Do you know any [Bit]Torrent site used to inform to others about LEGALLY SHAREABLE non-functional data, and whose recommendations don't rely on file formats and codecs used mainly by non-free software?

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ADFENO
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Joined: 12/31/2012

Sorry for the "loooong" subject line.

It's very self-explanatory:

Do you know any [Bit]Torrent site used to inform to others about LEGALLY
SHAREABLE non-functional data, and whose recommendations don't rely on
file formats and codecs used mainly by non-free software?

As some contrary examples:

* LegitTorrents.info: The site APPARENTLY informs only about legally
shareable content (in general, not just non-functional data, which would
actually end up recommending non-free functional data, but that's
another story), but there's no real standard as to which codecs and file
formats should be made available there.

* Content uploaded directly in Archive.org: Same as above. Although it
does create some near-to-low quality automated derivatives using Ogg
container, Vorbis audio and Theora video (if there is some need for
video). HOWEVER, last time I checked (I have an account there), the
derivatives mentioned are only made if the uploader allows the Internet
Archive do so. Besides, the uploader can also chose a license that
denies non-commercial redistribution (no license/default copyright
license). Besides, the files supplied BY THE UPLOADER could lead users
to use these instead, thus not solving their dependency on these codecs
and file formats used mainly by non-free software.

* VODO.net: No real standard as to which codecs and file formats should
be made available there. Some older publications don't have license
notices allowing non-commercial redistribution. Some "pearls" like
Emperor (violence and insinuation of adult content, great story,
moderate time taken to evolve, provided under format and codecs used
mainly by non-free software), and of course, Sintel (excelent, format is
MP4 and containers are mainly used by FREE software! :D, plus embeded
subtitles).

* Mininova.org: It is said (particularly by those who wrote the
Wikipedia content about the site) that it only allows legally shareable
content (same problem as LegitTorrents.info, functional data included),
and it also has no real standard as to which codecs and file formats
should be made available there. Some "pearls" include Seven Dead Men
(moderate violence, good story, boring time taken to evolve, format and
codecs used mainly by non-free software).

* s/ThePirateBay/${WHATEVER_DOMAIN_THEY_RE_USING_NOW}/p: Needless to
say: pure disorder. Although there are some "pearls" there, like Sita
Sings the Blues (awesome movie, by the way, the "gnupraven" user
provides Ogg + Vorbis + Theora of the 1080p version of the movie), and
Nasty Old People (light violence and adult content, excellent story,
takes a long time to evolve, provided using format and codecs used
mainly by non-free software).

* Jamendo.com: Doesn't provide [Bit]Torrent downloads. There WAS a time
when they used to do so (and allowing Ogg + Vorbis downloads!). Besides,
their site doesn't work well if you disable the non-free JavaScript, so
we as supporters or activists of the free software philosophical
movement can't recommend people to go get content from there directly.
Although I somehow understand perfectly why they have chosen to remove
the [Bit]Torrent downloads (because once an unauthorized redistribution
of the data is made through [Bit]Torrent, it's hard to stop, and Jamendo
has been the favorite place for such disgusting activities, I remember
that, when I had an account there long ago, I REPORTED THREE of these
activities). Besides, although I NEVER uploaded audio files there, see a
common practice of the artists to upload their work using codecs and
file formats used mainly by non-free software, AND SO I GUESS that
Jamendo accepts only these as input.

* Bandcamp.com: Same as Jamendo.com, INCLUDING the site which doesn't
work well if you disable non-free JavaScript. EXCLUDING the absence or
presence of OFFICIAL [Bit]Torrent downloads (which I DON'T KNOW, and
HAVEN'T FOUND YET) and alternative download formats and encodings (which
SEEMS to vary).

* Jamendo.com archives in Archive.org: Same problems as the content
uploaded directly in Archive.org, except that when a content gets
removed from Jamendo.com due to copyright infringement, it doesn't get
removed from Archive.org right away. I know some content that is still
there.

That's what I have to say so far.

I'm actually interested on participating in a joint effort to provide
INFORMATION/POINTERS as to where to FIND the contends which follow the
IDEAL criteria described here, similar to what The Pirate Bay does (they
don' provide the content, they just inform it's location, EXCLUDING the
fact that they don't manage what is informed there as they just provide
the structure). HOWEVER, I'm not skilled at server administration,
although I can lend ONE hand in the questions regarding evaluation of
the content's copyright (by downloading it through the very same
[Bit]Torrent information provided and checking for proofs, which would
only prove positive results if the ORIGINAL content had sufficient
meta-data or human-readable data to prove the legality of non-commercial
redistribution).

I hope I haven't overloaded you all with information. :D

onpon4
Offline
Joined: 05/30/2012

So, basically, you're looking for something like The Pirate Bay, but with a censorship policy for anything illegal or using patented formats?

I guess that would be doable, but it would require a lot of manual work, naturally, and I doubt it would have many participants. Your best bet would be to use The Pirate Bay or something like that as a base and filter it. Might be somewhat useful, I suppose, just to browse for new stuff.

ADFENO
Offline
Joined: 12/31/2012

Well.. Now that I think about it, it could really be troublesome as it
would be considered, by the user, as an attempt to censor the user.

I guess I just have to keep looking for the legally shareable
non-functional data that is provided via [Bit]Torrent and which uses
only codecs and formats used mainly by free software, and hope to be
able to download through it so as to be able to also be a content
seeder/provider too. Other than that, I'll probably have to create my
own [Bit]Torrent file or magnet link and make it available somewhere
for those who want it. :D