Former hacker to help appeal against court ruling

Anime distributor Odex has roped in a Silicon Valley-based former hacker to appeal against a court’s decision. Last Thursday, Odex failed in its bid to force Pacific Internet (PacNet) to hand over the data of suspected illegal downloaders, whom Odex had tracked down with the help of Internet investigation firm BayTSP.

BayTSP’s chief executive officer Mark Ishikawa, a former hacker, will arrive in Singapore later this week to help Odex prepare its appeal, according to his publicist Jim Graham.

Mr Ishikawa has has appeared as an expert witness in the United States on peer-to-peer technologies. Recently, BayTSP gathered evidence for Viacom in its US$1-billion ($1.5-billion) lawsuit against Google and YouTube.

Mr Graham told Today: “Mark will be working with Odex to demonstrate that we were under contract to Odex and that our data identified the IP addresses of individuals who were downloading and sharing copyrighted material licensed by Odex.”

- LOH CHEE KONG

Source: TODAYonline

From my previous entry below:

The Straits Times understands one reason for District Judge Ernest Laus decision is that he believes Odex was not the right party to make the application

For fuck they bring in BayTSP CEO?

Online lynch mob
Anime distributor Odex incurs wrath of Netizens over anti-piracy crackdown

By Chua Hian Hou

NETIZENS are waging a high-tech war against anime distributor Odex.
Wikipedia entries on Odex, for instance, have been turned into attacks on the firm, which has taken flak from the online world after news spread that it was going after people who downloaded anime illegally.

Some entries talk of how Odex goes around threatening to throw nine-year-olds in jail if they do not pay it $3,000.

Others tell tall tales of how those who could not pay the company were made to borrow from them at an exorbitant interest rate of 10 per cent.

Odex has denied both allegations. Its spokesman said it is monitoring the situation.

The firm recently obtained court orders which force Internet providers SingNet and StarHub to reveal the names of those who downloaded anime illegally.

The judge in the case against Pacific Internet, though, did not grant a similar order as Odex was only a sub-licensee and had no rights to sue.

But the smear campaign has gone on unabated and things have become so bad that one of Wikipedia’s editors was compelled, in an Aug 14 entry, to tick off these ‘contributors’ and remind them to ’stick to facts and try to balance them’. Some of the more offensive posts have been taken down.

Popular websites such as Tomorrow.sg have also received many submissions – almost all of which had bad things to say about Odex, said Mr James Seng, one of the site’s founders.

The outpouring of rage against the anime distributor, say Internet industry observers, is the clearest indication of how tech-savvy communities are wising up to the Internet’s power as a propaganda tool.

Mr Seng noted that the community that Odex had targeted in its piracy crackdown was a very tech-savvy one, and so was able to employ many Internet propaganda techniques not used before.

These tactics include the Wikipedia edits and even uploading satirical videos making fun of Odex on video-sharing site YouTube.

Previously, upset Netizens contented themselves with whining on online forums. The furthest they went was to start an online petition occasionally.

Psychologist Daniel Koh said that online lynch mobs were more likely to hit out at anyone who appeared to be attacking their cause as they felt a ’sense of loyalty’ with others in the community.

The sense of anonymity in an online world also lent them more courage in lashing out, he added.

But even as most simply go online to slam Odex, some users have been using the Internet in positive ways, Mr Seng pointed out.

He said these include digging up details of what the previously little-known company does, putting together repositories of copyright law-related information here and around the world, and collecting donations for those hit by the crackdown.

One was even able to unearth a damning post by an Odex director gloating about his campaign, for which he has had to apologise.

In fact, said a veteran public relations practitioner, the anti-Odex camp has probably ‘won the propaganda battle’.

She declined to give her name because ‘what if they come after me?’

She was referring to how some online users had threatened Odex staff with physical harm and even posted online personal information such as the home addresses of the people they believe are responsible for the crackdown.

All said and done though, communities need to temper their behaviour and pitch their points of view online ethically without going overboard by lying or making personal attacks.

This is easier said than done, said Mr Koh, especially when sentiments are running high, as is the case now.

He said that when this happens, ‘people (will) act irrationally’ to the point that they get carried away and are willing to do anything to advance their cause.

Just take ‘Skurai’, who had no qualms suggesting ’stunts’ that downloaders can pull to milk donations and sympathy from the public and hopefully force Odex to end its crackdown.

He wrote: ‘Ask around. Wait for someone poor to kena sue. Then write to The New Paper or The Straits Times, get a sad story from it.’

