Community Spirit Thingamajig

yellum

Stemming from this:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130535

Where can a forum / subforum / thread / sticky be placed for people who are willing to download some files for boardsters and put it on cd/dvd for them ?

Same goes for those with DVD writers that are willing to create a few backup dvds for people.

zAbbo

Good Idea

Yavvy

I would be willing to do some downloading some stuff each month.. I could at least do 5 CDR's ..although if there was a large run rate I would expect people to send me their CDRs in and a stamped addressed envlope.

Frank Grimes

I'd second this idea.
As per my post on that thread, I'd say a forum for this would be the better option.
Stickys can be ignored/missed sometimes and as a result could generate random threads. Also the idea would be of a general interest i.e. *nix heads might want distro xy or z downloaded, Windows people might want service pack whatever.
People who would be interested in it, i.e. those on dial up probably wouldn't spend too much time in the broadband forum.
Also, if the idea takes off, one sticky in one forum would be near impossible to navigate/control.
Just my 2c.

davil

Sounds great. Can't wait. I only wish I could help but with a 56k connection and a 10x cd writer I'm about as much use as an underwater hairdryer.

eth0_

Wait....we're not allowed post url's for warez sites, or sell unlicenced software....yet y'all are setting up a community to distribute warez?

Jesus boards is so ****ing double standards.

seamus

Great idea.

I have been looking for something to do with my whopping big 100Mbit connection....

I also happen to have a nice library of all your handy apps at home (adaware, putty etc etc etc - hundreds of them ) which people are always looking for.

Wait....we're not allowed post url's for warez sites, or sell unlicenced software....yet y'all are setting up a community to distribute warez?

Jesus boards is so ****ing double standards.

We're talking about legitimate filesharing. Stuff that people on 56K might take days to download, such as Service Packs, distros.....

Warez would certainly not be tolerated....

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by eth0_
Wait....we're not allowed post url's for warez sites, or sell unlicenced software....yet y'all are setting up a community to distribute warez?

Jesus boards is so ****ing double standards.

Where did anyone say Warez?
If you read through that thread we've all said legal stuff.

davil

I agree with ya Frank on the whole making a forum out of it and not just a sticky.

WizZard

Well, that post generated a lot of interest!!!

I think a forum would be a good idea, maybe Requests.

Again if there was a lot of interest maybe a few peolpe living in the same area could bulk buy CDR's.
It'd end up saving boards.ie users a lot of money I'd imagine. And that can only be a good thing!!!

henbane

Originally posted by eth0_
Wait....we're not allowed post url's for warez sites, or sell unlicenced software....yet y'all are setting up a community to distribute warez?

Jesus boards is so ****ing double standards.

Legal downloads != warez. Warez the double standard?:D

I too volunteer my connection and burner for this should anyone need a hand. Work connection so able to do serious downloading off-peak about once a week.

rymus

If so required to... I'll third the idea.

Never let it be said that I'm not willing to help out the needy

WizZard

Warez would certainly not be tolerated....

I second this. Thats why I put "legal" into my first post.

There more than likely will be a fair amount of muppets asking for Office or suchlike, but I'm sure they can be dealt with the same way they are dealt with in the For Sale/wanted forums at the moment.

seamus

Originally posted by WizZard
There more than likely will be a fair amount of muppets asking for Office or suchlike, but I'm sure they can be dealt with the same way they are dealt with in the For Sale/wanted forums at the moment.

Charter - Anyone asking for full versions of copyrighted software, not available for free download from the publisher, are banned. Permanently.

Easy peasy

[EDIT: I would also say porn is fine, so long as the poster put "PORN:" at the beginning of the topic, and stated again and again that it's a porn download he wants. They also wouldn't be allowed put any links in the post. If someone has no problem then doing it, then let them PM the poster and do it.
Obviously this is a decision for the Admins, as it may be in contravention of what they want

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by WizZard
There more than likely will be a fair amount of muppets asking for Office or suchlike, but I'm sure they can be dealt with the same way they are dealt with in the For Sale/wanted forums at the moment.

Ah yeah, would go without saying there'd be some of that. A few mods would cut that out.

Dustaz

Best idea for a new forum in a LONG time.

Big thumbs up here.

Rabies

Originally posted by eth0_
Wait....we're not allowed post url's for warez sites, or sell unlicenced software....yet y'all are setting up a community to distribute warez?

Jesus boards is so ****ing double standards.

what about :
patches for games.
updates for progs
sdks
freeware
demos

none of that is warez
its got my vote

WizZard

Yeah, any of that stuff should be fine.

I agree with seamus, anything that is

available for free download from the publisher

should be ok!


I also like his attitude to porn! but again I'd imagine that would be the Admin's choice

yellum

There are more legal downloads on the web and p2p than are dreamt of in your philosophies, eth0_

With the increase in size of game demos, MS Patches and the like as well as the glut of non-MS Isos I think theres plenty to be downloaded.

