... untill they take down those "root servers".
There's alaways a way to kill an online system!
Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
271–280 of 414 posts
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#272People have been trying to make alternative DNS name systems and alternative root nameservers a thing for 20+ years now. Has never caught on. On the other hand I 100% endorse sci-hub having a presence as a tor service.
Handshake has a number of mechanics built into it that I think give it a stronger chance of succeeding than previous attempts. It's similar to how there were numerous failed digital currency attempts before Bitcoin figured out all the mechanics necessary for success. Some of these mechanics are: - There is no centralized party that owns Handshake. This allows for any party to step in and contribute to the protocol. W…
>There is no centralized party that owns Handshake.
Historically, blockchains haven't been terribly firm on the "irreversibility" point. Ethereum reversed the DAO transactions. The BTC rollbacks in 2010 and 2013. Etc etc.
In practice, whoever owns the client update server and whoever has 51% of the hashing power can make arbitrary changes to the chain. For most cryptocurrencies, a meeting of these stakeholders could fit into a phone booth.
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#273People have been trying to make alternative DNS name systems and alternative root nameservers a thing for 20+ years now. Has never caught on. On the other hand I 100% endorse sci-hub having a presence as a tor service.
IMO not enough "useful" content is not reachable via "normal" DNS for anyone to care about the alternative DNS systems. Sure, sites like TPB and Sci-Hub need to switch to a different domain from time to time bringing some annoyance to their users, but that's about it. Only if all domain registrars at once started actively removing "shady" domains would an alternative DNS ever come to spotlight.
Also, wouldn't those in audiences for sci-hub be motivated enough to trade in direct IP addresses?
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#274There are some comments here that note that sci-hub or Aaron's action on JSTOR data is/was illegal. Just leaving this thought out here -- if laws are considered unjust, it is ok, even noble, to break them. That is how one got rid of apartheid, how colonies became independent and LGBT marriages came to be legally recognized. If not for lawbreakers we would still be living in a world that approves of Turing's treatment…
And who decides which ones are unjust?
I think intellectual property laws are always unjust, but most people disagree with me and they probably think that what sci-hub is doing is wrong.
There are probably some murderers out there who think that murder is justifiable in some cases.
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#275Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wonder if the author of xkcd is ever going to apologize for his comic on free speech.
It seems more correct than ever, no?
No.
It conflates the principle free speech with a narrow legal reading of the first amendment. Whether on purpose, or accident, I cannot say. The alt-text is also only illuminating in the sense that the CCP might heartily agree with it as well, as they see their crusade against free speech as nothing more than maintaining the public order and peace. In publishing the comic and leaving it up, Munroe has done more to damage the principle of free speech in the West than any opinion article I can think of, because it chains together several fallacies in a clever and funny way.
A comic response to xkcd - https://sealedabstract.com/rants/re-xkcd-1357-free-speech/in...
A legal rebuttal to anybody thinking AWS’s actions were legal (they were not, and hopefully a judge will agree soon) - https://cdn.pacermonitor.com/pdfserver/SGS7Z4Y/137165184/Par...
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
If this [1] is the xkcd strip we're talking about, and don't see how Randall Munroe isn't advocating for free speech, nor how it is a left vs right issue. He's simply saying "free speech means the government cannot arrest you for what you say", nothing more, nothing less. He furthermore argues that the right to free speech doesn't mean everyone else can't criticize you, have your shows/books/whatever canceled, shout…
You are confusing the 1st Amendment with 'free speech'. Free speech is a value that is broadly applicable to society, far larger in scope than prohibition from the government.
> You are confusing the 1st Amendment with 'free speech'
I'm not Randall Munroe, how am I confusing anything by simply explaining he doesn't claim to be against free speech but rather is clarifying what he thinks free speech is?
I'm ok if you disagree with him, but please don't make claims about what I think, when I didn't say what I think.
I was replying to a comment arguing that xkcd doesn't support free speech because the author is leftist. I showed the author does support what he believes is free speech. That's all.
