road runner - Gizmodo

posts about #roadrunner more →
Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
World's Fastest Supercomputer Is World's Largest, Tackiest Case Mod Too
Roadrunner Military Supercomputer Sets Processing Record
Roadrunner Beware: Real-Life Crotch Rocket Spotted in the Wild
RoadRunner Bluetooth NeckSet Translates Throat Vibrations Into Phone Conversations
HBO on Broadband: All-You-Can-Eat Movie and TV Downloads
Road Runner Service to Double Download Speed in Q1 2007
Time Warner Cable Support Trouble? Here's the Magic Password
Road Runner Troubles: Is It Us?
Gizmodo Ink

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

bonedog73
10:32 AM

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
I have a decent job and I pay for my media, movies, music etc.... sometimes I pay for crap and it pisses me off, but that's why the interwebs are so handy, we get to voice our opinions about everything, and review everything.

So some of us will get stung by crap purchases and let everyone else know it's crap.

The best way for consumers to affect the MAN is with our wallets.

My guess is the reason most of you use the torrent system to pirate is because you dont have the money to purchase products you want.

Even though the large pirates operate outside the bounds of the law little pirates still act as promoters of content by pirating it.

Maybe the MAN needs to figure out a way to help the have nots get the stuff they want, ad supported maybe??
Reply

bonedog73 was starred bonedog73 was unstarred

UnderLoK
08:59 AM

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
You know what scares you straight? Watching people get arrested and some sent to jail. One bust in 99 sent a few up the river and a massive one in 2001 sent plenty more.
Reply

UnderLoK was starred UnderLoK was unstarred

blash
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
The last time I got caught was for downloading the BF2 expansion packs - Euro Force and Armored Fury. It was only after I downloaded them and had copyright violation notice in hand that I realized that they were completely worthless without a unique CD key since the installations are tied to your BF2 account and persistent stat tracking.

Oh, the irony.
Reply

blash was starred blash was unstarred

Joe Geronimo
12/03/09

@blash: they are included in the new 1.5 patch :)

i bought special forces directly from ea and can't friggin install it, go figure
Reply

blash promoted this comment Joe Geronimo was starred Joe Geronimo was unstarred

blash
12:25 AM

@Joe Geronimo: Yeah, I had downloaded them years ago back when they first came out. Nice to know my Expansion Pack DVD is worthless though =S
Reply

blash was starred blash was unstarred

Yerzriknot
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
If Kyle doesn't have any private trackers I'd be happy to hook him up with IPTorrents; you can email me at okaa92 (at) gmail.com
Reply

Yerzriknot was starred Yerzriknot was unstarred

Kaiser-Machead
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
Pfff, what a load of shit. Optimum sent me something like this before.
My bird got to read it for the day after his cage was cleaned.

Don't click things like that. I just close it and open a new window.
Reply

Edited by Kaiser-Machead at 12/03/09 6:44 PM Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred

Alfisted
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
So they respond to (alleged) piracy by hijacking your computer?
Reply

Alfisted was starred Alfisted was unstarred

Gene
12/03/09

@Alfisted: Perhaps it seems like it, but serving up a different page than the one you asked for is not "hacking" your computer. If you've ever seen a welcome/logon screen for many wifi networks it's the same thing.
Reply

Alfisted promoted this comment Gene was starred Gene was unstarred

Alfisted
12/03/09

@Gene: Not entirely the same thing - the logon screen allows you to access "their" network. In my house, it's "my" network.

I don't really have a problem with this, I just find it a tad ironic.
Reply

Alfisted was starred Alfisted was unstarred

OCEntertainment
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
As someone who has to deal with confused, unknowledgable computer users on a fairly regular basis, I am less than pleased to discover that such a big ISP is resorting to misinformation and scare tactics to get someone to stop file-sharing. Claiming that peer-to-peer programs "can lead to identity theft" and can contain "viruses and pornography" may certainly have some truth to them, but they act as though peer-to-peer programs are somehow unique and extra dangerous in this respect. A browser can lead you to viruses and porn just as easily (if not easier) than a P2P program. They don't bother clarifying how you could use a P2P program properly, preferring instead to condemn the whole dang protocol. I mean, heck didn't Mininova just go legit? I suppose they still deserve to be run out of business?

I suppose it wouldn't bother me as much (though still quite a bit) if the information wasn't completely out of place in an infringement notification. If you're infringing, you likely know how. If you don't know how, this P2P talk is just gonna make your computer an even scarier demon.

