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Reverendender, (edited ) in want to get started but finding the technical side really overwhelming

OK, so, I attempted to bring some clarity to this discussion that seems like it’s all over the place in terms of methodology and difficulty. Here is a breakdown as well as some instructions that should hopefully help OP out.

  1. Running VPN on Router (suggested by ruplicant):

    • Veracity: Valid. Running a VPN on the router secures all devices on the network.
    • Complexity: High for a beginner. Requires a compatible router and understanding of router firmware.
    • Suitability for Beginners: Not ideal due to the technical complexity.
  2. Setting Up Media Server on Raspberry Pi (suggested by ruplicant):

    • Veracity: Valid. Raspberry Pi can effectively run media servers like Plex or Jellyfin.
    • Complexity: Moderate. It requires some technical know-how for setup and maintenance.
    • Suitability for Beginners: Moderate. Good for those with some technical background.
  3. Standard Computer Setup with Torrent Client and VLC (suggested by send_me_your_ink):

    • Veracity: Valid. This is a common method for downloading and viewing content.
    • Complexity: Low. Easy to set up and use.
    • Suitability for Beginners: High. Straightforward and less technically demanding.
  4. Using Plex Over Jellyfin (suggested by Reverendender):

    • Veracity: Subjective. Both are valid, but Plex is often seen as more user-friendly.
    • Complexity: Low for Plex, moderate for Jellyfin.
    • Suitability for Beginners: Plex is more suitable due to its ease of use.

Based on this analysis, for a beginner user, the most straightforward and effective approach would be to use a standard computer setup with a VPN, a torrent client, and VLC media player for streaming. This setup minimizes technical complexity while providing a good balance of privacy and ease of use.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Beginners:

1. Set Up a VPN on Your Computer:

  • Choose a reputable VPN service (like Mullvad or ProtonVPN).
  • Download and install the VPN software on your computer.
  • Follow the software’s instructions to connect to a VPN server.

2. Install a Torrent Client:

  • Download a user-friendly torrent client (e.g., qBittorrent, uTorrent).
  • Install the torrent client on your computer.
  • Configure the settings for privacy (like enabling a kill switch, if available).

3. Download and Install VLC Media Player:

  • Download VLC from its official website.
  • Install VLC, following the setup wizard.

4. Download Content:

  • Use the torrent client to find and download content.
  • Ensure your VPN is active whenever you are downloading.

5. Stream Content to Your TV:

  • If your TV supports casting (like with Chromecast), use VLC’s streaming feature to cast content to your TV.
  • Alternatively, connect your computer to the TV via HDMI for direct playback.

6. Practice Good Security Habits:

  • Always keep your VPN active when downloading or streaming content.
  • Regularly update your software (VPN, torrent client, VLC) for security.

7. Optional: Explore Advanced Configurations Later:

  • As you become more comfortable, you might explore setting up a media server like Plex for a more integrated experience.
Nugget,

Great post, thanks for the effort!

Reverendender,

Maybe we can put together a wiki or something. No idea who the mods are though.

funkless_eck,

thank you for this. my bed time now but I’ll dig into this over thr next couple of days

Reverendender,

Anytime! On step 3 you can also just install plex or jellyfin on your computer instead of VLC. Easier IMHO

funkless_eck, (edited )

unfortunately I am now still stuck on step 1, (installing mullvad) see my issues here:

sh.itjust.works/comment/7983968

Reverendender,

OK, I haven’t used Ubuntu in 10 years, and never setup a VPN on it, but here’s what I got:

Certainly! Below is a step-by-step guide to installing and configuring Mullvad VPN on Ubuntu. Mullvad is a VPN service that helps maintain your online privacy and security.

Prerequisites

  • An active Mullvad VPN account
  • A computer running Ubuntu

Step-by-Step Installation and Configuration

Step 1: Download Mullvad VPN

  1. Open a web browser and go to the Mullvad VPN website (mullvad.net).
  2. Navigate to the download section.
  3. Select the Linux version and download the .deb file appropriate for Ubuntu.

Step 2: Install Mullvad VPN

  1. Open the terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).

  2. Navigate to the directory where the downloaded .deb file is located. For example, if it’s in the Downloads folder, use cd ~/Downloads.

