To fully understand what VODO is about, please read the description below, but in a nutshell VODO uses the power of p2p distribution to give independent film directors an opportunity at exposure. Once every month a new film will be released and spread by the VODO distribution group, of which ZeroSec is now a part:

WHAT IS VODO?

‘VODO could be a valuable tool for indie filmmakers who recognize that obscurity is a much bigger threat to their efforts than piracy.‘ - Mike Masnick, Techdirt.

Founded by Jamie King, one of the figures behind the well-known filesharing documentary STEAL THIS FILM (www.stealthisfilm.com), VODO brings filmmakers together with the distribution power of the filesharing community. It aims to offer fresh, quality films on a free-to-share basis, promoted and distributed through a ‘coalition’ of filesharing partners that includes big names like The Pirate Bay, Mininova, Miro, TorrentFreak, ZeroSec, VeeHD, Isohunt, Plube, OneDDL, Vuze and Frostwire, amongst many others.

‘Together, the filesharing community has a distribution capacity that rivals and even exceeds that of the mainstream media,’ says King. ‘VODO leverages that power for the benefit of filmmakers and other creators. By sharing films freely through the most popular and fastest growing filesharing sites, we’re building audiences in the hundreds of thousands for our artists. That has material value for these filmmakers, through raised profile, donations and marketing. It’s a win-win situation and it’s the future of distributing media after copyright.’

VODO lets creators manage their own donation links, choosing their own payment provider; all donations go directly to the filmmaker. Regular supporters of the VODO project receive access to all the films being considered for release and can contribute to the selection process.

VODO aims to release at least one film per month during the rest of 2009 and 2010. King says that fiction titles, animation shorts and even stand-up comedy will also be on the distribution list. ‘During 2010 VODO will build out a series of revenue opportunities for its creators, with the free-to-share model at their core,’ he explains.

Following on from the recently added FAQs and a few email requests, I’ve written some info summarising the most common ways people download releases. There’s a lot of discussion, and differing opinions out there when it comes to the best way of downloading releases. Many people have their own preferences, but lots of people don’t fully understand all the available options - with these posts I hope to change all that.

I will try and be unbiased as possible, and just give my honest opinion along with useful info for each of the main ways you can download a release posted here at ZeroSec.

Main Download Options:

• File hosts
• FTP
• Torrents
• Usenet

You can access this FAQ and all the others from the Extras menu, but I wanted to make a main site post for this one so we can hear your opinions, tips and experiences in the comments. As always if you see any problems, or think I’ve missed something drop an email to pandaking[AT]zerosec.ws, or just leave a comment in this post.

Over the past couple of nights, we’ve been asking what we can give; what we can do to help our loyal visitors, because we collectively don’t consider ourselves to be just a release site - oh no. We like to think we listen to you, and one of the things we heard a lot of, was the request for more apps, more operating systems - so I thought we’d start it off with a bang and kick off with an intro into the very latest software, and then introduce you to desktop publishing, anti virus software, audio and visual and of course, office and the options that are out there, as well as an informed consensus on each to provide you with the tools to get your system at its very peak performance. In this post, which looks at the most vital part of your PC that isn’t software, we’ll cover the Operating System; the kind of specifications you should look at for a pleasant running experience, and of course the tools you should install straight away to get you up and running.

Big Article after the jump.

Release name: Microsoft.Windows.7.ULTIMATE.x86.Integrated.October.2009.OEM.DVD.PROPER-BIE
File name: bie786109
Size: 2.09GB @ 47 Files
OS: Windows Core OS
NFO: Here
Homepage: Here
Download: Torrent Search - Rapidshare Search - Download Search - Usenet Search

Release name: Microsoft.Windows.7.ULTIMATE.x64.Integrated.October.2009.OEM.DVD-BIE
File name: bie764109
Size: 2.74 GB @ 61 Files
OS: Windows Core OS
Homepage: Here
NFO: Here
Download: Torrent Search - Rapidshare Search - Download Search - Usenet Search

Release name: Windows XP Mode
File name: WindowsXPMode_en-us
Size: 469.8mb @1 files
OS: Windows 7 Only
Homepage Download: Here

Get the Napalum Bootloader Here

Windows 7

Now, let us begin with the one which is guaranteed to be most relevant to everyone at the moment - Windows 7. Designed from the ground up to be a rich media experience, the argument that this is merely an upgrade from Windows Vista has simply been blown out of the water and stated as the operating system Vista should have been; I find this invalid, as I’m apparently one of the few people that prefers the way Vista runs to windows 7, but even I can’t argue that Windows 7 does include substantial improvements over its predecessors. For example, When Microsoft say that Windows 7 can run out of the box, they mean it; most hardware will be found by the device manager quite easily, it runs on hardware that Vista would find positively archaic, and is already the preferred choice for most net books because of this fact alone. To boot, the minimum specs are impressive, to say the least:

