BitTorrent Admin Monitored by US Government, Forced to Dump Linux Sk0t, an ex-administrator of the EliteTorrents BitTorrent tracker is to have his internet connection forcibly monitored by the US Government. If that wasn?t bad enough, the monitoring software is Windows based - which means he is being forced to ditch Linux - or face being barred from the internet.
Scott McCausland (sk0t), the ex-administrator of the EliteTorrents BitTorrent tracker isn?t having much luck lately. Back in September 2006, he pleaded guilty to two charges - ?conspiracy to commit copyright infringement? and ?criminal copyright infringement?. Both charges relate to him uploading ?Star Wars: Episode III? onto the internet hours before the theatrical release, earning him 5 months in jail and 5 months home confinement.
Sk0t has now been released from jail but this doesn?t mean that everything is back to normal.
Back on 17 July, sk0t had to see his Probation Officer for the first time and two days later he had to have a special ankle bracelet attached. This monitoring device is there to enforce the terms of his release: Monday to Friday 08:30 to 21:00 he is free to do as he pleases. Weekends are more restrictive - freedom is allocated between 08:30 to 17:00. The one good thing about this device is that it will be removed before Christmas (Dec 19th).
According to a post on his blog, following another meeting with his Probation Officer, it seems sk0t is having more trouble:
So, I am getting shafted by the Justice Department again??
sk0t was informed by his Probation Officer that he has to have special software installed on his PC so that the government can monitor his online activities. However, what is a more bitter pill to swallow for him is that the monitoring software is Windows only and as sk0t is an Ubuntu user, the Justice Department is forcing him to switch operating systems.
I had a meeting with my probation officer today, and he told me that he has to install monitoring software onto my PC. No big deal to me, that is part of my sentence. However, their software doesnt support GNU/Linux (Which is what I use). So, he told me that if I want to use a computer, I would have to use an OS that the software can be installed on.
Sk0t is left with a tough choice. Give in to the evils of the monitoring software, format his hard drive and install Windows - or be barred from using a PC completely. Continue At Source
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