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I can't imagine that this is a big deal, even though Kim Dotcom is trying to make it one. His lawyers have had ample time to copy anything they needed, and for

I can't imagine that this is a big deal, even though Kim Dotcom is trying to make it one. His lawyers have had ample time to copy anything they needed, and for trial purposes a backup of every file is not necessary. A copy of their database containing names and descriptions of files, along with their actual code for the site, should be more than adequate to present a defense that they aren't criminally liable for copyright infringement. He may have had dreams of resurrecting MegaUpload as a business, but any hope of that was gone within a few days of the domain seizure. That's why they seize domains - it doesn't matter whether they win or lose at trial or drop the charges. They get to give target sites the death penalty long before the owners ever set foot in a courtroom.

trothamel 13y ago
This is a big deal, though - not for MegaUpload, but for the many people who used MegaUpload to host their files. I can point to many computer games that were distributed through MegaUpload - perfectly legal games - that have now disappeared, at least from public view. (This might have been a bad idea - it was - but many of these games were made by inexperienced creators, and what's done is done.)
- kamjam 13y ago
  I can point to many computer games that were distributed through MegaUpload - perfectly legal games - that have now disappeared, at least from public view. So they should just upload it somewhere else now, or through bittorrent. They certainly shouldn't have been using MU as a source control repository or as their only copy.
kamjam 13y ago
He may have had dreams of resurrecting MegaUpload as a business, but any hope of that was gone within a few days of the domain seizure. That's why they seize domains - it doesn't matter whether they win or lose at trial or drop the charges. They get to give target sites the death penalty long before the owners ever set foot in a courtroom. You don't seriously believe that do you? PirateBay domain has been blocked from the UK but it it still accessible if you know how or through a different domain names. KickAssTorrent (kat.ph) domain name was recently seized by Phillipine authorities but it was back up within hours. A simple Google search will point you to the new domain name, in this modern age the domain name really doesn't mean that much once you have the brand established. http://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-domain-seized-after-music-industry-complaint-130614/ http://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-domain-seized-after-...
- kbenson 13y ago
  There's enough press about megaupload that most people who would care could find it at any other domain chosen. If he does reopen it, I hope he doesn't forego the opportunity to also register "thesiteformerlyknownasmegaupload.com". It's not like we don't have at least one case study in what you can do if the name you normally do business with is no longer available to you...
- downandout 13y ago
  Something tells me that, even if it still had its data and was free to operate again, MegaUpload would not get most of its previous users back (except perhaps to download their stuff and move it elsewhere). That is what I was saying. You take a site off the internet for a week, and in the minds of most people, it is gone forever.
  - sejje 13y ago
    I think if you take a site off the internet for a week, in the minds of most people, it's a non-factor, since they didn't even notice.
  - kamjam 13y ago
    Most likely so, but I haven't read any about any figures about exactly what percentage of MU users we "legitimate", storing personal or business documents/images/files etc vs videos, music and other questionable files. If it's more of the latter, then I suspect the user base would largely be unaffected.

trothamel 13y ago

This is a big deal, though - not for MegaUpload, but for the many people who used MegaUpload to host their files. I can point to many computer games that were distributed through MegaUpload - perfectly legal games - that have now disappeared, at least from public view. (This might have been a bad idea - it was - but many of these games were made by inexperienced creators, and what's done is done.)

kamjam 13y ago
I can point to many computer games that were distributed through MegaUpload - perfectly legal games - that have now disappeared, at least from public view. So they should just upload it somewhere else now, or through bittorrent. They certainly shouldn't have been using MU as a source control repository or as their only copy.

kamjam 13y ago

He may have had dreams of resurrecting MegaUpload as a business, but any hope of that was gone within a few days of the domain seizure. That's why they seize domains - it doesn't matter whether they win or lose at trial or drop the charges. They get to give target sites the death penalty long before the owners ever set foot in a courtroom. You don't seriously believe that do you? PirateBay domain has been blocked from the UK but it it still accessible if you know how or through a different domain names. KickAssTorrent (kat.ph) domain name was recently seized by Phillipine authorities but it was back up within hours. A simple Google search will point you to the new domain name, in this modern age the domain name really doesn't mean that much once you have the brand established. http://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-domain-seized-after-music-industry-complaint-130614/ http://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-domain-seized-after-...

kbenson 13y ago
There's enough press about megaupload that most people who would care could find it at any other domain chosen. If he does reopen it, I hope he doesn't forego the opportunity to also register "thesiteformerlyknownasmegaupload.com". It's not like we don't have at least one case study in what you can do if the name you normally do business with is no longer available to you...
downandout 13y ago
Something tells me that, even if it still had its data and was free to operate again, MegaUpload would not get most of its previous users back (except perhaps to download their stuff and move it elsewhere). That is what I was saying. You take a site off the internet for a week, and in the minds of most people, it is gone forever.
- sejje 13y ago
  I think if you take a site off the internet for a week, in the minds of most people, it's a non-factor, since they didn't even notice.
- kamjam 13y ago
  Most likely so, but I haven't read any about any figures about exactly what percentage of MU users we "legitimate", storing personal or business documents/images/files etc vs videos, music and other questionable files. If it's more of the latter, then I suspect the user base would largely be unaffected.