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Back when I was doing a lot of woodworking one of these would have been the real deal.
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Imagine if there was a plugin for web browsers that would kick in when you visit pages of Wikipedia. It would add download links at the bottom when ever there is downloadable content available through Bittorrent, Usenet, or any other source. These links would blend in to look like part of the page. Clicking such a link would start a download to your local computer through a built-in download manager. For example you go to the Wikipedia page of the movie Terminator 2, and it has links to download that movie.
Piracy of content is pretty common already, but this would take it to the next level so that grandma will start doing it too. No more complicated software to install, no shady web sites to visit for finding the content, no difficulty in finding specific content.
The plugin queries a shared database, so there is no central place to shut down the system.
Of course a huge challenge is to index up all the content, but perhaps the bulk can be done through automation, and the rest through volunteers. The same could be done to assess the quality of the content. Over time all media content that is relevant in the world would be indexed and available to any person in the world for free.
Surely this is illegal, so Im not advocating that anyone should create such a plugin. But just imagine if someone did. That would be the end of copyright.
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bjoernen wrote: Of course a huge challenge is to index up all the content, but perhaps the bulk can be done through automation, and the rest through volunteers.
Just have it query Tribler. That's almost the decentralized database you're looking for (well, no usenet), and it already exists.
Small problem: you'd have to get your grandma to install this plugin.
Then again, grandma installs all the plugins. And toolbars. And anything else that can be installed.
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Oh gawd yes. (She's not my grandma, but...)
One elderly lady I fix computers for (she is the mother of a non-technical friend) installed so many toolbars her browsing window was one inch (2.5cm) high... 
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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Elderly ladies never install toolbars on their own. Scumbag motherf***** web designers wrap sh*t around their innocent-seeming pages to install this crap.
Software Zen: delete this;
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And the elephants that add them to the installer for this, and that, and the other...and make the default "yes I want to install this" 
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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bjoernen wrote: Over time all media content that is relevant in the world would be indexed and available to any person in the world for free.
On a totally unrelated note (hint: </sarcasm>): I'd like to hire you. You won't get any payment but as you suggest that all the work of the media companies should be free, I assume that you work for free too....
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 I wish I could work for free and still manage to survive. Don't we all?
I'm just pointing out in what direction the internet is heading. All the technology for creating such a plugin already exists, and the grass root movement is already in place, which can be seen at sites like Kickass Torrents. So eventually someone will do it.
And the rest of us (programmers, media production companies, etc) will have to figure out a way to adjust.
Regards,
Björn Morén
Stockholm, Sweden
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bjoernen wrote: I wish I could work for free and still manage to survive. Don't we all?
NO. I like earning more than the average wage.
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bjoernen wrote: I'm just pointing out in what direction the internet is heading.
Much more optimistic than I was reading the other day. Lots of doom and gloom over throttled speeds and content restrictions. Even Google fighting to be able to control how much bandwidth they give what content, the rest of the pack doing the same they have been doing for ages.
But by adjust I assume you mean write custom commercial software rather than ever bothering to write something for people's home use again. Unless it's a personal project maybe.
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Why do people believe that because it is easy to share copyrighted content -- with advent of digital sharing systems -- that it means it is morally or legally okay to do so?
A magazine did a study with brand new iPods where they placed them in easy to get to locations with no one watching. When they were easily stolen iPods were taken. For example leave the iPod on the dash with windows down and someone walking by takes it. Simply raise the windows and the iPod goes untouched.
They also placed iPods in top of shopping bag in a food court and they were stolen. In both instances the thieves say, "well, I thought someone had lost it?" Lost it on the dash of their car? It is an easier lie to tell yourself and believe that because it is easy and you didn't hurt anyone or smash anyone's windows, that you didn't really steal it.
The people in the world who believe that they are just helping you share your stuff by stealing it are the worst people in the world, because they cannot even be convinced that they are doing anything wrong.
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If all content was free its quality would be so crap it wouldnt be worth having so no, your idea is stupid.
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Not necessarily: Google is free. (ad supported)
FarceBook is free, YouTube also, Skype, Wiki, ITV in the UK, ...
(ok, the last one is a problem: ITV only shows cr@p, but then so do most of the other channels, including ones you have to pay for)
Free doesn't automatically mean rubbish, any more than buying a ticket to see a movie automatically makes it worth watching! 
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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Free in exchange for all the data they can gather from you for marketing purposes. Which is a rather frightening amount. It's worth more than anyone would be willing to pay themselves for any of the services you list, and you can sell it to anyone who asks.
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OriginalGriff wrote: Not necessarily: Google is free. (ad supported)
FarceBook is free, YouTube
also, Skype, Wiki, ITV in the UK, ...
Quite. A convincing list of crap.
if you really think the likes of Terminator can be produced and paid for by adverts and product placement you are wrong. Not only would the quality of the product be so low as to be crap the constant breaks for adverts would render the experience horrible.
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Erudite_Eric wrote: the constant breaks for adverts would render the experience horribl
So you have watched a movie on ITV then?
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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... CodeProject is free  !
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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What? 
They didn't get your credit card info when you signed up?
I shall notify the hamsters immediately!
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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OriginalGriff wrote: I shall notify the hamsters immediately!
I bribed them with used toilet rolls...
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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I am sooooo glad you deleted that word...
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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FYI - These are not actually free, they are paid for by advertising. It's an important distinction, really, because somewhere, somehow someone is getting paid. With everything is shared, no one is making any money. But, sharing is good if you're on the getting side.
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Yes, just imagine somene walking into your house, eating your food, leaving their garbage behind and saying, "But, it's all free, right? Isn't that would you espoused?"
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This already exists as an app that you can install rather than a plugin.
It's name... I forgot... mostly because it's only useful for downloading prawn movies...
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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GuyThiebaut wrote: it's only useful for downloading prawn movies
What a shellfish application!
Never underestimate the power of stupid things in large numbers
--- Serious Sam
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