Anything from ftp.esat.net for example.

Actually to make it even more interesting those that are requesting something should offer some service up to the community too.

So if I download a few ISOs for someone that boardster agrees to offer the services of his/her DVD burner to another boardster not just me.

yellum

Originally posted by seamus

I would also say porn is fine, so long as the poster put "PORN:" at the beginning of the topic

Well if this was allowed then I think the word ADULT should be used instead. Trouble is while pron is the most readily available and most popular content online, it too is copyrighted to someone, somewhere.

seamus

Originally posted by yellum
Well if this was allowed then I think the word ADULT should be used instead. Trouble is while pron is the most readily available and most popular content online, it too is copyrighted to someone, somewhere.

Indeed.
Maybe best to avoid that whole kettle of fish.
If people are PMing eachother the links then the content can't be monitored, and you're essentially creating an 'underground'.

yellum

So, I've decided to take my work back underground
To stop it falling into the wrong hands

/me plays Prodigy - Break and Enter

:ninja:

WizZard

Trouble is while pron is the most readily available and most popular content online, it too is copyrighted to someone, somewhere.

Excellent point and well made yellum.

Adult material should therefore probably be banned.

If people are PMing eachother the links then the content can't be monitored, and you're essentially creating an 'underground'.

Thats true seamus, but that may happen everyday for some users, so I don't think a new forum would increase this behaviour.

seamus

Originally posted by WizZard
Thats true seamus, but that may happen everyday for some users, so I don't think a new forum would increase this behaviour.

I was thinking more along the lines of someone asks for adult material, and the proceeds to convince whomever via PM to throw some warez in there. There'll always be a few willing participants to that kind of thing

Capt'n Midnight

WRT warez/adult/copyright etc. doesn't matter what stickies say - if it's illegal, it's illegal
and no amount of word twisting etc... "ignorance is no excuse in the eye of the law"
So you don't need to warn people before banning..

Then there is the second problem - viruses / trojans / borked downloads - since this would be done in the spirit of shareware/other free licenses where there is no charge or a nominal one to cover the media - ie. you are paying 50c or 80c or whatever for the blank CD and wear & tear on the drive and 0c for the act of copying.
So you would of course be entitled to your 0c back. (less admin charges )

BTW: am doing up a Knoppix CD with Irish settings and Utils (zipped swap files Loadlin.exe etc.) to boot into the 700MB Linux image on a microsoft drive from DOS

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
since this would be done in the spirit of shareware/other free licenses where there is no charge or a nominal one to cover the media - ie. you are paying 50c or 80c or whatever for the blank CD and wear & tear on the drive and 0c for the act of copying.

Goes without saying this idea is meant as a non-profit making thing, people refunding the sender the cost of the CD and/or postage (if they want it back) isn't unreasonable.

Yavvy

I think my idea of people sending the CD meida and the stamped addressed envlope to post it back to them would work nicley. and options for meet ups and collections would be easy to arrange too.

I agree this is the best idea for a fourm in some time and captures the spirit of online communities ..good ider yellum

maxheadroom

Agree with Alany, and am more than willing to contribute my broadband and CD burner to this

Atreides

I've both broadband and two DVD-Burners and would be willing to help.

vibe666

you could have a sticky at the top with all the warnings about bannings, and do some txt with a little 'zero tolerance' note stuck to the bottom like the supplied info thats added to the FS posts, that way nobody can claim ignorance.

maybe another sticky with those volunteering, and what services they are offering so posters have an idea of whats available and who to ask.

and two big thumbs up for the idea too. community spirit and all that.

Victor

The thing with the pr0n brings up Censor issues. Make sure every version of the CD is different and don't sell the CD, insist on their own CDs (gets as close as you can to not being a pr0n distributer / seller then).

WizZard

So, will there be a move made on this??

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Ste-

I agree, would make a nice forum. I hated 56k you lose out on so much.

And if you're a newbie are afraid to ask people to download ISO's for you.
So yeah bring it on.

TenLeftFingers

I dont have broad band (yet), but I buy a lot of magazines with freeware software (mostly for linux), as well as ordering things from cheapbytes.com. (for example all the mandrake 9.2 updates on cd for 12 euro (incl. s & h).

I'd be willing to make an organized list of stuff I could burn for people. Quite a few distros and large applications there.

Winters

Originally posted by Rabies
what about :
patches for games.

As Mercury_Tilt has said, this practice has been going on for months on the Battlefield 1942 board. Nobody pays for nothing as long as the CD is passed onto the next person. It may take a week or two, but in the end everyone has the update as long as they asked. It can be done on such a intimite boarsd as the Battlefield 1942 one due to the fact that everyone does know each other well enough and truct each other enough to do it. Im not too sure how it would work on a large scale forum designed specificly for it.

The only think I make sure is that nobody posts their own contact address up. You would have to be quite silly to do so but it may happen. PM's are the way of things.]