  3. Install the package using the following command:```

    <span style="color:#323232;">sudo dpkg -i [MullvadVPN-File].deb
    </span>

    
    Replace `[MullvadVPN-File]` with the name of the file you downloaded.
    
    

Step 3: Resolve Dependencies

  1. If the installation reports missing dependencies, fix it by running:```

    <span style="color:#323232;">sudo apt-get install -f
    </span>

    
    

Step 4: Launch Mullvad VPN

  1. You can start Mullvad VPN from the terminal by typing mullvad-vpn or find it in the applications menu and launch it from there.

Step 5: Log In

  1. Once Mullvad VPN is open, log in using your account number provided by Mullvad.

Step 6: Connect to a Server

  1. Select a country or server you want to connect to.
  2. Click on the “Secure my connection” button to establish a VPN connection.

Step 7: Verify Connection (Optional)

  1. To ensure that the VPN is working, you can visit a website like https://ipleak.net and check if your IP address and location have changed.

Step 8: Configure Settings (Optional)

  1. You can configure additional settings like auto-connect on startup, enable/disable the kill switch, and select specific protocols as per your preference.

Tips

  • Keep your Mullvad VPN application updated for the latest features and security updates.
  • If you experience any issues, restarting the Mullvad VPN service or your computer might help.

Troubleshooting

  • If you encounter problems during installation or connection, refer to the official Mullvad VPN support page or community forums for assistance.

Yes, there are several VPNs that are known for being user-friendly and relatively easy to set up and install on Ubuntu. Here are some popular options:

  1. ExpressVPN: Known for its high speeds and easy-to-use interface, ExpressVPN offers a native application for Ubuntu. The installation process is straightforward, and they provide detailed guides on their website.
  2. NordVPN: NordVPN also offers a native Linux app with a simple setup process. It’s known for strong security features and a large server network.
  3. CyberGhost: While CyberGhost doesn’t have a native Linux app, it provides detailed setup guides for using it on Ubuntu via OpenVPN or other protocols. This makes it relatively easy to install and configure.
  4. Private Internet Access (PIA): PIA offers a Linux app with a simple interface and easy setup. It’s known for its strong commitment to privacy.
  5. Surfshark: Surfshark has a native application for Linux that is straightforward to install and use. They offer good speeds and an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

General Steps for Installing a VPN on Ubuntu:

  1. Sign Up for a VPN Service: Choose a VPN provider and sign up for their service.
  2. Download the VPN Client: Visit the VPN’s website and download the Linux client or setup files. Some VPNs offer .deb files that make installation easier on Ubuntu.
  3. Install the VPN Client: You can typically install the .deb file using Ubuntu’s Software Center or via the command line with sudo dpkg -i [downloaded-file-name].deb.
  4. Launch and Configure the VPN: After installation, open the VPN application, log in with your credentials, and configure the settings as needed.
  5. Connect to a Server: Choose a server location and connect to start using the VPN service.

Tips:

  • Always check if your chosen VPN supports Ubuntu specifically to ensure compatibility.
  • Look for VPNs that offer dedicated Linux support or detailed setup guides.
  • Ensure the VPN service has a good privacy policy and strong security features.

Each VPN provider will have specific instructions for installation and setup, so it’s a good idea to refer to the documentation provided on their official website.

funkless_eck, (edited )

Forgive my ignorance, but doesn’t the mullvad need to run through gluetun, or at least in its own docker container to be secure?

Or to put it another way, whats the benefit/cost of installing it via dpkg as opposed to running it in a container, as opposed to running it in in gluetun (in a container)?

i thought everything was supposed to run in a container if it’s touching the web

Reverendender,

Your question touches on some advanced concepts in networking and system security, specifically around the use of VPNs and Docker containers. Let’s break down the differences and implications of running Mullvad VPN through various methods:

