:) Shuttin down Beta Sites - One at a time!

[Netherscourge]

xxxxxxxx.com

That was formerly a link to a site loaded with bit torrents, FTPs and HTTP links to ALL of the stolen files that were taken from Valve's Offices.

A Valve attorney has contected that site's webmaster and ordered them to close shop. Hopefully more legal action is in store for them, because they had a TON of links to the HL2 beta, the beta patch and the Counter Zone Pre-Gold Beta.

The site now just has a message from Valve's attorney threatening legal action for Violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act.



Have a Nice Day!

(I blanked out phone numbers and e-mails with xxxxxx to protect attorneys)

At ~ 4:00 P.M. today I was issued this email from VALVe attorney. Please come to IRC for updates.
Server Connect command: /xxxxxxx
Channel Join Command: /xxxxxx
Or click here for webIRC

> Urgent: I am an attorney for Valve Corporation. Please read and comply
> with the enclosed. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I
> look forward to your confirmation that the infringing material has been
> removed from your systems.
>
> <<Nightshayde.doc>>
>
> Jason P. Holtman
> PrestonlGateslEllis LLP
>
> xxx Fourth Ave, Suite xxxx
> Seattle, Washington 98104
>
> Phone (206) xxx-xxxx (direct)
> Fax (206) xxx-xxxx (direct)
>
> Phone (206) xxx-xxxx (general)
> Fax (206) xxx-xxxx (general)
>
> email [email protected]

================================================================================
Jason P. Holtman
[email protected]
direct tel: (206) xxx-xxxx
direct fax: (206) xxx-xxxx

October 10, 2003
URGENT/IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Nightshayde.net
[email protected]

Re: DMCA NOTICE OF ALLEGED COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

Dear Nightshayde.net:

This letter serves as notification under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512, of Valve Corporation’s claim that the presence of certain content that resides within your computer system infringes on Valve Corporation’s work, “Half-Life 2.” I am an attorney for Valve and am authorized to act on its behalf in this matter.

As you may already be aware, some of the source code to Half-Life 2 was recently taken illicitly from Valve. It has come to our attention that some or all of this source code resides on your systems. We have discovered this source code at the following location on your systems:

xxxxx.com This location contains postings of maps, screen shots, and source code from the beta version of Half-Life 2. The site also offers links to other sites containing illicit source code.

Posting of the “Half-Life 2” source code as described above is not authorized by
Valve, any of its agents, or the law. Pursuant to this notification, you should immediately take steps to locate and remove and/or disable access to the Half-Life 2 source code that is on your system at the web address detailed above. As a service provider, you may otherwise be liable for copyright infringement if, upon obtaining knowledge or awareness of infringing material being stored upon your network, you do not act expeditiously to remove, or disable access to, the material. 17 U.S.C. § 512(c).

The information in this notification is accurate. I swear under penalty of perjury that I am authorized to act on behalf of Valve in regard to its exclusive rights in the work(s) identified above that I believe has been and continues to be infringed as described above.

We look forward to your prompt cooperation. Should you need to contact me, I can be reached at the address below or at [email protected].

Very truly yours,

Preston Gates & Ellis llp

/s/ sent via email

By
Jason P. Holtman

cc: Valve Corporation

 

[Alphy]

Niggaplz. Try shutting down EFnet

 

[Netherscourge]

Originally posted by Alphy
Niggaplz. Try shutting down EFnet

Just e-mail Valve with a link to that site - Valve's attorneys will take it from there!

 

[Alphy]

www.efnet.org

btw, best of luck to you with that. IRCops and NOC agents are *notorious* about being prompt on that kinda thing. Best wishes.

 

[Netherscourge]

Originally posted by Alphy
xxxxxxxxx

btw, best of luck to you with that. IRCops and NOC agents are *notorious* about being prompt on that kinda thing. Best wishes.

Don't link it here in Public - send it to

[email protected]

 

[alco]

Originally posted by Netherscourge
Just e-mail Valve with a link to that site - Valve's attorneys will take it from there!

Sorry, but we'll never really get rid of the beta.

 

[Netherscourge]

They're all going DOWN!

 

[Netherscourge]

Originally posted by alco


Sorry, but we'll never really get rid of the beta.

True - but we can punish the people who are helping to spread it around and possibly deter others from continuing this criminal activity.

