Free resources

[ptex]

It's all about managing resources
I opted to create a new thread on this so we could compile and share some of the free resouces we find out there.

To kick-off this thread I found a service which allows Free VOip calls (Voice calls made through the Internet Protocol for more info on VOip please check : wikipedia VOip definition) for landlines in some countries. For all those interested, please check http://www.voipbuster.com

[shezmear]

looks great, i will read up...

[InfoSource]

Would P2P programs like Kazaa lite and limewire be considered as free resources? They are free software which you can use to download free movies, music, and a great many other things

I'm sure most of you probably have it or know where to find it so I'm guessing links are not needed

[ptex]

Would P2P programs like Kazaa lite and limewire be considered as free resources? They are free software which you can use to download free movies, music, and a great many other things

I'm sure most of you probably have it or know where to find it so I'm guessing links are not needed

InfoSource, in this case, the best I can do is give my personal opinion as I have no authority as to decide of what should or not be included.

P2P software allow people to exchange digital resources that can be either legitimate or illegitimate (MP3s, Videos, Software, etc.). Much of the offered material is of dubious origin and many is in direct violation of International copyright laws and ethical principles.

I don't want to enter the discussion of this legitimate thing and will leave to each individual to analyse and decide accordingly. Just a curious event: P2P software is notably infamous as being among the most unreliable and unsafe software one can find (the potential hazards are indeed too numerous to mention).

Could we think of this event as Universal Law's way of re-balancing things? Even in such an illusive issue as software and digital resources? I leave the conclusions to the reader

[Lena]

I'm using my Kazaa right now, actually. I only download and share music that can't be bought at the store. I haven't had any problems with it so far *knock on wood*

as far as free resources go, I have a free google email account and I can "invite" people to get one (I think there was a thread about this before) I'd definately reccoment getting yourself a gmail account. just email me if you want one.

[TomJansen]

I think gmail is the most relaxed mailservice I've ever seen.

I used to download and share special music and videos with Bittorrent and Soulseek.
Now last night I was a bit shocked to read,
that for every 2M bytes transferred over the Internet, an electricity center must burn about 450 grams of coals. That's about 160 kilograms for a 700MB big movie!
Knowing this will certainly change my Internet behaviour.

[anonymousbeing]

According to Biomass Energy Foundation, the brown coal has minimum energy density of 8MJ/Kg.
Downloading a file of 700MBytes requires 1.28GJ (minimum). Do you know how much energy is that? NONSENSE.

[Lena]

that for every 2M bytes transferred over the Internet, an electricity center must burn about 450 grams of coals.

I find that hard to believe. do you have a link to the article you read so I might understand more in detail?

[ptex]

Now last night I was a bit shocked to read,
that for every 2M bytes transferred over the Internet, an electricity center must burn about 450 grams of coals. That's about 160 kilograms for a 700MB big movie!
Knowing this will certainly change my Internet behaviour.

TomJansen, That's a very good issue you brought up!!
Although agreeing about the technical details can be rather polemical, I think the real issue is a bit beyond that. It's about that for every little action of ours, even something as inconspicuous as Internet downloads, there are unforeseen (or hidden) events behind it! One example that pops to my mind is using train as a means of transportation. Ok, so the train is electrical, but to produce this electricity (at least in my country where we still have little other alternative forms of producing electricity) I can only but wonder about how much coal is needed to be burned to produce that kind of power... but I believe this discussion belongs to another thread, this one is about free available resources
Nevertheless the context is very much accurate regarding Kazaa, P2P in general and other downloads and as a corollary, we (and I speak for myself here) get inspired to look deeper beyond mere appearances in everything we can
So: Well done indeed!!

[TomJansen]

that for every 2M bytes transferred over the Internet, an electricity center must burn about 450 grams of coals.

I find that hard to believe. do you have a link to the article you read so I might understand more in detail?

I read it in a Dutch magazine, but I just found that the statement comes from Mark Mill of The Greening Earth Society. He wrote The Internet begins with coal [link1 link2].

But: The Greening Earth Society is founded by the Western Fuels Association. It is dedicated to the idea that CO2 emission would be good for the environment. Its goal is to convince people that "using fossil fuels to enable our economic activity is as natural as breathing". The following article is doubting the scientifical validity of Mark Mill's research:pseudoscience: A Threat to Our Environment.

It is not clear to me, whether the Internet computers take more power directly for increased data traffic; or whether the computers just take power regardless of the amount of data. In any case, more data traffic asks for more computers, so indirectly it asks for more power.

Talking about free resources, what about "free energy"? Would Thiaoouban spaceships be "powered" by "free energy" from the zero point field?

[InfoSource]

Just a curious event: P2P software is notably infamous as being among the most unreliable and unsafe software one can find (the potential hazards are indeed too numerous to mention).

I should have replied sooner but I've delayed a response because of simply laziness & forgetfulness

In my experience of using of P2P programs like Kazaa Lite I've found them very reliable for getting the software (ex. video games) I wanted, there were problems at times, which are outlined in wikipedia's P2P page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P2P

Attacks on peer-to-peer networks

Many peer-to-peer networks are under constant attack by people with a variety of motives.

Examples include:

* poisoning attacks (e.g. providing files whose contents are different from the description)
* denial of service attacks (attacks that may make the network run very slowly or break completely)
* defection attacks (users or software that make use of the network without contributing resources to it)
* insertion of viruses to carried data (e.g. downloaded or carried files may be infected with viruses or other malware)
* malware in the peer-to-peer network software itself (e.g. distributed software may contain spyware)
* filtering (network operators may attempt to prevent peer-to-peer network data from being carried)
* identity attacks (e.g. tracking down the users of the network and harassing or legally attacking them)
* spamming (e.g. sending unsolicited information across the network- not necessarily as a denial of service attack)

I've downloaded some programs that were poisoning attacks, and programs that had viruses, the problems of viruses and poisoning attacks were easy to fix, so all in all I've really not had a problem with P2P programs

Onto another potentially free resource, and that would be free video sites like Google Video, or youtube where you can watch many free videos and upload your own homemade video onto the website

Perhaps someone should upload the Japanese interviews of Michel onto either google video or youtube for more exposure of TP

Links

http://youtube.com/
http://video.google.com/

[ptex]

Perhaps someone should upload the Japanese interviews of Michel onto either google video or youtube for more exposure of TP

Links

http://youtube.com/
http://video.google.com/

Very good sites you mention here!!! Does anyone know of any rights (copyright, etc.) issue to be addressed before being able to upload the videos?
There's a thread to suggest good ways to increase exposure of TP: TP becoming a collector's item? How 2 widespread TP's reach? Infosource, would you consider posting these resources there?

Another interesting free resource I found is regarding Five Excellent Mind Habits to Develop.
And shortly these are:

• 1) Never let an undefined word pass you by
  2) Try doing everyday sums in your head
  3) Learn about something you wouldn't normally bother with
  4) Read non-fiction rather than fiction (I guess in this forum we already do this more or less often )
  5) Always be ready to question your own beliefs (I enjoyed particularly the following statement:
  "(...)This habit can be one of the most difficult of all to develop, but it is also one of the most important."

The site is full of interesting information and some is free, so I invite all interested to explore the site

[ptex]

I was browsing the Internet searching for collaborative networking tools and found out the following resource, which I think is among the best I've seen: 101 Fabulous Freebies
The selection of software is very good and it's bound to have something for everyone.