Battleangel

What is so wonderful about it? Well, it is individualistic and collectivistic at the same time. People are free to share or withhold data but either way they have to face the consequences. If everyone cooperates the outcome will be far more profitable for everyone than if they just look after their own house. It’s a beautiful thought .. but it is also deeply flawed.

Q: How long did it take me to move to a hacked DC++ client?
A: About 2 days.

The main reason for going with a hacked client is simple. At least if you’re on DSL like I am. Since the stream is half duplex, total download bandwidth affects upload bandwidth and vice versa. There is just no way you can please everyone. Like I said above, the most profitable scheme would be if everyone cooperated. Well, we (humans) aren’t very good at this. It seems we do put ourselves first and act for our own benefit no matter what. And as a DSL user the choice is simple. Kill or be killed. So the answer is an upload limiter. I have no problem sharing as long as it doesn’t compromise my goals.

And just look at the criteria of some of the hubs. There are often an insanely high port requirement and a kind of bandwidth fascism. I accept neither of this of course. Armed with dynamic IP, a changing Nickname and a hacked DC++ client I play it my way, the only logical way.

Here is what I do not get. The really ironic thing is the quasi morality that DC people (like so many other outgroups) protect themselves with. For instance, free speech is not accepted in most DC hubs. Nor are you always allowed to share all types of files. Political talk is rarely accepted. Nor is questioning the rules of the hub. Plus a large number of other infringements on personal freedom. Isn’t it hypocrisy to stand for freedom of information (and defy copyright) while not upholding free speech?
I’m not surprised though. Extremist outgroups often display this kind of behavior. I.e. they try to be some kind of moral ubermensch in order to come to terms with the dissonance in what they do or believe and what their society will accept. This is not a conscious process of course. It does however make the stay on DC a very unpleasant one and it forces users like me to take action.

The “original copy” DC++.
The hacked version DC++ BlackClaw.
Another hacked version DC++ K.