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#277There are some comments here that note that sci-hub or Aaron's action on JSTOR data is/was illegal. Just leaving this thought out here -- if laws are considered unjust, it is ok, even noble, to break them. That is how one got rid of apartheid, how colonies became independent and LGBT marriages came to be legally recognized. If not for lawbreakers we would still be living in a world that approves of Turing's treatment…
I agree that "if laws are considered unjust, it is ok, even noble, to break them." But it is kind of dangerous position at the same time. I am sure, people who stormed the capital are sincerely believe that situation was "Unjust" for them.
There are nonviolent ways to break the law, usually that suffices. In a democracy/republic it should then come down to the numbers.
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#278CEO of Namebase here. We posted the original tweet announcing the news[1]. If any of y'all have questions about how sci-hub.hns works or how Handshake works in general I'll be online today to chat! [1] https://twitter.com/NamebaseHQ/status/1348707701744922625?s=...
How does your service differ from NameCoin?
Handshake has taken a lot of lessons from previous attempts at alternative blockchain DNS roots like NameCoin. Here are some ways its different:
- Handshake names are not *.bit domains like NameCoin they're actually top-level domains. This is because Handshake's purpose is not to decentralize domain names per se but too decentralize the root zone and create a more secure root of trust than Certificate Authorities [1]
- Handshake name auctions were spread out over the course of the first year after launch to prevent early adopters from hoarding all the good names. For instance, .crypto was available in the first few weeks after launch but .information isn't available until next week. This is important because early adopters hoarding names prevents latecomers from supporting the protocol.
- Handshake names are sold via vickrey auction instead of a flat fee. Different names are more valuable than others. Flat fee pricing allows a hoarder to arbitrage that fact by being first whereas auction pricing ensures that names are better distributed. .X sold for 311k HNS[2] (about $40k) whereas other names sell for a few cents.
- Handshake has a light client[3] that can trustlessly verify DNS records on-chain. This is critical because very few people run full-nodes, so without a light client the majority of users would rely on third parties which provides worse security than users resolving names in a decentralized manner
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20995969 [2] https://namebase.io/domains/x [3] https://github.com/handshake-org/hnsd
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#279Earlier quoted context omitted.
If this [1] is the xkcd strip we're talking about, and don't see how Randall Munroe isn't advocating for free speech, nor how it is a left vs right issue. He's simply saying "free speech means the government cannot arrest you for what you say", nothing more, nothing less. He furthermore argues that the right to free speech doesn't mean everyone else can't criticize you, have your shows/books/whatever canceled, shout…
Free speech isn't synonymous with the first amendment. "Freedom of speech isn't freedom from consequences!" is one of the most infuriating lines I've ever had the displeasure to hear parroted. What else could it possibly be, but the general idea of not being punished for saying things? The only thing that matters to the principle of freedom of speech is those consequences. Who cares whether it's a government that dec…
> Who cares whether it's a government that decides that when you express a certain opinion, you lose your job- or twitter?
I actually agree with you. I think the narrow definition that "only the government has the ability to censor speech" isn't useful, especially in an age where some businesses, platforms and corporations have so much power.
I was just correcting the perception that xkcd had a comic "against" free speech (and because "he is a leftist"). It's not against free speech. The author clarifies what he thinks free speech is.
Some people apparently thought because I linked to a comic to correct someone's claim about that comic, that said comic represents my opinion. Puzzling.
Re: Sci-Hub Is Now on the ‘Uncensorable Web’
#280Earlier quoted context omitted.
Handshake has a number of mechanics built into it that I think give it a stronger chance of succeeding than previous attempts. It's similar to how there were numerous failed digital currency attempts before Bitcoin figured out all the mechanics necessary for success. Some of these mechanics are: - There is no centralized party that owns Handshake. This allows for any party to step in and contribute to the protocol. W…
> - TLDs aren't sold for a set price. There's a vickrey auction which awards the TLD to the highest bidder. This creates a better distribution of names than selling at a set price or to the first buyer for real money, USD or EUR or such? where does this money go? or do you have to first mine some cryptocoin, or buy it with real money, and it then goes to the entity 'namebase'? scroll down here to the 'how it works':…
Great question. All Handshake names are registered with HNS through the auction process. Say you bid 1000 HNS on a name and I bid 900 HNS. You'd win that name and pay 900 HNS (the second highest bid price. Importantly, that fee doesn't go to Namebase or any other entity — the coins are burned on-chain so they go to no one.