Posted 10.22.2010 at 5:12 pm
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Pirate Blimp (artist's rendering)
Pirate Parties International, the central group that unites all of the disparate political Pirate Parties in other countries, recently had a meeting wherein a particularly bonkers proposal was discussed. The problem: Where can servers that store data frequently seen as unsavory be kept? The solution: Hanging from a giant balloon in the sky?
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Technology, Dan Nosowitz, balloons, blimps, file sharing, ideas, not so great ideas, piracy, piratesSome of those might be more feasible than others.
Last week, the group's mailing list included discussion of a possible airborne server, hooked up to either a blimp (solar-powered, of course, like the Nephelios) or a weather balloon. That craft would both keep it safe and, in the words of one Swedish engineer, "hopefully irritate the crap out of authorities in as many countries as possible." Of course, this idea isn't totally practical, since the group has limited resources and an airborne server presents a whole host of problems (not least of which is how to keep it in the air for an extended period of time).
Other suggestions included a low-level satellite, which is more expensive but actually a better idea--it's permanent, it's already been done, and it operates in less dubious legal waters. Not to say that it wouldn't be great to see a giant floating balloon attached to a server in the sky, but it might only happen when pigs fly alongside it.
[Forbes]
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Go pirates!
Sealand isn't the only option, just the most expensive.
There are several other Micronations that exist that could easily fulfill the need.
Great, until some nation "accidentally" shoots the blimp down!
from coral gables, fl
Smart consumers = pirates
Mindless drones = authorities
The pirates will always outsmart the authorities and thats for the better.
This is like Street Of Eyes the book :P
Ha-ha-ha-ha. ... Blimps and Sats ??
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Probably two of the most vulnerable platforms in existence.
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How long before some private contractor shreds it with something akin to a UV beam weapon? .. Directed E/M Pulse? .. Or before some anonymous drone sprays corrosive agent all over the gas envelope?
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Satellites tend to have little accidents, as well. There are a plethora of surreptitious solutions, to THAT tact.
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But as bait ?? ... Just for the sake of controversy ? Sure.
Honestly, doesn't this sound just like the DNA banks Trevor Goodchild's totalitarian government used in Aeon Flux?
I'm a professional musician and a recording engineer/producer. I help people create the music that pirates steal. My client's don't have big record companies distributing their music - they pay for the recording and promotion themselves in hopes of making at least some of their money back and furthering their musical careers. I don't get why so many people think pirating is a good thing. I used to make my living doing this. I can't now. One of my clients spent about $15,000 on his CD project - recording costs, paying the players, duplication costs - and he told me that one night, on a gig, a guy came up and said "Dude! I love your CD! I love it SO MUCH that I musta burned at least 50 copies for my friends!" He didn't know if he should thank the guy or strangle him.
@gnattmann, Now 51 people who would otherwise be unaware of this artist know his/her name and appreciate his/her talents. Pirating may be the fast track to fame for this client of yours. Oh and the sob story is bs... you say you can't make a living anymore, yet you have clients and call yourself a recording engineer/producer.
agreed ... wikileaks mildocs, even worse.
yeah ... please ... put everything you have on a blimp and float it over my ranch!
SKEET TOURNEY ... THIS WEEKEND !
BTW, When you insert yourself, as an obstacle, in a multi-billion dollar revenue stream, it has the very same effect as a bug zapper (zzZZZT-pfffFFT-sss!!). Good thing you didn't get any intelligence operatives killed ... whew!
Any final requests?
Stay and school and stop torrenting from your parents house and/or neighbors unencrypted wifi. Oh, and milks good for your bones.
@BuzzLightYear I very much doubt that destroying someone's property because they are violating copyright will ever become legal, but I am not positive.