Comments on: PirateBox: anonymous, stand-alone wireless filesharing node http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 14:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Max http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008391 Max Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008391 Er, wouldn't it just be easier to stand up and shout "is anyone interested in my porn collection? I'll swap lesbian for foot fetish". I don't see the point unless it's illicit data in which case I wouldn't trust a free service not to be a honey trap that logs my MAC address and the the police take (seize) my laptop when I leave the area to find out what I shared. Er, wouldn’t it just be easier to stand up and shout “is anyone interested in my porn collection? I’ll swap lesbian for foot fetish”.
I don’t see the point unless it’s illicit data in which case I wouldn’t trust a free service not to be a honey trap that logs my MAC address and the the police take (seize) my laptop when I leave the area to find out what I shared.

]]> By: fersheezytaco http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008392 fersheezytaco Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008392 I like this idea, but I can see this being mistaken as a bomb and blown up by some overzealous law enforcement if it was left in a public place. I suggest painting it pink. I like this idea, but I can see this being mistaken as a bomb and blown up by some overzealous law enforcement if it was left in a public place. I suggest painting it pink.

]]> By: daneyul http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1009167 daneyul Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1009167 What's the difference between this and just having a dropbox account on a laptop, with guest (no password) access to a public folder? I guess, to answer my own question, the laptop records mac addresses of the logins? Is there more to it? What’s the difference between this and just having a dropbox account on a laptop, with guest (no password) access to a public folder?

I guess, to answer my own question, the laptop records mac addresses of the logins? Is there more to it?

]]> By: BillGlover http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008662 BillGlover Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008662 Beautiful idea. I agree that it should probably be called a "Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box" and be painted pink and blue to soothe the billy club bunch and avoid unfortunate incidents. I also like the idea of a less conspicuous, wall-wart version. The <a src="http://plugcomputer.org/plugwiki/index.php/GuruPlug#Introduction">Guru Plug</a> looks like a candidate if they can solve the heat problem. Beautiful idea.

I agree that it should probably be called a “Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box” and be painted pink and blue to soothe the billy club bunch and avoid unfortunate incidents. I also like the idea of a less conspicuous, wall-wart version. The Guru Plug looks like a candidate if they can solve the heat problem.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008441 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008441 I really don't understand the point of the device. Specifically, how would one actually use it? I really don’t understand the point of the device. Specifically, how would one actually use it?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1012029 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1012029 It's a open (no wep or wpa) WIFI with a file server on the LAN you connect into. You simply view a samba/windows share on the network. It’s a open (no wep or wpa) WIFI with a file server on the LAN you connect into. You simply view a samba/windows share on the network.

]]> By: ian_b http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008484 ian_b Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008484 There's probably a LAMP server joke in there, I'm just not clever enough to put it together. There’s probably a LAMP server joke in there, I’m just not clever enough to put it together.

]]> By: Gilgongo http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1010064 Gilgongo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1010064 Ah, excellent, and just as I predicted five years ago! This device appears to be a primitive ancestor of the "bean" (but I agree a much better name would be "Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box"): "Mary’s main device is her “index.” This is a device the size of a mobile phone which is designed mainly to let her “mine” media and information. She gets this information not from the commercial networks, or even the non-commercial one. She gets it from tiny storage devices that litter her world. On desks, glove compartments, swimming pools, the garden, inside clothes or made into jewellery. These are the “beans” of data given to her by friends, handed out in pubs, clubs or at fuel stations, written by the indexes of others, or other devices. Everywhere you go, there are beans nestling, mostly out of view, somewhere." http://webtorque.org/?page_id=197 Ah, excellent, and just as I predicted five years ago! This device appears to be a primitive ancestor of the “bean” (but I agree a much better name would be “Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box”):