You're sort of right, Kyle. They're not assuming you're a criminal. They're assuming you're an idiot.
Reply

OCEntertainment was starred OCEntertainment was unstarred

screemname
12/03/09

@OCEntertainment: Hmm, I'd say you've never been in a house with parents and kids using the same computer?

Lots of parents have no clue what's running in the background of the family computer, and that Jr. has a bunch of illegal downloads running while Dad is checking his stock.

I think this Web browser warning is a great way to hopefully give parents a heads up on possible problems they could be in from irresponsible kids doing this.
Reply

NorwoodIsMyHero promoted this comment screemname was starred screemname was unstarred

NorwoodIsMyHero
09:28 AM

@screemname: I'd imagine OCEntertainment's been in a house with parents and kids using the same computer, but you make valid points. If my kid was doing this stuff and I didn't know I'd appreciate my ISP sending me a reminder that my kid might need the leather end of my belt against their hindparts!
Reply

NorwoodIsMyHero was starred NorwoodIsMyHero was unstarred

Digo
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
I live in Brazil, we got more piracy than Somalia. The ISP's are just happy we're paying for their shitty service and not pirating that to.
Reply

Digo was starred Digo was unstarred

aniteshj
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
Isn't this some many kinds of illegal? Like spam/malware illegal that keeps producing popups and tabs of advertisers websites and online casinos?

Screw them. Telus can send me all the warnings they want I keep jacking up my download rate each time just to let them know they aren't getting to me.

And thats only after 1 warning, when I did maybe 10gb a month. Now I pull 10gb every few days just to spite them. And they can't do shit. Otherwise I would have been disconnected a while ago.
Reply

Kyle VanHemert promoted this comment aniteshj was starred aniteshj was unstarred

Theophilus P. Wildebeeste
12/03/09

@aniteshj: @dragonfire312: They did not hack any computer, all that the ISP did was re-direct the traffic, just like a motel or airport's WiFi service does to make you pay to use the service, or what Comcast does if you mistype a URL.

Nothing illegal there.
Reply

Kyle VanHemert promoted this comment

EBone
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
'I am aware of this issue and will take steps to resolve it'

I wonder if by clicking on that link, basically saying you agree to the terms they are stating in the browser intrusion, you are opening up yourself to liability to being prosecuted by the RIAA/MPAA etc. should you transfer a 'suspect' file in the future. Ponies or any other attorneys want to weigh in on this?
Reply

Edited by EBone at 12/03/09 6:03 PM EBone was starred EBone was unstarred

GraphicoFantastico
12/03/09

@EBone: Indeed. That was my first thought. Clicking that qualifies as some sort of admission of guilt. Hard to say. I probably would have force quit the browser to get out of it without clicking.
Reply

EBone approved this comment GraphicoFantastico was starred

Kyle VanHemert
12/03/09

@EBone: Great. Now I'm wondering.
Reply

Kyle VanHemert was starred Kyle VanHemert was unstarred

EBone
12/03/09

@GraphicoFantastico: I'll bet if you force quit it just hijacks and pops up the next time you launch the browser.
Reply

EBone was starred EBone was unstarred

EBone
12/03/09

@Kyle VanHemert: I'm not trying to scare you. Based on your scroll bars, your screen shot didn't show the entire webpage. Was there any other language we didn't see?
Reply

EBone was starred EBone was unstarred

nutbastard
12/03/09

@EBone:

nah, you aren't required to be informed of laws in order to be prosecuted for breaking them. it wouldn't even help their case since a click isn't legally admissible given that it's not possible to identify who clicked it.
Reply

nutbastard was starred nutbastard was unstarred

EBone
12/03/09

@nutbastard: No, you don't have to be informed of laws to be prosecuted, but it sure makes things a lot easier. Also, it's not possible to identify just who torrented files, but that hasn't stopped the RIAA from going after people. Wasn't there a case a couple years back where grandma said it was her 10-year old granddaughter who downloaded the files, but the RIAA didn't care, it was grandma's computer and they were prosecuting her.
Reply

EBone was starred EBone was unstarred

Digitallysick
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
how can they do that? unless in fact you are using their dns?
Reply

Shamoononon: I shave my legs. promoted this comment Digitallysick was starred Digitallysick was unstarred

Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
12/03/09

@Digitallysick: Some people are masochistic.
Reply

Hello Mister Walrus
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
It's a good thing that they alerted you. Surely you were "not aware" that these file-sharing activities were happening on your computer, what with all the malicious third parties out there.
Reply

