FTP Mirroring

[Andy]

Hello all,

I always hoped we would never have to have a rule for this, but unfortunately we do.

It has been brought to my attention that some members have been mirroring the FTP server and making it available to people outside of the forum. As a result, we now have to have the following rule instated.

FTP Server Contents
- Mirroring the contents of the FTP server should be for personal use only and distribution to anyone outside of the forum is forbidden. The reasons for this can be discussed with you if requested.

As any regular member would know, we keep the contents private for a reason. That reason is so far we have been left alone on the basis we have strict rules over who gets access to the files on the FTP. If we let the FTP or it's contents become public for anyone to access, without contributing to the forum and whether using our server or someone elses, we are more likely to be looked at and come after by various authorities or companies for copyright breeches. It is for this reason we do not allow the mirroring of the FTP except for personal use, and on the understanding it is not put up for public access.

If any user has such a setup, please take it down, or you risk having our FTP taken offline. This is the last thing we want given how successful the site has become. A lot of effort has been put into the preservation of these files, so please don't spoil it for others. You're always welcome to download any file at any time, so you don't need to keep a full mirror of everything.

I hope you understand the reasoning behind this rule. If mirroring continues, we may be forced to put in a GB limit or speed restriction on the FTP, and we don't want to do that.

[Patrick]

What a great rule.

[GuyWithTheDuelDisk]

Ouch, I knew this would happen. That sucks, really.

[linuxlove]

As long as it keeps the files online, I guess we have to do what we have to do.

[aLinux]

agree with you "Andy"


"Ouch, I knew this would happen. That sucks, really."
i think there is nothing wrong in this rule
and its better this way

[The Distractor]

It has been brought to my attention that some members have been mirroring the FTP server and making it available to people outside of the forum.

This is why I refused to do it for ABN. I wonder who brought this to Andy's attention ?

[Suumpmolk]

bleh... nobody i know is interested in alphas/betas
so no harm goes from my end

[Derf]

I don't understand the purpose behind this. If it's not the BA server, surely you're not liable? Is this rule put in place to prevent any potential of future competition?

[Andy]

I don't understand the purpose behind this. If it's not the BA server, surely you're not liable? Is this rule put in place to prevent any potential of future competition?

It's primarily because every build has been labelled with the site name as the people responsible for repacking and distributing it. If it's let loose to joe public then anyone can get hold of it without making any effort at all. We only want to give the files out to people who will use them for the purpose they're intended.

We already know Microsoft/Apple know we exist, but they're watching us and letting us keep going because of our strict rules on who gets them and how.

[hakon]

Andy, it is probably just me who have missed something here, but how to you now they now about us? This is a big page, so i guess the do, but have they said anything about it to you or somebyd else?

[Andy]

I know people who have heard from inside the companies directly, however I am not discussing it any further than that.

[hakon]

Ok, thanks

[Commanderraf]

I thought that allowing access for other users/people to the FTP was a bannable offense (you know, like giving your username and password to other users who aren't allowed to the FTP servers).

I hate when people go around sharing other people's work as it was their own. I don't know which is the current situation, but I guess its like people linking images they find on the net without having permission, stating that those images are theirs and killing the original owner's bandwith in the meantime.

-Commanderraf

Offtopic Comment

Andy, I followed your "How to set up an FTP server" tutorial but I'm having some trouble when trying to connect to it. Can I PM you so you could lend me a hand?

[pizzaboy192]

I like the rule.
@Commanderraf: Agreed with what you pointed out. instead of directly giving someone your password and username, you're using it to give a mass amount of people access to the FTP without needing to login.

Let's put this another way: If you had a massive collection of items that took you a huge amount of time to collect (Let's assume they're digital) and then someone walks into your room with an external drive and copies it all off (And let's assume that some of these are specific to you and\or you've spent hours upon hours of time organizing them properly) and then this person who copies it then not only uses it for their own use, but starts handing the collection to other people claiming it's theirs...
yeah... you'd probably not be happy...

[Andy]

You both got it in one. That is why this rule is now in effect.

@Commanderraf, I'll see what I can do if you send me a PM with your questions/issues.

[leonbollerup]

heh.. in my ears it sounds like a hell lot of work to mirror a 1,3tb ftp versus just telling people to go here to begin with

[Derf]

How'd we get most of the items that are on our FTP server? Did we get them directly from Microsoft, than? Or did we mooch off of other people's collections in the beginning?
Just out of curiosity, of course.

[leonbollerup]

most likely the later...

[Andy]

They have all been donated uploads since OSBA days and repacked properly for the best chance of archiving in the future.

[GuyWithTheDuelDisk]

agree with you "Andy"


"Ouch, I knew this would happen. That sucks, really."
i think there is nothing wrong in this rule
and its better this way

I meant what happened sucked.

[klaiser]

i have no access but maybe for the future is the rule ok for me. the traffic is expensive.

[Andy]

i have no access but maybe for the future is the rule ok for me. the traffic is expensive.

Traffic isn't the problem, it's people who redistribute it without realising the damage they can and are doing to the site.

[Random_User]

We already know Microsoft/Apple know we exist, but they're watching us and letting us keep going because of our strict rules on who gets them and how.

If the Microsoft Corporation and the Apple Corporation know that this site exists, then that means that they could have potentially remotely infiltrated the security of the network on which the web server for this site resides on and are gathering as much evidence as possible. Furthermore, they probably know that some of the users here work for Microsoft.

Also, why would they let you keep going if they know full well that all it takes is one user to leak everything from the FTP Servers?

Ouch, I knew this would happen. That sucks, really.

How does this rule suck? I don't get it. The only users for who this would suck are those who were making mirror FTP Servers available outside BA.

Even without this rule, that is still against the rules which clearly state that leaking builds from the FTP Server is prohibited.

[Andy]

Random_User, I think DualDisk meant he knew the FTP would be mirrored, not that we would make a rule against it. And he even confirms that in his last post if you read it.

We haven't had official confirmation from the companies themselves, however employee's have made it known to us their relevant departments know about us. Why they have not chosen to act is probably down to our strict rules about who gets access.

They can't remotely infiltrate the network of a datacenter, it's far too secure. If they just gain access like any other use and get FTP access then that's probably enough against us anyway.

The point is, they leave us alone because we're small and don't advertise ourselves. Members do that for us. The FTP is protected by the rules for this exact reason, and mirroring is just one more thing we have to prevent.

[Random_User]

I don't consider the contribution rules to be strict. All a user has to do is post 10 contributing messages to gain access to the FTP Server and 25 in order to never get the account removed.

This can easily be done in less than a day. After that, it's easy for anyone in the Advanced Member usergroup to leak files from the FTP Server.