But lawyers warn that those who post wild allegations online could land in trouble.

Mr Mark Lim, director of law firm Tan Peng Chin LLC, said: ‘If the allegations are untrue, and if they are able to obtain a court order to get the subscriber’s information from their ISP, Odex can sue for defamation.’

Source: jq75 of Hardware Zone Forums

ANIME distributer Odex has lost a court bid to force Pacific Internet to reveal names of subscribers who allegedly downloaded pirated versions of the Japanese cartoons.

The Subordinate Court handed down its decision in chambers on Thursday and no details were made public.

Pacific Internet (PacNet), which opposed the Odex action, would only say that it ‘respects the rights of intellectual property owners and at the same time, also believes in protecting the privacy of all our subscribers’.

The Straits Times understands one reason for District Judge Ernest Lau’s decision is that he believes Odex was not the right party to make the application, despite having the go-ahead to prosecute on the behalf of the Japanese anime studios.

Odex is demanding the names of up to 1000 PacNet downloaders.

A company spokesman said it will consult the rights owners before making its next move but it was likely to appeal. It has 14 days to do so.

The ruling on Thursday came as a surprise given that Odex had successfully obtained Court orders to get SingNet and StarHub to reveal names of their downloaders.

Different judges ruled on those cases, and both internet service providers declined to say what arguments they presented in court.

In light of the PacNet decision, a StarHub spokesman said on Thursday that it’s ‘assessing our options …given the different decisions rendered by the court’.

But the deadline for lodging an appeal has expired for StarHub and SingTel.

Source: Odex saga: PacNet does not have to reveal names

As you all might heard that Nokia is going to announce something on the 29th August 2007 (Next Wednesday) in London. The event name will be called Nokia: GO PLAY. The same event will be held here in Singapore on the exact same date. This Asia Pacific press conference will be held concurrently with the global press conference in London.

This morning I got a call from Dinesh who is working for Nokia Asia Pacific and to my shock he invited me to the event which is going to be held in Singapore on 29th August 2007. No words can describe how happy I am and just that phone call along is enough to made my day. I have been monitoring several mobile phones sites for leak shots of the new Nokia phones but to actually see it with my own eyes is something that I have never think of.

I will bring my laptop and my camera to the event and hopefully there is an Internet connection to allow me to post live shots of the announced handphones (if they have the demo model there) on this site. So you might want to stay tuned to this site on Wednesday, 29th August 2007. The event will be in the evening.

With Samsung, Microsoft and Nokia finding my blog, I am starting to feel that after all these years in maintaining my blog, my efforts had paid off.

THANK YOU Dinesh, if you are reading this.

Nokia N95 Black Edition has just been FCCed.

It is all black as rumored and comes with a large 8 GB internal storage. It loses the camera lens cover and has padded multimedia keys. The Nokia badge has moved to under the screen.

Nokia N95 Black Edition – Multiple Views

Nokia N95 Black Edition – Bottom Slider Out View

Nokia N95 Black Edition – Top Slider Out View

Source: Black Nokia N95 shows up at FCC

mun420 from Sammyboy.com’s Alfresco Coffee Shop paid $5.00 and dig up the Odex Pte Ltd ACRA information. EVERYTHING is in the report ranging from SS only hold 1 share out of 1 million shares to IC numbers, addresses and stuffs.

I have mirrored it for your convenience: Odex Pte Ltd ACRA Information

The Bourne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum is one of the best if not THE BEST trilogy I have ever seen, it has taken over Lord Of The Rings (from my point of view).

The story line is fantastic, the action is excellent, the ending is good (for Ultimatum) and definitely no CG is used in any of the 3 films.

It is a MUST watch trilogy.

881 is no doubt one of the best local production ever been made. Royston Tan has yet done it again right after 15 and 4:30. At this age, I think he has already surpass Jack Neo.

One thing I like about Royston’s movies is that they are always very unique and portray a different side of Singapore and some of the actors and actress he used in the movie are not actors and actress by nature, instead they are doing it as a profession.

Take 881 for example, where it is a Getai (Chinese 7th month stage show), some the actors and actress in the movies are professional getai singers.

Take 15 for example, where it is a Singapore gangster movie, the actors in it are all real gangsters in real life.

On the other hand, Jack Neo’s movies are all getting to be very stagnant and always uses the same actors and actress all over again. I think it is time for him to think out of the box.

By the way, the 881 OST is kinda below my expectations. Many of the movie songs are not inside as the singers (明 珠 姐 妹 Ming Zhu Sisters) behind those songs sang during the movie is coming out with an album of their own, so buy the OST at your own risk.