  1. Mullvad via DPKG Installation (Direct Install on OS):

    • Benefits:
      • Simplicity: Easy to set up for beginners.
      • System-wide VPN Coverage: All internet traffic from your computer is routed through the VPN, enhancing privacy and security.
    • Costs:
      • Less Flexibility: Harder to isolate specific applications or services.
      • Potential for IP Leaks: If the VPN disconnects, your real IP address might be exposed unless the VPN client has a kill switch.
  2. Mullvad in a Docker Container:

    • Benefits:
      • Isolation: The VPN connection is isolated to the container, enhancing security for containerized applications.
      • Flexibility: Different containers can use different network settings, allowing for complex configurations.
    • Costs:
      • Complexity: Requires understanding of Docker and networking.
      • Limited Scope: Only affects network traffic from services running within the container.
  3. Mullvad with Gluetun (VPN in a Container):

    • Benefits:
      • Enhanced Security and Isolation: Gluetun provides a VPN client in a Docker container, offering both the security benefits of a VPN and the isolation of Docker.
      • Flexibility and Control: Allows for selective routing of traffic through the VPN.
    • Costs:
      • Increased Complexity: Requires more technical know-how to set up and manage.
      • Specific to Containerized Services: Only affects traffic from applications running in Docker.

In essence, the choice depends on your technical expertise, specific needs, and the level of security and flexibility you desire:

  • For Beginners: Direct installation of Mullvad (via DPKG) is straightforward and provides system-wide VPN coverage, suitable for everyday use.
  • For Advanced Users with Specific Needs: Running Mullvad in a Docker container or with Gluetun offers more control and isolation, which is beneficial for complex setups, such as when running multiple services with different networking requirements.

The idea that “everything touching the web should run in a container” is more of a best practice in professional IT environments, especially for server deployments, rather than a strict rule for personal use. It offers advantages in security and manageability but comes with a learning curve and complexity that might not be necessary for simpler or personal setups.

funkless_eck,

Thank you - that is helpful.

So the Gluetun part is really only for if I want to get into my jellyfin when away from home?

BuddyTheBeefalo,

deleted_by_author

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  • Reverendender,

    I do not think so, (or else that is not a factor on a mac?). I run private internet Explorer (which I am dropping in favor of proton when my subscription runs out) and I have never done any kind of configuration like that on it, and have literally never had a problem.

    BuddyTheBeefalo, (edited )

    deleted_by_author

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  • Reverendender,

    Technically correct on the internet is the best kind of correct

    MomoTimeToDie,

    Download a user-friendly torrent client (e.g., qBittorrent, uTorrent).

    Isn’t uTorrent, like, malware or something?

    modifier,

    This was it. This was the comment I needed to remove all excuses and get me going. I have officially raised sail.

    Thank you.

    Reverendender,
    modifier,

    It’s only 4 days later and I just built my first Raspberry Pi server for either Plex or Jellyfin.

    Reverendender,

    Holy shit! And?!

    modifier,

    Well, I’ve got an ISP with no data caps, two layers of VPN, and 8tb to fill. I don’t know what I didn’t do this sooner, but it’s been a good weekend so far.

    Reverendender,

    Older movies, and especially older series are often very difficult to find in my experience. I just filed my 8TB and moved to a 16.

    ruplicant, (edited ) in want to get started but finding the technical side really overwhelming
    @ruplicant@sh.itjust.works avatar

    what “stuff” are you talking about?

    if you want to do some pirating you need a decent VPN, like Mullvad or Proton, that you run on your system (Android/Linux/Windows/iOS), not some random leaky and dubious browser add-on

    dunno why dafuq you’re mentioning configuring a webserver (with SWAG) to point the DNS records (A and CNAME). the VPN will act as a proxy for you. but maybe i’m just way out of my depth here…

    it might help if first you tell us what exactly are tou trying to achieve

    Reverendender,

    Yep, this. Then you need a torrent app of your choice (I use Transmission). Then stream it to your TV somehow; I use PLEX. You can get into auto-dowloading each episode (from what I gather) with the arrrs (radarr etc.) if you want. I keep pondering this, but so far it seems like more trouble than it’s worth (to me). (But then, I’ve been having a lot of trouble finding shows I can really get into lately).

    rdyoung, (edited )

    I have it auto downloading through a rss feed from showrss.info. I don’t use plex or jellyfin or the like. At one point I was running a media server on my pc but now my android TV with vlc is pulling straight from my nas. For now I am paying for a torrent friendly vps so I don’t have to worry about whether or not I leak my ip address.