GuyWithDogs
12/03/09

@Hello Mister Walrus: Tell them it was your cat...
Reply

Hello Mister Walrus promoted this comment GuyWithDogs was starred GuyWithDogs was unstarred

Hello Mister Walrus
12/03/09

@GuyWithDogs: That wouldn't work. Everyone knows my cat is always busy downloading child porn.
Reply

Slinkytech
12/03/09

In reply to Time Warner Hijacked My Browser Because of Piracy
I thought they couldn't monitor what you looked at or downloaded....?
Reply

Slinkytech was starred Slinkytech was unstarred

panzerjedi001
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: I'm sure every ISP has a database full of their users' internet usage.
Reply

Slinkytech promoted this comment Kyle VanHemert approved this comment panzerjedi001 was starred panzerjedi001 was unstarred

steven.griswold
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: They can't, but they can tell if you're filesharing by the type of traffic you're generating (e.g. constant stream of data being uploaded/downloaded, multiple concurrent connections to different IPs over the same ports, etc.). Plus if the copyright holder submits a complaint, it's because the user's IP is publicly available due to them using a public tracker, and this IP can be traced to the user.
Reply

Hello Mister Walrus promoted this comment Kyle VanHemert approved this comment steven.griswold was starred steven.griswold was unstarred

AndPreciousLittleofThat
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: That's what makes Time Warner different than, say, your nosy mom.
Reply

@MrMrazberry
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: they don't really monitor what you download, they monitor hashtags of popular torrents and thats how they find them listed under your host machine.
Reply

Hello Mister Walrus promoted this comment @MrMrazberry was starred @MrMrazberry was unstarred

YoungethKinsaul
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: In my case they got a letter from warner brothers an knew what movie i downloaded an everything.
What happens is they put out fake files or become peers on files an just get you IP adress
Reply

crackel promoted this comment YoungethKinsaul was starred YoungethKinsaul was unstarred

rustymills18001
12/03/09

@Slinkytech: What? Large Bitorrent files take up huge amounts of bandwidth, clogging the 'tubes'. And if its the entire Buffy tv series that would probably piss off any ISP provider enough to send a C&D letter.
Reply

Slinkytech approved this comment rustymills18001 was starred rustymills18001 was unstarred

crackel
12/03/09

@YoungethKinsaul: This is indeed what they do, why bother going to the ISP and trying to figure out what stream is what, all they have to do is connect to the stream. Sometimes they do put out fake or broken torrents just for the sake of frustrating downloaders and contaminating shares.

Some time ago, a company that worked for the studios was discovered to be sharing torrent parts that had identical hashes but were junk, in effect poisoning the stream and ruining everybody's download.
Reply

crackel was starred crackel was unstarred

Slinkytech
12/03/09

@rustymills18001: To answer your "what?", my comment was a question, which your comment answer, as well as others.
Reply

Slinkytech was starred Slinkytech was unstarred

chadsircy001
11/17/09

In reply to World's Fastest Supercomputer Is World's Largest, Tackiest Case Mod Too
Fifty years from now someone is going to buy this off of ebay, turn it into a clock and post it on hackaday.

Reply

Navin R Johnson approved this comment chadsircy001 was starred chadsircy001 was unstarred

Navin R Johnson
11/17/09

@chadsircy001: One can only hope it a clock that plays Pong. #jaguar
Reply

Navin R Johnson was starred Navin R Johnson was unstarred

KingRadical
11/16/09

In reply to World's Fastest Supercomputer Is World's Largest, Tackiest Case Mod Too
Maybe I'm just bieng anal, but 'petaflops-per-second' is redundant. FLOPS stands for Floating Point Operations Per Second.

Also, typo:
'Then it surpassed IBM's _10.4_ petaflop/s supercomputer' #jaguar
Reply

ripfire promoted this comment KingRadical was starred KingRadical was unstarred

RuBBa_cHiKiN: The real question is can it fit in the Batmobile?
11/16/09

@KingRadical: So exactly how many seconds per second can this computer do? #jaguar
Reply

ripfire promoted this comment

ripfire
11/16/09

@KingRadical: petaflops-per-second would mean that for every second, the supercomputer would increase its floating point operation power by 10.4x10^15. #jaguar
Reply

ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred

ripfire
11/16/09

@RuBBa_cHiKiN: 1 #jaguar
Reply

ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Gizmodo Team

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment