I wish people would stop comparing those uses of copyright to nonprofits like Internet Archive

While I understand AI training exemptions to copyright are controversial, and think most people here would side with IA on ebook lending.

It depends on the attack vector. Typically you’re right, but malicious .lnk files are often paired with other malicious methods to infect machines. Sometimes they’re configured as a worm that copies and spreads when a flash drive is connected, sometimes they’re configured to download a remote payload when another script or program is started. The problem is that it’s a type of file that’s often overlooked because it seems innocent.

It isn’t necessarily the case that the Trojan needs to be interacted with by the user in order to execute the malicious code. Just having the file on your machine opens the door for all kinds of attacks (especially if you’re using a headless setup: you wouldn’t necessarily know you have the .lnk file in the system unless you’re manually unpacking your downloads yourself). All it needs is for another piece of infected code to run and look for that file, and it can open the door for more traditional malicious code.

Edit: just as a for-instance - If I was a black hat and wanted to spread some malicious code, I could include this .lnk file in a torrent (innocuous enough to slip by unnoticed by most people/unscrupulous pirates), and then maybe place a line of code in a jellyfin plugin or script that looks for that file and executes it if it’s found. Because the attack isn’t buried in the plugin or script itself (most people wouldn’t think much of a line of code that’s simply pointing to temp file already on your system), it could theoretically go unnoticed for long enough to catch a few hundred or thousand machines.

I believe the torrent included both an .mkv and a malicious .lnk file.

.lnk files are dangerous because they can evade detection and automatically open other files or executable on a computer; AFAIK you would not have had to open the .lnk file yourself.

Lots of good suggestions here

I’m a bit surprised by your budget. For something just running plex and next cloud, you shouldn’t need a 6 or even 3k system. I run my server on found parts, adding up to just $600-$700 dollars including (used) SAS drives. It runs probably a dozen docker containers, a dns server, and homeassistant. I don’t even remember what cpu I have because it was such a small consideration when I was finding parts.

I’d recommend keeping g your synology as a simple Nas (maybe next cloud too, depending on how you’re using it) and then get a second box with whatever you need for plex. Unless you’re transcoding multiple 4k videos at once, your cpu/GPU really don’t need much power. I don’t even have a dedicated GPU in mine, but I’m basically unable to do live 4k transcodes (this is fine for me)

I used to think the same thing, but I did an effort post about this about a year ago (here’s the link)

The article you linked to says something similar to my own understanding: basically, DRM circumvention for personal use is officially not allowed under DMCA and could absolutely be used against you in court, though the likelihood is low. The exceptions the author mentions are pretty nebulous, and the Library of Congress actually addresses the most common cases in their discussions and publication and affirms that they are not allowed.

I don’t personally agree with their interpretation, but I think more people ought to know that it’s officially not legal to circumvent DRM for personal use.

If Amazon started charging for smart-home solutions, they’d essentially be making the case for FOSS solutions like home assistant.

Granted, there will always be a contingent of people who are unwilling to learn how to self-manage that tech, but there are certainly enough people who are willing that they should think twice about heading down that path.

I think everyone ought to strip their media of drm, but you should know that personal use does not qualify as fair use under US law

Yup, I ended up frankensteining a nas from various craigslist parts (i actually found a low-power business-class server motherboard that has worked out well for the purpose). Had to get a SAS HBA card and a couple SFF-8087 cables to do the job right, and I grabbed an old gaming case from the 2010’s to hold it all, but it was relatively seamless. I had one of the drives go out already, but luckily I had it in a raid configuration with parity so it was just a matter of swapping out the drives and rebuilding.

It’s been fun and rewarding, for sure! I’m glad I didn’t sell them like these other dweebs told me to lol

Guess ill be trying my hand at building my own pfsense router

Actually I think it’s on the people who go to .ml specifically to make an ideological statement

That’s funny because I run into that regularly on .world but I’ve never thought ‘there must be a mod abusing their moderation right now’

Well I certainly agree it’s good to be aware of the expectations of that instance if you plan on participating there, but that doesn’t make their way of moderating their forum yours to judge.

But yea, it seems some people here who are complaining about being banned or having content removed could benefit from being more aware of the expectations of the forum their engaging with. I could have sworn I read you complaining about being banned for something I could have told you is likely to earn you a ban… Must’ve been someone else I guess.

But this shit is precisely why I wanna have a good internet space for legit debate

Then create a political debate comm? What’s stopping you from doing that? I’d personally block that community immediately, because online debate bros have probably the least tolerable kind of online behavior. Thinking you can walk into someone else’s community and start ‘political debate’ is probably why you can’t understand their moderation - if I was the mod I’d ban you too

I’m familiar with linkerbann, I like seeing him around

why does it matter if you think it’s normal? it’s not your instance

It’s only a failure of moderation from your outside perspective, I’m sure people inside .ml might feel differently

though please don’t take that metaphor any further, comparing Lenin to Jesus is not the intent

Lmao

In my experience, “just asking questions” is never just asking questions, but I suppose that’s me presuming guilt

I’ve asked plenty of questions there and have never had a run in with their mods. I have to assume the question was insulting or disingenuous, or both.

But hey you can always make an account elsewhere and try again under better circumstances

I don’t know that privacy and security are mutually exclusive to communism

You can simultaneously be in both chambers, that’s the nice thing about federation

I think it’s healthy for people to be pushed into modulating their own behavior when in mixed company, I think it encourages a richer and more challenging experience. I wouldn’t waltz into my local catholic church and start complaining about their stance on gay marriage, and then get mad when they decide they don’t want me there anymore. If you want to participate in that community, you have to find a way to communicate with them without crossing that ideological threshold. And if you’re just too dissimilar to get along at all then by golly, maybe that community isn’t a great fit.

Why don’t .ml users retreat to hexbear or lemmygrad, if making the moderation practices on one of the largest instances fair is so odious?

lmao the gall of complaining about not being allowed to espouse your ideological opinion on their instance, and then suggesting they should be the ones to retreat to a different space.

For me personally, it wouldn’t be a big issue if .ml made its bend and moderation practices clear, because I could have avoided the headache when I was first using lemmy.

Well it seems like all those people are able to understand and live by those moderation practices just fine, maybe it’s a good thing that you’re not on .ml? Lemmy.ml has been happily existing as their own thing and their own rules, don’t you think it’s a little backwards that you’re suggesting they relinquish their community so that… what, everyone who’s not currently a part of .ml can move in? Is this a new form of digital colonialism I’m just not aware of?

If you really don’t like .ml then block them, or get your instance admins to de-federate, or, idk, maybe just know whose house you’re in when you’re engaging in arguments along ideological fault lines? They have a different opinion than you and don’t tolerate users who push that boundary, that doesn’t sound unreasonable when there are 600 or so other servers you could move to or start your own. If they haven’t banned you outright congratulations, you get another chance to participate.

IDK, I’ve somehow managed to avoid more than 1 or 2 comment removals on any of the instances (despite being infamous in .world for getting into it all the fucking time) over the last year, maybe it’s not a problem with their moderation but a problem with… dare I say it?.. you?