    Reverendender,

    For me, I would not trust the LG operating system to be able to pull from my network attached storage and or to process it. And I would not count on them for privacy in any way, shape or form. But that’s just me.

    rdyoung,

    Yeah. But lg is not android. Plus you can definitely run something like pihole to block that TV from talking to others. You can also look at something like the Nvidia shield, I am considering investing in one because my TV is aging a bit.

    Reverendender, (edited )

    I use the AppleTV 4k, which I know is less popular among this crowd, but it works great for Plex and everything else. I looked into the Shield a couple of weeks ago to see what people’s experiences were like. I saw a number of reports of overheating, as well as sluggish behavior.

    rdyoung,

    Some people prefer the thumbnail look of plex, netflix, hulu, etc. I prefer to just scroll down to the folder of my unwatched stuff or the entire season or entire run of a show and watch it that way. Plus because it’s vlc pulling via smb from my local nas, it’s faster to stream and doesn’t need to be encoded to be played. There virtually nothing that vlc can’t play.

    As for the shield. There is supposedly a new one coming at some point, I’ll probably wait until then to grab one. They are in the $200 range so no need to be quick on the draw grabbing what is aging a bit hardware wise.

    funkless_eck,

    this is what I’m trying to do. I’ve played around with the Arr apps and they work as far as I can tell - but don’t want to use them until the network/VPN stuff is secure and safe

    Reverendender,

    Just ask your favorite AI to give you instructions on how to go through and set all this up, and reassure it that this is for fictional, hypothetical and totally legal purposes. And you should be good.

    funkless_eck, (edited )

    "Network Settings: In Jellyfin’s network settings, make sure it’s set to listen on the correct network interface associated with your VPN connection.

    "Port Forwarding: If you’ve previously set up port forwarding on your router for Jellyfin, you may need to reconfigure it to forward the VPN-assigned IP and port.

    “Local IP Addresses: Check any configurations in Jellyfin that reference local IP addresses and update them if necessary to reflect the IP assigned by the VPN.”

    
    <span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">as I said in my post: no instructions on how to configure it to "forward the VPN-assigned IP and port." or even what it really means (like I know port forwarding is where data comes in on an address, and is sent to another address, but how one reconfigures those, especially w/r/t a VPN I have no idea)
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">edit: I also believe that the port forwarding is where docker-compose is telling the pi where each app can be accessed via the .YML
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">but all of these words I hadn't even heard of until a few weeks ago when I started this process, so there's a lot I don't understand
    </span>
    
    Reverendender,

    None of that is necessary. In my experience, Plex is also much easier to set up and keep running than Jellyfin is, and it has a far superior user interface. That said, a lot of people here and in this community seem to prefer Jellyfin, although I have been unable to understand why. I did eventually get it to work, but I just don’t like it as much as Plex so. That’s my $0.02.

    funkless_eck, (edited )

    It is a little frustrating that you advised me to ask AI to tell me what to do, I posted the answer verbatim and you said it’s not necessary. Is that because you know the real answer but don’t want to tell me, because the AI is wrong, or something else?

    the issue isn’t plex v jellyfin ease of use, its mullvad or privoxxy on gluetun through docker via compose …ease of use.

    funkless_eck,

    high-level: in the USA, download TV and movies and watch them on the TV without having to connect a cable from my computer to my TV.

    I have mullvad on my phone, but when I installed it on my Pi it blocks all ssh connections (which was how I was using the pi), some googling told me this was expected behavior and I should configure my proxy/reverse proxy first with the VPN built in.

    the webserver, as I understood it, is so I can watch the movies when it’s done, but again as I understand it, has to be configured alongside the VPN to let me in to watch stuff, but not show the government/police/whatever that I am watching stuff

