Pirate's Manifesto VIII - Released 20 July 1994 - TODAYS TOPIC : The reason why losers are having such an easy time spreading viruses on 'elite' bulletin boards... or... How Amiga operated pirate bulletin boards are killing the IBM warez scene by allowing viruses to spread cuz they are totally unable to do even the simplest virus check on inbound files... PRELUDE : Here we are into the third week of July and losers have gone nutz shipping out viruses and fake files all over the place. I guess it was a boring week and these losers could not find any flies to pull the wings off. As I sat in the comfort of my evil computing room a light suddenly went on in my head - I finally realized how these losers were able to get their damn virus laiden programs all over the world without anyone catching onto to their bogus files. MANIFESTO BEGINS : Look at the scene today and you will find that there are two main groups of pirate bulletin boards running in the top of their class worldwide. On one hand you have the sysops who are running IBM computers and using PCBoard, PCExpress or some lame Forum hack. On the other hand you have sysops who are running AMIGA computers and using AmiExpress, Infinity, Tempest or other PCBoard style clones. The biggest difference between the two groups is that shitty Amiga BBS's that are handling IBM warez CANNOT TEST FOR VIRUS !!! They simply do not have the capability. This means that I could send my entire collection of viruses to an AMIGA run bulletin board and the damn thing would let everyone of those virii onto its downloading list. Now I know right away you will jump in and say that there are a great number of IBM systems that are not running virus checkers either.. but the point is not important. What is important is that some of the worlds fastest and biggest pirate systems are running on AMIGA's. At this point I have to ask myself a simple question - what the fuck are IBM computer owners doing entrusting the fate of their computer and hard drives to sysops who run Amiga bulletin boards ? I took a look at the top uploaders on some of these AmiExpress bulletin boards and was not surprised to find that most of the top uploaders of IBM pirate warez owned PC'S. After all, why would an Amiga dude use his computer to spread warez for another computer platform. So what is the psychology here. Why are the worlds best uploaders spreading their zero minute files onto bulletin boards that obviously are not able to check the files out for viruses. Are we so desperate for elite sites that we blindly upload to Amiga bulletin boards and take files from them - never knowing what the hell we just downloaded might contain ? Let us face reality for a second - true world class file spreaders do not have time to sit and check out every file they just downloaded off these major elite sites. World class spreaders grab the files and run them as fast as they can move em. It is only after some poor dolt sits and actually runs the damn thing that it is found out that it destroys hard drives. Than the poor courier has to run like crazy to have the file nuked off the sites he sent it to - or else his reputation goes down the toilet. I am beginning to think that we are gluttons for punishment. I am beginning to think that we enjoy downloading files that are later found to have nasty viruses and trojans on them. Maybe we are a bunch of phucking suicidal lemmings. Maybe we should open our eyes and see how our own poor spreading practices are injuring the scene to the point where no one trust any zero day warez anymore. I know in our own local scene that over half the 'experienced' users will not download any zero minute files off an Amiga operated BBS. Instead they wait two or three days for fatality reports to come pouring in - why waste credits or your hard drive to a potential virus - let some other sucker take the chance is their motto... So what is the answer. Well it is one that is not going to make many friends on some of the elite systems that are using the Amiga and AmiExpress. I say boycott them. If your IBM than take your business to a BBS that is running IBM. Why should IBM owners prop up and support bulletin boards that cannot protect IBM computer owners. Or think of it this way - Amiga owners have always held their nose when talking about the IBM. To them the IBM is equal to the anti-god or worse - equal to wearing clean underpants. Now I know it is a horrible thing to propose but we must face the reality of the times we are living in. Viruses are becoming too common place on these Amiga operated bulletin boards. They cannot to do the simplest of virii testing. So taking files off an Amiga operated BBS is something like phucking every drunk girl in a bar. You know your are going to get burned because there is absolutely no protection against nasty things. But let me give you another valid reason to begin the exodus from using Amiga bulletin boards and start using IBM operated bulletin boards - and that is the fact of 'continuity' As everyone is aware at this point, Commodore computers went tits up. They are history and their future has been brought to an abrupt end by the collapse of the company that once fathered the C64. This means that hardware and future developments for that computer died along with the death of the company. Sysops who are running their bulletin boards on Amiga computers are facing a short and bleak future. As their machines fuck up and die they will not be able to go to the corner store to purchase new parts - or even a new motherboard. When Amiga bulletin boards die their death is not for days but for weeks or months at a time as they scramble to find parts to fix whatever has broken. So let us look at this from a purely greedy perspective - I upload an average of 500 megs to any of the major sites that I am on. I seldom download anywhere near the amount of files that I send there. I like to know that those massive credits I have placed on a BBS will be there for quite some time. Someday I just might want to take a break and enjoy downloading like a glutton for a while. What am I going to do when all these Amiga boards die and take my credits with them. Lose em. Like all good elites I select the boards I do business with based on the confidence that the board I am uploading to will be in existence for many years into the future. We simply choose to send our files to boards that have been around the longest time and have the best prospect for a long and happy future. No one likes having to keep changing boards every month just because Johnny Sysop got married and his wife doesn't like computers or some dweeb sysop gave up cuz he got spooked by threats of cops etc. So at this particular point in history I look out on the pirate world and I see the end of the