• 1 GHz processor (32- or 64-bit)
• 1 GB of RAM (32-bit); 2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB of available disk space (32-bit); 20 GB of available disk space (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Not just a pretty face

In addition to this codecs aren’t exactly a worry either. Linux and Mac users may be used to plug and play, but even the most ardent Microsoft support would admit that plug and play was more a “turn off, plug, install, reboot and play” affair in the past. Windows 7 has basic support for X264 and H264, XviD and DivX out of the box - but you will need the full product for all the fineries that the codecs provide. In addition to this, compatibility is absolutely guaranteed, as Windows 7 virtualises Windows XP to guarantee absolute compatibility with all of those old applications you might have been afraid to lose when upgrading from an old operating system to a brand new shiny one. This initially was intended for business users, but I think you’ll agree that the implications for anyone who likes playing age of empires or command and conquer as an example, are massive.

Installing Windows 7

The first question you should ask, in the simplest possible term is if you should use a 64-bit or 32-bit operating system; we could get complicated and go into a lot of technical jargon, but it all boils down to one thing - does your system have more, or less than 4 gigabytes of ram? You can find this out by simply right clicking on my computer (found in the start menu) and selecting properties. This screen will detail the hardware profile of your system. If you have more than 4 Gigabytes of ram installed, use the 64-bit version…If you have less, you’ll be fine with the 32-bit version, although this doesn’t mean you can’t install the 64-bit version if you intend to install your own hardware later.

I personally always suggest that it’s a good idea to make a clean install when making the jump to a new operating system, but I realise sometimes that can be time consuming, frustrating and a daunting task if you’ve collected a good decades worth of documents, images and video, so, for the sake and sanity of all concerned, and to save me from typing the instructions out and possibly getting it wrong, I’ve included some videos that walk you through the installation process - from Vista to 7, Installing 7 on OSX, and even Upgrading  to Windows 7 from Windows XP. Enjoy.

Warning: Some of these methods require a certain level of proficiency - if you’re determined to try these methods, make SURE you have the instructions memorised first. You should also note that using the BIE versions of Windows 7 does not facilitate an upgrade path, you will need to use an alternative disk with the orbit hacker or the napalum winloader if you intend to attempt upgrading as opposed to a clean install.

Upgrading to Windows 7 from XP
Upgrading to Windows 7 from Vista
Installing Windows 7 with Bootcamp
Installing Windows 7 on a Netbook
Making a Clean install of Windows 7

From this point, in theory your PC should have a fresh copy of Windows 7 present for you to enjoy. From this point, you’ll have to reinstall all your applications, organise your backups and get your preferences set up in a way that you find your PC enjoyable to use; over the coming few articles, we’ll walk through different areas of protecting your system, helping you remove the old preconceptions that a PC with windows is going to be an unstable prospect.

Introducing your new desktop

The very first thing you’ll note about Windows 7, is how different it is to its predecessors; firstly, the task bar has more function, and the grouping is more logical; the peek function makes it easier for you to decide which windows should be closed, and maximise your work flow, and the start bar has evolved from its humble beginnings in vista, to a function that competes in pretty much every way with Apple’s Finder. Let’s spend a few minutes getting you familiar, and give you an idea of what to expect.

The Superbar

In Windows Vista, the task bar could potentially be a nightmare; it didn’t group folders very well - this meant that it was extremely easy to close the wrong window, costing you hours of work. In Windows 7, this has been rectified by a simple pin and hover tactic; pin your favourite applications to the task bar and they’ll interact with environment more organically than ever before; hover over an application with multiple windows, and your mini view now has a cross in the corner to allow you to remove single windows without accidentally selecting “close group”. In addition, you can also assign your middle mouse button to close windows by simply pointing at the desired object and clicking.

The Start Menu

When Windows XP was nearing its life, Microsoft introduced desktop searching as a concept to Microsoft users for the first time. Google had no small hand in this, but Microsoft differed in that desktop search indexed your entire computer, so you could simply type in something, and a result would appear, giving you options to run, view or play that fit the parameters; Windows Vista expanded upon this, and even though I personally find the indexing a lot better to use in terms of work flow efficiency, it still needed work; Windows 7 completes this. With certain applications such as Adobe and office products, instead of having a recent items folder on your start menu, there’s a simple, understated arrow which, when pointed at, expands to reveal recent projects; this allows for an optimisation of recent documents, and frees up some of the clutter that was previously evident, while still allowing you to have all relevant articles to hand. In addition to this, the search function is a lot more efficient in its indexing, meaning that results for past articles that don’t show up is almost instantaneous.