    MomoTimeToDie,

    without having to connect a cable from my computer to my TV

    Honestly, just buy a Chromecast or something. Way less effort

    funkless_eck,

    I have an NVIDIA shield, but cf my other issues (now mostly fixed hopefully by EOD today) that connections in and out of the pi were either being blocked by VPN or totally exposed without VPN

    ruplicant, (edited )
    @ruplicant@sh.itjust.works avatar

    ok, maybe someone else might be able to help you properly, since i’m yet to do my planned Jellyfin home setup

    but it seems to me that maybe instead of running the VPN directly from you Pi, you should run it from you router, so your whole subnet is tunneled when going to the internet and inside your home you don’t need those shenanigans to connect to the Pi

    if you did this, then you only need to install your mediaserver on the Pi (either Plex or Jellyfin, and although i haven’t used any yet, Jellyfin seems to be the one not currently being shitified, and the complete FOSS route) and that will probably be a much easier installation

    funkless_eck,

    I have an ATT router in pass-through to an Eero mesh which I control through an app on my phone. there doesn’t seem to be anything about installing a VPN on a router I can find online except for specialist routers

    send_me_your_ink,

    Ok. I’m going to assume you have zero networking experience, and have one computer (a desktop/laptop). I’m also going to assume you are using some flavor of screen mirroring tech (eg a Chromecast) to wirelessly connect the

    Per your post the goal is to A) download items, B) store the items on local disk, C) display the items on your TV via some kind of wireless.

    I’m further going to assume we are strictly working with torrents.

    You will want to download two applications, 1) a torrent client (I’m not going to recommend one because Im not up to date on the differences), and VLC. You will also need whatever application your VPN requires but I think you have that configured.

    When downloading via a torrent you first turn on the VPN prior to downloading/seeding/etc. Once the torrent is finished, you can send you content to your TV via VLC (there is an option to use the TV as a renderer target).

    Some gotchas. Unless you configure your VPN to allow local traffic, all traffic goes via the VPN. This means that your computer is completely isolated from the rest of your Network (it’s visible, but can not interact with any of it). If you want, I can go into the hows/why’s of what’s going on. For the Pi. Use it to learn and play with Linux for the time being - focus on getting comfortable with the shell and do not attempt to run a reverse proxy/web server unless you understand what’s going on (this is to keep you safe).

    funkless_eck,

    very little network experience but I’m using Ubuntu to ssh into raspbian on a pi4. All of which is new to me, I can get sonarr radarr qbittorrent all working on it (i think - not willing to test without vpn), but it’s the VPN / Jellyfin stuff that’s really kicking my butt.

    but if I’m turning off the VPN to watch something, doesn’t that make expose me because of all the seeding etc through qbittorrent?

    ccdfa, (edited )

    Maybe you should try docker. You could follow the trash guides for a guided install and setup of everything

    funkless_eck,

    that’s part of the issue! If you actually look at the trash guides you’ll see most of the guides just say “There is no special set up required.” and the rest of the page is blank.

    That page you linked to shows how arrange your directory structure for hard links (but not how to mount the drive to match /mnt/ or, with exception of a single screenshot, how to configure the software to hardlink)

    all of which were things that took me several hours to google, experiment and understand.

    send_me_your_ink,

    This is why I talked about allowing local traffic.

    I’m going to try and keep this newbie friendly (but I’m not the best at it, so let me know if something is not clear).

    In an ideal world everything has an IP address that is unique. Some portion of the denotes it’s network, some portion denotes the host. In this way we can define logical (and oftentimes physical) associations. Your home is a classic example of a local area network (LAN).

    So what does a vpn do? It makes a tunnel that connects your machine to a remote network, forming a logical connection and “relocating” your device. In the VPN config you should have the option to allow local access. This will set up some fun rules for how network traffic is routed - if it’s going to a LAN address it can, otherwise all traffic is routed over the VPN.

    Ok.

    I’m going to warn you right now. Unless you want to do some reading on how traffic is routed, how Linux handles VPN connections and (probably) containers, do not run the clients that download content on your media server.