 

[nw909]

Only the smart warez sites wouldn't allow the demo.

 

[manny_c44]

Yoshimitsu sucks ass.

And to stay on topic, the beta will never be gone, if they ever get around to getting rid of all of the bittorrent links and what not, the beta will just move to p2p networks and thrive there (much like the doom 3 alpha)

Besides the beta isn't even that big a deal compared to the source code getting leak.

 

[Netherscourge]

Originally posted by manny_c44
Yoshimitsu sucks ass.

And to stay on topic, the beta will never be gone, if they ever get around to getting rid of all of the bittorrent links and what not, the beta will just move to p2p networks and thrive there (much like the doom 3 alpha)

Besides the beta isn't even that big a deal compared to the source code getting leak.

LOL

You sound very bitter... I wonder why?

 

[Dhoco X]

I doubt that the all sites will fall.

It will always have a person that goes to spread betas faster than valve can control the situation, that's my opinion.

 

[Jhahn2k4]

Theres always gonna be somebody with HL2.

 

[Mountain Man]

Originally posted by nw909
Only the smart warez sites wouldn't allow the demo.

A smart warez site. Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

[Grey]

Valve shutting down efnet... thats f-ing hilarious...

 

[nw909]

Originally posted by Mountain Man
A smart warez site. Isn't that an oxymoron?

No, warez sites that don't want to be taken off the internet.

 

[morpherex]

Netherscourge: Shut the **** up and use your head. EFNet is an IRC network, you can't shut it down. It's not EFNet's fault, because they have it on there . Oh btw, it's not required to shut down the torrent sites, JUST THE TRACKER. Learn your net stuff.

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Like I said, the beta isn't going anywhere, neither is the source. When Valve sends a letter to the site the link gets taken off of the page and the files get moved, then you go to the forum and ask for the links to be PMed to you and there you have it. Valve has accomplished exactly nothing.

I still know of at least 2 dozen sites hosted in Germany, Korea and a few in NZ that have the beta offered. Good luck shutting them down.

Drop onto IRC into any of half a dozen channels and you'll get torrents for it out the ass. I even know of one site that hosts a torrent but doesn't actually advertise it (and never has) and I pulled the beta down off of it at over 300K per second!

Valve will send these letters out for a few weeks, just like Id did when the E3 alpha of Doom 3 was leaked then they'll get bored of paying their lawyer too much money to do the shit and it'll all be over and all the sites will have the links back up.

To believe that you can get rid of anything once it's on the net is borderline retarded.

 

[Tork]

efnet possible , but lets see them shutdown the usenet groups that have these files right now.

 

[Alphy]

This thread is amazing.

 

[Vitalogy]

Good to see some action taken. EFnet cant be taken down though, lol, but I would like to see them try.

 

[LUSITANO]

Sux a dumb ass, why u putting up links?! if i know were to get it,and im a dumbass when it comes to technology, so does valve;just go to bed.

 

[Mcn@sty]

lol

 

[Hallucinogen]

The fact is there is no possible way to get rid of all of it, not evenm 50% of it, its all over the damn globe ... and its being openly discussed at isonews and nforce ...

 

[azz0r]

Valve are dumb, its to late todo this now. A week ago; yes, now; why bother?

 

[bastard_loud]

You are dumb, azz0r.
And it's not just your last post in this thread that makes me say that.

It's not too late to do this now. You might think the whole world has the HL2 source on their hdd's but actually it's only the hardcore internet/gaming geeks that have heard about it or have attempted to download it.

A much larger part of VALVe's demographic won't have the stolen code stored on their computer.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
Drop onto IRC into any of half a dozen channels and you'll get torrents for it out the ass. I even know of one site that hosts a torrent but doesn't actually advertise it (and never has) and I pulled the beta down off of it at over 300K per second!

It's backstabbers like you that actually cause the stolen files to spread like wildfire. You are contributing to the problem.

 

[azz0r]

Originally posted by bastard_loud
You are dumb, azz0r.
And it's not just your last post in this thread that makes me say that.

It's not too late to do this now. You might think the whole world has the HL2 source on their hdd's but actually it's only the hardcore internet/gaming geeks that have heard about it or have attempted to download it.

A much larger part of VALVe's demographic won't have the stolen code stored on their computer.

lol...keep believing it...

