2222. Each time you use a bank card you get
3 tries. Borrow 4 cards from random people but maybe only use 2 in
one machine before walking on to the next bank otherwise it might look
suspicious. Of course such crimes tend to be discovered later but
recovering the money is more tricky. The card-holders suffer (the
legit and the crim) but not the banks, of course.

Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#7

Hi :slight_smile:
+1
All the error checking is a bit like all the intense quadruple
redundancies built into transporter pads in Star Trek.

Except that if 1 stray atom is out of place the whole image would be
rejected by the torrenting server/host/main-place so no-one can add
their own bits either deliberately or accidentally. I've even known
people to stuff-up and have to re-download the original more than once
because although the image was perfect enough for use it still got
rejected by the torrenting network.

It's often worth asking "where is the money" or "who profits" from
certain rumours. The music and film industry have always been quick
to try to block "independents" from starting up, to the point of
making it tough for bands that start out. Hence all the talent shows
on tele, to quickly start sweeping in profits, test-drive different
groups/individuals in front of an audience and then sign-up those that
look set to make massive profits for the industry.

Oddly, book-publishers always seem to have felt less threatened which
was why they had to make massive adjustments and join in with ideas
like "the kindle". With the right FUD at the right moment they could
easily have dissuaded people from "gimmicks". Similarly with
Microsoft and tablets/phones and other hand-helds. They didn't see
the threat until after it was too late. Now they have had to
drastically re-think and re-design their OSes making them smaller and
lighter instead of carrying on bloating. Just a couple years earlier
they did see the threat from netbooks and were easily able to crush
the entire market. Now people see netbooks as slow, painful and
useless but tablets as fast and efficient.

By crushing the idea of torrenting the film and music industry force
people into using their distribution networks, and avoid needing to
jump into massive redesign and avoid heavy investments in new
technology.

I really liked the irony of the film "Pirate Bay - Away from
keyboard". The Hollywood lawyer (in the film) somehow ended up trying
to get them to admitting to meeting "in real life" and having a
physical office/factory/location so that equipment could be
confiscated and conspiracy charges made. No-one seemed to jump on
that as Hollywood saying the crimes had taken place outside of reality
and therefore how could they be real crimes?! lol.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#8

I went to download the 4.1.4 upgrade and it looks as if all the
downloads are now torrents.

I vastly prefer to download the files directly.

Is this no longer possible, or is there somewhere these are still
available?

I don't believe I should be forced to use a torrent if all I want is
to download a file.

Thanks.

MR

I believe that using Torrent is a security problem and I would not use
it. I hope I never have to

Why?

download this upgrade. The system packager should do that for me.

Ideally, that would be the case, but why should a torrent be a problem?

Tony