Final Impressions

To be honest, aside from the initial aesthetic differences in windows 7, when you get away from what’s under the hood there is very little difference; people will argue blind that Windows 7 runs marginally faster, and I would suppose that might be true if I were a gamer - but I’m no gamer. I have a dual core machine with 6gb ram, and the only difference I find Windows 7 makes to my experience, is that admittedly the little things that matter to most people are easier to access, and easier to modify; UAC for example doesn’t require a reboot, changing themes with the default changer is easier, and it remembers preferences for different desktop settings a lot more beautifully; the transitions are more artistic, and the mediaplayer is more logical - but as an example, myself and over both own amBX lighting systems, and the transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7 would at this moment be woefully painful, as the only support to have reared its head has been unofficial support from the community - and phillips aren’t alone in this. This time, the fact that some hardware isn’t supported genuinely isn’t the fault of Microsoft, but of the manufacturers who’ve had the SDK sitting in their in-tray for months along with development copies of 7, and still have the bare faced audacity to turn around and claim they didn’t know when they get caught with their pants down when they’re found to have not supported 7 on launch day.

That said, they are in the minority, and 90% of all hardware I’ve used with Windows 7 has indeed worked right off the bat, and it’s nice to see something that’s obviously had a lot of passion and work gone into it out of Microsoft; Apple can no longer claim that it’s the only good looking operating system on the market any more, because it’s evident that a lot of thought has gone into Windows 7 from the outset. That is a comforting thought for someone who spends most of his time working with a Windows OS, and even more comforting that even though I can’t honestly say I’ve had a major crash I’ve never recovered from in Vista, Windows 7 is winning even the most sceptical minds over as a stable competitor to its cousins.

Next: OSX

Hello, quite a while since my last post, this is a “public service announcement” on the issue of phishing. We are, by no means, the only effected site out there, almost all other sites that allow comments are effected by phishing. However it looks like we’re winning the fight. We try our best to prevent phishing but we can only do so much, we need your help to improve and alert us. The main issues are:

Link protectors/maskers/hiders:
Link protectors DO NOT WORK. They do not protect links at all. All they do is cause extra work for us, and hinder people trying to use the links. Most link protectors/maskers/hiders/shorteners are added to the moderation list to try to prevent this type of phishing, however we have to constantly update the list to keep it as up to date as possible. If you spot any link protector site or similar service that isnt moderated, please message me on IRC or drop me an email: untamed@zerosec.ws

Similar looking domains:
These aren’t very common due to the fact the domains get blacklisted very quickly and it’s usually just a waste of money for the phisher. Double and triple check all links that ask for your password. For rapidshare make sure you have enabled the security lock, and your rapidshare and email password is different. If you spot a phishing domain that isn’t blacklisted please contact me or a member of staff asap.

Phishers who are caught are IP banned, and their links added to the blacklist. We’re always trying to improve security for our visitors, if you have any reports on phishing or similar feel free to contact me.

Various functions of the Premium- and Collector’s Accounts can now be protected against unauthorized access. When the RapidShare-Security Lock is activated, the menu items “Settings” and “Convert RapidPoints” are locked and files can no longer be moved or deleted. All other functions - including downloading remain available.

With the locking of the Account you avoid unauthorized modifications of your files and account settings. This is how it works: From within your Premium- or Collector’s Zone, click on the red lock, located at the top left. You will receive a notification asking, if you want to secure the Account. When completing the steps, the system automatically sends an email to the email address provided by you, containing the access code. Please keep this access code save. You will need this code again when accessing the above mentioned feature the next time. Please also ensure that before activating the security lock, you provide a valid email address. You can easily notice if your Account is locked or not, be the colour of the Security Lock: Green denotes “locked”, red denotes “open”.

For me personally this is a big relief and I am glad that RS.com took this step. Have a good night and enjoy our site

Links: Rapidshare.com Account Management

I know we dont usually do news that isn’t related to releases, however I feel this is some important news that could potentially effect a very high percentage of readers. Thank you to Syk0tik0ne for bringing the news to my attention.

—————————————————————————

A German court has ruled that Rapidshare.com isn’t doing enough to combat piracy and that its filters are ineffective. The court decision of the Hamburg district court, which was published a few days ago, states that Rapidshare has to become active against copyright infringements as soon as rights holders make the companny aware of them - a rule that is somewhat similar to the DMCA in the United States.

However, Rapidshare has to do a lot more than just take down infringing content. The company also has to “proactively check content before publishing it” if there have been similar infringements in the past. Rapidshare has to log and check IP numbers of potential infringers as well, according to the court decision.

Rapidshare has been using a MD5 Hash filter to prevent the upload of previously removed material, and it told the court that it it has six employees working full time to remove infringing content. The Hamburg court however ruled that this was not sufficient because infringers would only have to change a few bytes of a file in order to circumvent the filter.

The court also ruled that Rapidshare cannot argue that it is impossible to stay in business if it would have to check every single file. “A business model that doesn’t use common methods of prevention cannot claim the protection of the law”, the decision reads.

Source: p2p-blog
Further Reading: zeropaid, arstechnica