From the very Beginning, Gal’s family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background, & that the gal will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him. Due to family’s pressure, the couple quarrelled very often. Though the gal love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: “How deep is your love for me?” As the guy is not good with his words, this often cause the gal to be very upset. With that & the family’s pressure, the gal often vent her anger on him. As for him, he only endured it in silence.

After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated & decided to further his studies overseas. Before leaving, he proposed to the gal: “I’m not very good with words. But all I know is that I love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I’ll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?” The gal agreed, & with the guy’s determination, the family finally gave in & agreed to let them get married. So before he leave, they got engaged. The gal went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies. They sent their love through emails & phone calls. Though it’s hard, but both never thought of giving up.

One day, while the gal was on her way to work, she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realised that she was badly injured. Seeing her mum crying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. she has lost her voice.. The doctors says that the impact that had on her brain has caused her to loss her voice. Listening to her parents’ comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down.

During the stay in hospital, besides silence cry.. it’s still just silence cry that accompanied her. Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same. Except for the ringing tone of the phone, which pierced into her heart every time it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know. & not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she does not wish to wait any longer. With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions & millions of reply, countless of phone calls.. all the gal could do, besides crying, is still crying…. The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything & be happy.

With a new environment, the gal learn sign language & started a new life. Telling herself everyday that she must forget the guy. One day, her friend came & told her that he’s back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn’t anymore news of him.

A year has passed & her friend came with an envelope, containing a invitation card for the guy’s wedding. The gal was shattered. When she open the letter, she saw her name in it instead. When she was about to ask her friend what’s going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her. He used sign language telling her “I’ve spent a year’s time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I’ve not forgotten our promise. “Let me have the chance to be your voice. I Love You.” With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger. The gal finally smiled.

Source: AIDS of Hardware Zone Forums

Court Order: Starhub Must Give Names Of Illegal Anime Downloaders

By Chua Hian Hou

The Singapore distributor of Japanese animated cartoons called anime has won the right to track down fans who download the programmes illegally using Starhub internet accounts.

A subordinate court has ordered the Telco to disclose the identity of about 1,000 of its subscribers accused of illegally downloading anime.

It is believed to be one of the largest crackdowns illegal Internet downloading by home users in Singapore.

The recent hearing was held in closed chamber session, so few details of the case are available publicly. The action was taken by local anime distributor ODEX.

Starhub had initially resisted the companys efforts to get its customer data, said a spokesman for Telco, as it had “an obligation to protect our customer’ information”. But it now has no choice but to comply with the court order, as ODEX had œsatisfied the court of its need for the information.

Once ODEX obtains the identities of these Internet users from Starhub , it is expected to write to them demanding a settlement of up to $5,000 and a promise to stop further illegal downloading.

In May, ODEX went after 17 Singnet subscribers after obtaining a similar court order. It then sent more letters to an undisclosed number of other Singnet subscribers also accused of illegally downloading anime.

Odex Director Peter GO said a few infringers with financial difficulties were allowed to settle for about $1000. He added that a number of those who had received the letter had engaged lawyers, BUT DID NOT CONTEST ODEX’S CASE.

Having suceeded in getting SingNet and Starhub customer lists, ODEX will now go after customers of another internet service provider, Pacific Internet, in the subordinate courts later this week. It is understood ODEX has accused about 1,000 PacNet users of illegal downloading.

PacNet spokeman Bernard Ho, said the firm was “resisting the application” made by ODEX in court.

However, lawyers familiar with such applications say they have STRONG track record of sucess. But infromation obtained this way is not always useful to the plaintiff. For instance, the user may no longer be in the country.

Popular with both children and adults, the anime industry was worth as much as US$5 Billion ($7.5billion) world wide according to 2004 Business Week report. However, illegal downloads, available online since the late 1990s, have cut deeply into the profits of producers and distributers.

Mr Peter GO said the South Korean anime market, once the world’s second largest after Japan, collapsed several years ago due to piracy problems.

This prompted Japanese studios making anime to band together to mount the crackdown here as they were worried Singapore, although not big a market, would end up the same way.

A 23 year old anime fan acknowledged that there some truth to Mr GO’S words. “At my peak a while ago, I used to download 5 to 10 gigabytes of anime a week, ” said the undergraduate, who declined to be named. Now, he is resigned that his past will catch up with him.

Source: mr_voodoo of Hardware Zone Forums