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Say That Again

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Jan 30th 2004 11:27am





Lindows Using File Sharing To Distribute Operating System

from the legitimate-uses... dept

Over at Lindows, someone has finally realized one of the many ways that file sharing networks are useful as a distribution mechanism. They're now their LindowsLive operating system for free on various file sharing networks, pointing out that it will save them a bundle in bandwidth costs. CEO Michael Robertson admits: "What we're doing is figuring out how we can take advantage of P2P to advance our own business." Amazing. Most execs in the entertainment industry insist there are no ways to take advantage of P2P to advance their business - and here's a CEO who says they're doing just that. Hopefully, this will be used as yet another example of a "non-infringing use" in all the various lawsuits against these file sharing networks. Also, maybe someone should let a few of the angrier (Hollywood-backed) politicians in on the fact that P2P is being used to save companies money.

6 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 30th, 2004 @ 11:41am


    Yeah, and how do you know you're not getting a trojaned version?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Netherlands?

    identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, Jan 30th, 2004 @ 12:37pm

    Do they have a way in mind to block access to the filesharing network in those countries that have outlawed distribution of Lindows under it's current name?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Great News!

    identicon
    Terry Roe, Jan 30th, 2004 @ 4:12pm

    I think this is great news. If businesses start using file sharing to promote their business like this, it will be a nice offset to thos that that denounce filesharing itself. So when RIAA, and others, make noises about how filesharing should be outlawed, perhaps their will be some with financial interest on the other side of the fence arguing its benefits.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Great News!

    identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, Feb 2nd, 2004 @ 7:12am

    A potentially big drawback is that if file sharing becomes the "official" method of software distribution, how can you be sure that the version you are downloading is the real one and not a trojaned version? There is a surprising number of fakes being hosted out there in file-sharing land...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: Great News!

    identicon
    thecaptain, Feb 2nd, 2004 @ 7:57am

    Simple.

    Lindows simply has to publish MD5SUms of the valid ISOs on their sites.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Mats, Feb 2nd, 2004 @ 12:49pm

    Yes, they use an MD5 sum.
    More info about it at Lindowslive on P2P

    You may also be interested in the choicepc.com offer.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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