 

[bastard_loud]

I know the VALVe hacking has been covered on a lot of mainstream newssites, but i can assure you that there's a lot more people not knowing about/not having the source than people who do.

So keep lol'ing, i know i am. Moron.

 

[alco]

Originally posted by azz0r
lol...keep believing it...

??

You seriously think everyone has already downloaded the beta?

It is just the hardcore internet geeks that will go around the net looking for links/torrents to get the 'game.'

Valve's efforts aren't in vain. If they keep that many people from getting the beta, it's worth it.

 

[MooCow]

It also covers their backs from their distributors/investors point of view if they are shown to be doing something regardless of how effective it is.

 

[azz0r]

Im not going to argue with you guys because its retarded, you obviously dont know many warez places. If you put a torrent link up within 2 hours about 4000 people will be sending and recieving easily...

I can bet the beta will still be floating around in 2 to 3 years, easily.

 

[Woggy]

No, it wont, because by then it would be absolutely friggin useless

 

[kelisis]

Well, they may be closing down websites that are linking the leaked beta, but they will never beable to shut down the thousands of IRC channels that give the leaked beta out via XDCC bots etc.

 

[alco]

Originally posted by azz0r
Im not going to argue with you guys because its retarded, you obviously dont know many warez places. If you put a torrent link up within 2 hours about 4000 people will be sending and recieving easily...

I can bet the beta will still be floating around in 2 to 3 years, easily.

True that many people already have it. They're just trying to keep even more people from getting it. And, as someone else mentioned, it covers their asses. So, there is purpose to their actions.

In 2 to 3 years the game will have already been released. What's the point?

 

[azz0r]

Doesnt mean the source code and beta wont be on peoples ftps. The source code will most definetly be about.

 

[Oakey]

Originally posted by Tork
efnet possible , but lets see them shutdown the usenet groups that have these files right now.

You can't shutdown usenet. I was speaking to a tech guy at usenetserver about this very sort of thing and he says it takes 14 days for the papers to be issued by which time the files are off the servers. Of course then someone just reposts it, by the time whatever legal entity has got round to telling them to remove it, the retention has caused it to go anyway and the whole cycle starts again.

 

[Tlaloc]

lol efnet a site...

 

[Unnamed_Player]

Originally posted by monster facial
I suggest we all pm unnamed_sucker for the links and BINGO! fwd to Valve

BTW unnamed_sucker, thanks for your previous links, FILESOUP.COM have REMOVED all their bittorent links now (with a bit of help from Valve)

HAHAHAHA

Filesoup.com? Nope it's still there.

Seriously, if you can't find the beta easily by now, then you're a total retard. For every torrent site that gets taken down at least five more come up. And like I said the torrents don't get taken down they just get moved and the links dissapear from the front page. Then you drop by IRC and ask and you have several dozen torrent links given to you.

They can send the old cease and desist bullshit to US sites but the sites from other countries don't have to comply. You think North Korean or Chinese authorities really give a damn that one of their websites is hosting a torrent for a game? Get real.

Valve cannot stop this. And all they're doing is wasting a lot of money while trying. So by the time HL2 actually ships they'll have to charge $65 a copy for it just to make up all the money they spent on this asnine attempt to stomp out the beta.

Some of you morons need to grasp reality and hop on the clue train.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by Unnamed_Player
Filesoup.com? Nope it's still there.

Seriously, if you can't find the beta easily by now, then you're a total retard. For every torrent site that gets taken down at least five more come up. And like I said the torrents don't get taken down they just get moved and the links dissapear from the front page. Then you drop by IRC and ask and you have several dozen torrent links given to you.

They can send the old cease and desist bullshit to US sites but the sites from other countries don't have to comply. You think North Korean or Chinese authorities really give a damn that one of their websites is hosting a torrent for a game? Get real.

Valve cannot stop this. And all they're doing is wasting a lot of money while trying. So by the time HL2 actually ships they'll have to charge $65 a copy for it just to make up all the money they spent on this asnine attempt to stomp out the beta.

Some of you morons need to grasp reality and hop on the clue train.

I know what we can do to cheer up Unnamed_Player: let's convince Valve to drop Half-Life 2 entirely and keep playing the barely functioning alpha/beta/pre-gold/pre-release/pre-shit****ingchrist for all eternity. Because it's pretty obvious that some people here, for reasons unknown to me, really seem to hate HL2...