AMIGA operated pirate bulletin boards coming quickly. Their demise is assured simply because they fail to provide IBM owners with the level of protection that we need - so that we can avoid downloading and spreading virus laiden programs that slipped by the Amiga run bulletin board's file checker. I know this Manifesto will annoy many of my favorite sysops who run some of the worlds greatest pirate sites on Amiga computers and AmiExpress BBS software. But at some point the truth has to come out and be slapped in some peoples face. Normally we are all so busy spreading the latest and greatest warez that we don't take time to sit back, look at the scene, and see where it is going. Maybe that is the problem with the elite sites that are running Amiga computers for their BBS. They fail to see how times are changing and that their demise is assured if they don't keep in step with the specialized needs of their IBM pirate members. On the other hand, I am certain that a great number of sysops who run IBMs with IBM bulletin board software will nod in agreement with me. On the other hand, I am certain that a great number of elites who have downloaded virus infested programs off Amiga operated bulletin boards will agree with me. On the otherhand, I am certain that a great number of IBM owners who have been phucked by viruses found on files that were originally uploaded to Amiga bulletin boards will agree the time has come to remove the Amiga bulletin boards from the IBM warez distribution chain. I guess the only ones who would disagree with this are people who run bulletin boards on Amigas - or people who need those Amiga bulletin boards to upload their virus infested files to. CONCLUSIONS : ~~~~~~~~~~~ For elite spreaders : Start finding IBM operated bulletin boards to take your calls to. There are plenty of excellent PCBoard BBS's out there and you will have no problem adapting from AmiExpress commands to PCBoard - after all, Mike Thomas, the original author of AmiExpress built his BBS software to look and feel like PC Board. In particular you should look for bulletin boards that do more than a simple check on the CRC integrity of your uploads. If the board does not check for viruses than you are defeating the whole purpose of moving away from the Amiga operated bulletin boards. Find a board that takes virus testing seriously. For Amiga sysops : You must recognize that your time is drawing near and that your computer is now in serious jeopardy of failing with no chance of getting replacement parts in the future. Seriously consider ditching that CPU and buying an IBM. You will be able to use your hard drives and modems on the new IBM computer so your cash outlay will be nowhere as severe as that facing some new sysop trying to match your size and speed. The Amiga warez scene is dead. Spreading demos and music shit is not piracy - you are simply becoming lame Amiga PD boards with Elite IBM warez on them. Take the hint and make the change. For Pirate Groups : Aren't you getting just a little tired of seeing bogus releases coming out for your groups that have viruses in them. Do you think that by appointing Amiga operated bulletin boards as your WHQ, USHQ, or EHQ you are doing yourself or anyone else a favour. Think about it for a moment - if you are suppose to be such mega phucking elite IBM pirates, than why the hell are you letting Amiga computers serve as your world class sites. The time has come for your seniors to seriously look at all your sites and migrate over to IBM operated bulletin boards. Those IBM groups that do not migrate onto IBM operated bulletin boards are about as stupid as General Motor's employees driving Russian build Ladas. If you are truly IBM elite pirates - than start acting like it - use IBM operated bulletin boards to handle your HQ's. I find there is nothing funnier than a group that boast of being the most elite for IBM using an Amiga operated bulletin board for their HQ. Shit, why not go all the way and use a C64 bulletin board - it makes about as much sense. Just be sure that the HQ boards you select to represent your group have the best and most intensive virus checkers running against every shit file that is uploaded to them. Than at least you can sleep assured that you have done everything possible to cut down on viruses being slipped onto fake releases of your warez. For Courier Groups : Why are you wasting your time spreading files onto any Amiga operated bulletin boards. Should we really be propping up those boards and giving them a reason for continued existence or should we force those sysops to get in tune with the world and buy IBM and run IBM. The shit files you are picking up off those Amiga bulletin boards are a reflection on your groups when you slap your advertisement onto them. How do you feel each time the files you spread are later reported to be full of viruses and you get the blame. Think about it and you will realize that most of those virus loaded files came from Amiga operated pirate boards that had no method to detect IBM viruses when they were first uploaded to them. If you take files only off IBM systems that do an intensive virus check your spreading will be a lot more productive because you will know that the files you are moving are clean ! Make your HQ boards IBM only - and with intensive virus testing at that ! For Losers who like to infect IBM files : Keep laughing and having fun with your childish games. Your work is only helping to prove that the time has come for the IBM pirates to distance themselves from Amiga operated pirate boards. The more you load viruses onto those Amiga bulletin boards the quicker the IBM pirate community will see that this Manifesto is correct. As I don't expect all the little lame assholes who write viruses to retire or drop dead suddenly, I expect the words of this Manifesto will become truer every day. I feel sorry for the type of dweeb who sits around thinking he is clever at phucking up peoples hard drives or damaging the reputation of world class pirate groups. The only good news is that such losers do not tend to last long on the scene and move onto other interesting hobbies like collecting dog turds and sniffing bike seats. Yours truly - TC - ( you know i never give away my handle in these things ) If you want to reach me to give me some feedback, than look for me on Assasin's Guild. It seems the sysop on Mirage became a little upset about an incident involving his private kiddies porno conference and copies of those file listings being spread around. All I can say is that it was not me - I don't care if you are into buggering chickens or pounding your flesh into your palms at night... I did not spread that file list or the user list for that conference - although I would have if I had got it first.