You might have already heard, or learned yourself about the closure of MegaUpload.com and it’s “sister” sites. The site ranked 73 in the Alexa index and was home to over 180 million registered users.

MegaUpload was a haven for users to upload videos, pictures, audio, and pornography. Users had to pay a minimum $10/month subscription to access features and bypass the infamous “72 minute rule.” The Chinese based site was shut down by the FBI and the US government earlier yesterday.

Screenshot of what MegaUpload.com currently looks like (URL redirects).

Many people fear that sites such as RapidShare, FileSonic, or other file sharing websites could be deemed as pirating sites. This could result in more websites being shut down. While it looks hopeful that the SOPA bill will be thrown out, the US government still behaves as if the bill has been passed.

My suggestion? Keep strong, we will not let this happen without a fight.

-Jamie Larouqe

You may have read blog entries, messages, tweets, or the famous blackout message. SOPA and PIPA are abbreviations that are coming up more and more often day to day. You may be wondering, what is SOPA? Well, I’m here to answer all or most of your questions.

What is SOPA?

SOPA is an abbreviation for “Stop Online Piracy Act.” In the government, it is known as “House Bill 3261.” The US House of Representatives introduced this bill October 26th, 2011.

This bill, if passed, gives law enforcement and copyright holders rights to sue and persecute anyone who holds copyrighted materials or counterfeit goods. Let’s continue on how it affects us.

How will SOPA affect me?

As if 2010, almost 80% of US citizens use the Internet. The Internet is a fast growing industry which most use to share things like videos, pictures, and source code.

If the bill is passed, sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, ProjectFreeTV, and other sites such as that may be censured or will close down.

If say you uploaded a funny picture on Facebook or Twitter, you may get sued or jailed for possessing and uploading the image in question. If you cannot say afford to pay for cable television, you may go online to watch your movies and TV shows. This bill may put a halt to non-licensed sites.

How is SOPA affecting me now?

Using the example of YouTube, many content owners of music, and music videos have the power to sue or block your videos from certain countries.

While some things are outside of US jurisdiction, the US can still make internet providers (such as AT&T, etc.) block domain names. Corporations can also cut off funds to infringing websites. This means that web hosting companies or advertising firms can cancel your accounts. Not good if you need to keep up those servers!

You can still access websites by their IP address (example: 195.122.131.12 for RapidShare.com), although corporations will try to sue and/or cripple these websites. This can make websites, social media sites, and search engines go bankrupt (have no money and/or have debt).

Many countries look to the US as a large leader. They will follow what the US does. Not all countries will be nice and not abuse their powers. China is an example already, blocking Facebook, Skype, and YouTube.

*Do not think that just because you’re outside of the US that this means it will not affect you. Because it will.

What can I do to stop SOPA?

There are a few options on how to support the end of SOPA. Here are a few well known methods, but some people will probably find creative ways too!

1. Tell your friends - If you use social media such as Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, MySpace, etc. you can post it on your blogs (such as what I’m doing) or posting it as your status.

2. Sign the petition - http://sopa.com/, http://americancensorship.org/, and http://sopastrike.com/ are places where YOU can sign the petition absolutely free.

3.  Add the banner to your site – http://sopastrike.com/#how-to-strike by adding that banner to your website, you can show your friends and viewers that you support the end of SOPA.

4. Add the blackout code to your site - When your viewers or readers visit your website, a black screen will appear asking them to support SOPA. It also provides links to sites which tell you about SOPA. Of course, there is the option at the bottom of the page to continue to your site like normal. All you have to do is add the following code to your website.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://js.sopablackout.org/sopablackout.js"></script>

5. Make a video or image showing that you DO NOT support SOPA - Videos and images speak louder than words. If you’re awesome at creating videos and images, this might be your way of rebelling against the SOPA bill. All you need is Photoshop, video editing software, a video camera, plenty of defiance, and you’re all set to go.

-Jamie Larouqe (Editor)

A few days ago, I said I would get back to you guys on tracker hosting. I know many of you guys come from families where buying hosting is impossible, so I’d like to offer hosting space on my server. All you have to do is visit http://duncan70.com/tracker/hosting.php and fill out the information in the form. Me, or a member of staff will respond to your request within 24-48 hours depending on what the time of day is.