“Mary’s main device is her “index.” This is a device the size of a mobile phone which is designed mainly to let her “mine” media and information. She gets this information not from the commercial networks, or even the non-commercial one. She gets it from tiny storage devices that litter her world. On desks, glove compartments, swimming pools, the garden, inside clothes or made into jewellery. These are the “beans” of data given to her by friends, handed out in pubs, clubs or at fuel stations, written by the indexes of others, or other devices. Everywhere you go, there are beans nestling, mostly out of view, somewhere.”

http://webtorque.org/?page_id=197

]]> By: ericroded http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008281 ericroded Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008281 I thought we were so scared of viruses we had to buy our computers from 5th Ave. boutiques. I thought we were so scared of viruses we had to buy our computers from 5th Ave. boutiques.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008291 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008291 Maybe I'm dense, but how do you access it if it's not connected to the internet? Maybe I’m dense, but how do you access it if it’s not connected to the internet?

]]> By: Xenu http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008296 Xenu Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008296 I've been considering something like this, but hidden in plain view. Like a box for hosting BitTorrent trackers or Tor nodes that was disguised as a lamp, wall wart, or in the electronics of an AC unit. One could setup a p2p server that piggybacks off free wifi and stolen power, without the owners of the building ever knowing. I’ve been considering something like this, but hidden in plain view. Like a box for hosting BitTorrent trackers or Tor nodes that was disguised as a lamp, wall wart, or in the electronics of an AC unit.

One could setup a p2p server that piggybacks off free wifi and stolen power, without the owners of the building ever knowing.

]]> By: Kimmo http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1009066 Kimmo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1009066 +1 Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box, heh +1 Togetherness Unicorn Pony Box, heh

]]> By: Kurt http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008561 Kurt Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008561 Xenu, check out SheevaPlug or TonidoPlug. Xenu, check out SheevaPlug or TonidoPlug.

]]> By: egoVirus http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008563 egoVirus Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008563 Hollywood will just tell congress to make a police force for hunting down "Rogue Transmitters", then use simple propaganda to convince everyone who lives 100 miles from the ocean, or 50 miles from a city that people who download were involved in the 9/11 attacks. The authorities are always one step behind, sure, but, you trip and you're dead... Love the ingenuity here though. Hollywood will just tell congress to make a police force for hunting down “Rogue Transmitters”, then use simple propaganda to convince everyone who lives 100 miles from the ocean, or 50 miles from a city that people who download were involved in the 9/11 attacks. The authorities are always one step behind, sure, but, you trip and you’re dead…

Love the ingenuity here though.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1011132 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1011132 I don't know about you, but that seriously could confuse any person to thinking thats a bomb. My two cents, change the case. lol I don’t know about you, but that seriously could confuse any person to thinking thats a bomb.

My two cents, change the case. lol

]]> By: SamSam http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008583 SamSam Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008583 It's not very well explained in the write-up, but basically you run the software, and it turns your computer into a mini server. If you hook your computer up to a wireless router, now any computer or mobile device in the area can access your local wireless network. They won't be on the "internet," they'll just be on a mini network between the computers. When you go to the appropriate URL on that network, you'll be presented with some kind of interface for sharing files. Any computer on the network can access these files. I could see this being useful in a hackspace or other space where you're reasonably sure you know everyone and no one's malicious. It’s not very well explained in the write-up, but basically you run the software, and it turns your computer into a mini server. If you hook your computer up to a wireless router, now any computer or mobile device in the area can access your local wireless network. They won’t be on the “internet,” they’ll just be on a mini network between the computers.

When you go to the appropriate URL on that network, you’ll be presented with some kind of interface for sharing files. Any computer on the network can access these files.

I could see this being useful in a hackspace or other space where you’re reasonably sure you know everyone and no one’s malicious.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008329 EH Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008329 Unfortunate choice of name. Unfortunate choice of name.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/01/27/piratebox-anonymous-1.html#comment-1008379 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1008379 Damn kids nowadays, back in my time, we had to make do with a shoebox full of discs that went from friend to friend's houses for a weekend... and we liked it! Damn kids nowadays, back in my time, we had to make do with a shoebox full of discs that went from friend to friend’s houses for a weekend… and we liked it!

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