Steal This File Sharing Book: What They Won't Tell You About File Sharing [Paperback]

Wallace Wang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 2004

Steal This File Sharing Book tackles the thorny issue of file sharing networks such as Kazaa, Morpheus, and Usenet. It explains how these networks work and how to use them. It exposes the dangers of using file sharing networks--including viruses, spyware, and lawsuits--and tells how to avoid them.

In addition to covering how people use file sharing networks to share everything from music and video files to books and pornography, it also reveals how people use them to share secrets and censored information banned by their governments. Includes coverage of the ongoing battle between the software, video, and music pirates and the industries that are trying to stop them.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Best-selling computer book author Wallace Wang is a former contributor to Boardwatch Magazine, where he wrote a monthly column called "Notes From the Underground." He is also a successful stand-up comic who has appeared on A&smp;E's "Evening at the Improv" and appears regularly at the Riviera Comedy Club in Las Vegas. Wang is the author of the Steal This Computer Book and The Book of Nero 6 (No Starch Press).

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: No Starch Press; 1 edition (October 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159327050X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593270506
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #741,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I may be the only computer book author who hates computers. I love what computers can do but I hate the fact that they're so complicated, hard to use, unreliable, and downright troublesome. Besides writing computer books, I also enjoy performing stand-up comedy just to do something creative that involves human beings as opposed to machines.

I've been involved in computers, stand-up comedy, teaching, writing, and game designing for most of my life. In the computer industry, I've written over 50 computer books. Initially I focused primarily on Microsoft products such as Visual Basic and Microsoft Office. Later I switched focus to the Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad as I've watched the trend of computing shift from the PC/Microsoft dominated world to the mobile/Apple-influenced world. I've also shifted my programming focus from Delphi/Pascal and Visual Basic to Objective-C and LiveCode (a HyperCard clone) to create Macintosh and iPhone/iPad programs.

In the stand-up comedy world, I've been performing stand-up comedy for over 20 years, having appeared on A&E's "Evening at the Improv" and SiTV's "Latino Laugh Festival" along with appearing at the Riviera Comedy Club in Las Vegas. Currently I'm focusing my comedic writing skills towards occasional comedy performances but mostly towards screenwriting. You can read my screenwriting blog at The 15 Minute Movie Method (www.15minutemoviemethod.com). I've collected the best ideas from my screenwriting blog and condensed them into an e-book also called "The 15-Minute Movie Method," which is available as an e-book.

In 1992, I got my first cat and after reading a basic cat care book, I found that none of the advice offered had any basis in reality for dealing with the quirks and whims of a real cat. Based on that experience, I wrote a parody of a cat care book called "How to Live with a Cat (When You Really Don't Want To)." This book is now available as an e-book.

In the teaching world, I've taught at community colleges around San Diego as well as teaching at the University of Zimbabwe in Africa. Currently I teach an online Microsoft Word course through a company called Ed2Go.

In the writing world, I've written for several magazines including Computer Power User (CPU), Boardwatch Magazine, and Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities. I also write a weekly Macintosh column in an online computer magazine called ComputorEdge (www.computoredge.com). In addition, I've ghost written several books for real estate experts, stock day trading specialists, and network marketing millionaires. In 2008, I also helped San Diego State University's film department win their first student Emmy when they filmed my sitcom pilot, "Three of a Kind."

In the game designing world, I've created and published a game in 1983 called "Orbit War," which was published by Steve Jackson Games (the game is now out of print). The game simulated low orbital combat between satellites. I'm currently designing educational games for teaching various college level topics such as organic chemistry, calculus, and geometry.

I'm interested in always learning something new and combining my various skills and experience to stay ahead of changing technology and I enjoy writing about complex topics and making them easy to understand.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Legal and illegal file sharing information, November 6, 2004

By 

Jack D. Herrington "engineer and author" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Steal This File Sharing Book: What They Won't Tell You About File Sharing (Paperback)

This book is a lot of fun. It covers both legal and illegal aspects of file sharing, primarily of finding music, movies, hacked software and adult entertainment. He covers a variety of file sharing networks and applications. But the primary value of the book is in the experience he impart. The etiquette of file sharing, how to secure your files and avoid the security problems.

The coverage is fairly high level. You won't be getting step-by-step instructions in how to rip DVDs. The topics are covered, but the author generally leaves it to you to navigate all of the features of any particular application.

This book is better than the shoddy cover would imply, but the organization could have used some work. Definitely worth a look for those interested in doing a lot of file sharing.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No samizdat, November 9, 2004

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Steal This File Sharing Book: What They Won't Tell You About File Sharing (Paperback)

Looking for controversy? No shortage of it in this book. One can readily imagine this book as contraband in some regimes. Wang describes the major file sharing networks of our time. Gnutella, FastTrack, BitTorrent and others. He gives you the gist of each and how to get started using them to download files. All the major networks are designed to be easy to use for the layperson. Indeed, we see that this is a necessary condition for their popularity.

IRC usage is also explained. This is also an important electronic modality for downloading files. Ditto with Instant Messaging offerings from MSN, Yahoo and ICQ.

Naturally, a large portion of the book discusses what types of files get downloaded. Most music. Some video. But still limited because of the sheer amount of data in a typical film. Wang covers the continuing controversies in a fairly neutral tone. Overall, he supports the usage of the networks. Though he decries the copyright infringement. One might wonder, though, if it is because for practical reasons, he cannot take any other stance, given that he is espousing his view in the permanent form of this book. And that he is doing so with a reputable publisher, No Starch. So this is no samizdat.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything You Want to Know, April 8, 2005

By 

Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Steal This File Sharing Book: What They Won't Tell You About File Sharing (Paperback)

Wang's other book (Steal This Computer Book) explored the "dark underbelly" of the 'Net and this book in effect picks up where the other book leaves off. You can debate whether or not file sharing is legal and ethical, but no one can deny it is here to stay. Not only does Wang explain where to find files (at places like file sharing networks, newsgroups, chat rooms, etc.), he also describes ways to stay anonymous while doing so. There are also chapters on file formats, sharing music, movies, TV shows, even software, video games and the most popular item, pornography.

I find it interesting speaking of porn that porn producers seem to have found ways to deal with this issue and yet the "establishment" still feels the best way to fight it is through legal action. The book's last two chapters describe the future of file sharing and how the entertainment industries continue to fight back. They may try copy protection schemes, but it seems there's always someone who finds a way to defeat those schemes.

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, this is a well-written and informative book, written in the same spirit of Steal This Computer Book.