BitTorrent going legit - but why buy when you can steal?

Adam Turner
Monday, 26 February 2007 03:58

Opinion and Analysis

As of Monday you'll be able to pay for movie downloads from BitTorrent.com, but why should people use file sharing for good instead of evil?

I'm not condoning piracy, I'm just posing the question. You'd think the people most likely to use BitTorrent.com's legit "BitTorrent Entertainment Network" are those who already use a BitTorrent client such as uTorrent or Azureus. While there are plenty of legit uses for the BitTorrent technology, obviously the number one use is to illegally download files such as movies, television and music. So what makes BitTorrent.com think these people will suddenly be prepared to pay for what they already get for free? Otherwise, what makes BitTorrent.com think it can win over the "happy to pay for stuff" iTunes and Wal-mart crowd?

Will files from the BitTorrent Entertainment Network come down faster than illegal BitTorrent files from the wider internet? Not likely, as the factors that affect peer-to-peer download speeds are still at play regardless. One of the biggest factors is the number of other people sharing the same file, so I'd say legit files will probably come down slower because less people are sharing them than the illegal copies.

Will content be available on the BitTorrent Entertainment Network before it's available illegally? Highly unlikely considering shows such as 24 are now often available via file-sharing networks before they even go to air in the US.

Will the BitTorrent Entertainment Network be easier to use than non-legit BitTorrent services? If you've ever used a good BitTorrent client and one of the big search sites such as isoHunt.com you'll know the process is already pretty close to idiot proof. There's still a risk of the occasional dud download, but far less than there was in the days of Kazaa. If you really need file sharing for dummies take a look at sharetv.org. All the shows are listed by popularity or by network, and all the episodes are there in order. No legit service could make things easier.

Speaking of ease of use, downloading from the BitTorrent Entertainment Network means you're stuck with digital rights management. Who in the right mind wants to pay more for something so you can do less with it?

Will the quality of files downloaded from the BitTorrent Entertainment Network be better? Try watching a 350MB DivX of Lost or 24 downloaded via somewhere like isoHunt. They look as good as DVD, what more can you ask for? Admittedly you occasionally get a corrupted file but, as any internet user knows, you get what you pay for. The occasional dud file is a small price to pay for not paying a price.

But aren't people prepared to pay what they believe is a fair price for a good service? Wrong again. CONTINUED