If you’re just comfortable playing with the demo, please go to http://duncan70.com/tracker/ and fill out the form. When you press submit, the form data will be pushed on to the image below. Resources such as the source code, video tutorial, and tracker hosting help are available.

-Duncan70

You may have seen what some penguins call a “PHP tracker” or a “mascot tracker.” Basically, it’s a form that you enter in information like the room, server, and status of the mascot you’re tracking. When you press submit, the form pushes the information on to an image.

Requirements:

• Basic HTML knowledge. Tutorials here.
• A web host* that allows PHP GD Libraries.
• A background image for the tracker.
• A font source for the text.
• Patience

*a web host is NOT wordpress.com or blogspot.com. A web host server has a file manager in which you can upload files. Examples are cPanel or Kloxo.

YouTube video tutorial on how to make a PHP tracker for your website.

I will be hosting other people’s trackers. Stay tuned!

-Duncan70

So you may have been hearing that you need a web host server to host your website or blog. You may or may not need a web host depending on what you use your website or blog for. If you’re just the type of person who posts on a blog and doesn’t care that their images are uploaded to wordpress.com or blogspot.com instead of “http://yourdomainhere.com/yourfolder/yourupload.png” then chances are, you don’t need one. However, if you’re the type of person who likes to upload files and make cool applications or login systems, you probably do need a web host.

Many web hosts online require you to pay for them (otherwise how else would they pay to host your site?!). Some people either cannot afford to or are too frugal to spend the money on a web host. The good news is that you DO NOT need to pay for a good web host. The trick is just knowing the right host to use for free.

My website is hosted by http://freehosting.com/. The login process was easy and painless and they sent me a confirmation email almost right away. After changing the nameservers (nameservers map your domain to the host), I was in business uploading. FTP and overall downloading of files is very speedy and I have not been suspended. When you sign up for hosting, it’s okay to use a fake address and phone number. If you need one, just go to http://fakenamegenerator.com/.

If you’re looking for a good paid host, I recommend HostGator.com. Back when I was hosted by paid hosting, HostGator was definitely my choice. I never had a problem with downtime or slow FTP downloading, the customer rep is pretty good, and there aren’t a lot of pesky restrictions as to what you can do with your website.

-Duncan70

Well the time has finally come. chpwn recently released news that the port for Siri is officially out! The package is available for jailbroken iDevice users who can download it from Cydia under the package name “Spire.”

Requirements:

• A compatible, jailbroken iDevice
• iOS 5.0 or higher
• A Siri Proxy (to pass Apple’s authentication)
• An iPhone 4S*

*optional

I have uploaded a video on YouTube that should guide you through the process of getting Spire. If for some reason the video does not work, there is a text guide below.

How to jailbreak your iDevice.

1. Install the latest version of redsn0w from the iPhone-Dev Team here.
2. Run redsn0w on your computer. If you’re on a Windows 7 PC, run as an administrator.
3. Connect your iDevice up to the USB and follow the onscreen instructions.

How to install Spire.

1. Open Cydia on your jailbroken iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, or iPod Touch.
2. Go to “Search” and type in “Spire.” There is no repository and it is hosted by BigBoss.
3. Install the package. Reboot your device. If your device was jailbroken but tethered, you must do a boot tether.

How to setup Spire.

1. Go to Settings -> General -> Siri. Turn on Siri and add all of your personal settings.
2. Go to Settings -> Spire. You MUST enter in a valid proxy URL to use Siri.
3. Press and hold down the home button to activate Siri.

Now the reason you need to have a proxy host is because Apple requires authentication tokens. These tokens allow you to send information back and forth from Apple. The iPhone 4S already has these tokens, but for the unauthorized bunch, you must use a Siri proxy. Some sites are offering Siri proxies at a price so beware, some are scams.

How to get Siri authentication keys.

1. Borrow a friend/relative’s iPhone 4S and follow the instructions here.
2. Try your luck with some of the free Siri proxies. There are plenty online.
3. Wait for someone to come up with a work around.

Good luck on getting Siri/Spire for your iDevice!

-Duncan70