TenLeftFingers

List of my goodies: This site is 90% linux before most of you go looking.. Not much of use to a windows user unless youre planning to install linux.

Lots more to come. Ill put W2K service packs and some Linux manuals to add aswell.

Like a previous poster suggested, I think posting CD's in a SAE is the best job (if anyones interested).

vibe666

right, so who do we have to beg to get this up and running? seems like people are itching to get things moving.

could we have it up and running by the end of the week?

Idea's for CD's/DVD's to be distributed:

Linux Distro's, Apps & Updates
Windows Service Packs
Windows Updates (I believe there's a website that does the whole lot as a single download somewhere which you can then run off a CD/HD to bring windows up to date).
CD/DVD full of the latest game demo's/patches/updates/mods
Unified driver CD/DVD (up to date compilation of the most commonly needed drivers)
CD/DVD of all the latest movie previews from apple.com/trailers etc.
Shareware/demo apps complitations in various categories.
Essential utils discs.

did i miss anything?

with a little effort on the part of the contributors we could make this quite organised, so there are multiple sources for lots of the stuff, so nobody is too overburdened with things to do for other people.

for instance, i don't have broadband yet, but i've got a dvd driver coming in the next few days, and a 20gb usb hard drive (might be getting a bigger one if this takes off) and could use it to move data around from people with broadband, but no dvd burner and burn stuff for them and others.

this could really work out well for everyone, so i hope it gets up and running quickly.

i think someone should draw up a preliminary charter asap though before we get up and running so everyone knows where they stand from the word go.

then maybe we can decide on a couple of mods to keep an eye on things (might need a few though if it takes off as there could be lots of people trying to break the rules out of ignorance).

yellum

Patience young grasshopper.

If it does take off it'd need a good name.

Suggestions ? We have Pix n Mix , so we could have Share n Care

Winters

Originally posted by yellum
Share n Care

And the teletubbies could mod it too....

Its all easy until you get to a name isint it. "Bandwidth Hoggers" i think may refelct the forum well

henbane

Originally posted by yellum
Patience young grasshopper.

If it does take off it'd need a good name.

Suggestions ? We have Pix n Mix , so we could have Share n Care

Feel the Burn?

Rip N Burn?

Another possibility (which may get shot down by admins) would be to create a boards ftp site of stuff that is being asked for on a regular basis?

vibe666

Originally posted by henbane
Another possibility (which may get shot down by admins) would be to create a boards ftp site of stuff that is being asked for on a regular basis?

that would use up a lot of (expensive) boards bandwidth though. they'd much rather we did it ourselves.

hmmm. a name.

and where to put it. should it go in society (community spirit) or sci/tech (its gonna be mostly geeky stuff).

how about CD requests or download requests?

i think it might need one or 2 sub categories too if it takes off like it looks like it will.

yellum

Well it could go under thr Community Tab and since its people offering the services of bandwidth or cd burning or dvd burning or whatever else someone wants to offer the community you could call it "Giving back"

Community > Giving Back

A boards ftp site is an ok idea, but the members still need to download those large files anyway.

There used to be a boards direct connect hub before, is it still there ? That would be more useful than an ftp site as it saves the bandwidth for the website itself.

If this no longer exists another should be set up, with legal downloads available

Winters

It would have to go under Community. Society is filled enough as it is.

Giving back is good, but then you also have the whole Taking Away part too .. I seem to like mentioning bandwidth in mine as its all i've though of so far: Bandwidth Hoggers, Bandwidth Beggers, Bandwidth Burners. Must start studing though.


ftp idea isint the best for the reason people still have to download them, its not really changing anythign execpt adding another mirror. also it will eat into boards bandwidth [here i go again ] and would probably require another server maybe as it will need a hell of a good few hard drives if there plans to be loads of linux ISO's and hugh Windows Service Packs and many 500mb game patches and the like.

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by henbane
Another possibility (which may get shot down by admins) would be to create a boards ftp site of stuff that is being asked for on a regular basis?

The idea was brought up for people who are on dial up not being able to download large files, so putting them on an FTP won't really help.

Rabies

How about "Boards Bandwidth Bandits" (tm)

Bard

Two thumbs up for this forum idea!

vibe666

if you want to get all huggy feely about it, how about 'Pay It Forward'?

kinda like the movie. someone helps you out, and instead of paying them back directly (covering their costs obviously), you pay it forward. only without the little annoying kid.

edit: actually, it's kinda growing on me. :eek:

WizZard

Hehe, I like that vibe666

Probably a trademark or copyright infringement though. Something alongh those lines would be cool though.
Lets get a few good ideas together and post a poll.

vibe666

might be, but the film company making a movie about helping other people out then stamping on us for putting their theories into practice would be a bit nasty.

what about 'proxy burners'? :ninja:

Yavvy

how about the B.D.G Boards download group or other variations