    If you want to use jellyfin to distribute media in a lan you do not need to do anything other then just start the jellyfin server on the pi and add content.

    funkless_eck, (edited )

    I do really appreciate your help - but unfortunately things like “just configure your VPN to allow local traffic” isn’t that helpful when my VPN is just me typing “mullvad connect” into a command line. There isn’t anything obvious to configure, and the moment you start looking into it, it’s insanely complicated.

    edit: OK, so with some googling this morning I found “allow local traffic” is set with “mullvad lan set allow” (which is in the help doc, but again - zero explanation, it just lists the command amongst other commands)

    edir2: apparently I need to run mullvad inside gluetun, so that’s the next thing

    edit3: gluetun installed… step 1: “Required environment variables: VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=mullvad” that’s it - no other text. Does that go in docker .env or does it go in the compose.yml or is it set by the command line and where does it go in those files?Who knows?

    Apparently gluetun is running on port 8000 - point browser to it “unable to connect” so either I fucked something in installing it or there’s no GUI browser interface - which is it? no idea.

    edit4: .env has “VPN_CLIENT=‘openvpn’” - is that the same or different to “_SERVICE_PROVIDER”? should the client be gluetun and the service provider be mullvad? Or neither? Or both? or vice versa? No one knows.

    edit 5: After more looking around I glimpsed that line in the last edit in a .yml file so im guessing that means “environment variable” is different to .env - still no idea what VPN_CLIENT should be.

    edit 6: no, apparently thats all wrong. It should go in override.yml instead…

    Generated private key, downloaded json, extracted the keys put them into the yml (why do these lines get hyphens at the start but nothing else does in the yml? hope i didn’t fuck it up!)

    edit 7: did all that, took over an hour, docker restart gluetun no errors and whatsmyipaddress.com shows me where I actually am so its not working. Another complete waste of time with no idea what went wrong or how to fix it

    
    <span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">Also, "to use Jellyfin ... Just add content" in this case means "just" configuring ombi to talk to radarr to talk to qbittorrent to download a file to be "moved" with hardlinks which you previously configured. 
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">Then I also can't "just start" jellyfin because the VPN blocks ssh connections as mentioned. 
    </span><span style="color:#323232;">
    </span>
    
    send_me_your_ink,

    Unfortunately I can’t give you specifics - because I simply don’t use mulivad. It looks like mulivad used open VPN if on windows, or wire guard for Mac/linux. And Gluetin is a generic vpn client packaged in a docker container?

    If you are downloading onto your main computer - a docker vpn client is just going to get in your way. I should ask - what is is said computer running?

    funkless_eck,

    it’s a raspberry pi running raspbian bookworm

    what’s the difference between wireguard and mullvad. Is mullvad just another shell for wireguard?

    send_me_your_ink,

    Got it. Yea. In this instance it’s a wrapper for wire guard. If your on windows or would be a wrapper for openvpn. And your running mulivad on the pi?

    habitualTartare,

    What your trying to do is a big overkill if you want only one device to connect to a VPN.

    Your VPN installed on your raspberry pi should have a “local network sharing” option. Based on some blogs mullvad had some issues with hostname and network shares (as of 07/2022) and you should try to connect via IP address if you’re having trouble.

    Local network sharing only works on the same subnet (IP address of your computer, Pi, and TV should have the first 3 parts of the IP match, ex: 192.168.4.xxx not 192.168.x.xxx).

    If you’re trying to SSH to the Pi when not connected to the same network it’s going to be much more difficult.

    If all above fails, this GitHub issue suggests advanced split tunneling setup on the Pi so that it can listen for SSH locally.

    funkless_eck, (edited )

    but I can’t just have one device connected to the VPN. I have to be able to tell it what to download (from a device) and then watch it (from a device)

    edit: also, from your link there

    “Did you adapt the rules to your setup (IP, port etc)? What if you add a counter to the rules? Can you see them trigger on incoming packets with nft list ruleset?”

    No, I have not adapted and counted the rules to trigger on incoming packets with an nft list ruleset because I have no idea what that means

    From the link inside that link

    “the following rules should be applied.

    table inet excludeTraffic { chain allowIncoming { type filter hook input priority -100; policy accept; tcp dport 2010 ct mark set 0x00000f41 meta mark set 0x6d6f6c65; } chain allowOutgoing { type route hook output priority -100; policy accept; tcp sport 2010 ct mark set 0x00000f41 meta mark set 0x6d6f6c65; } }”

    no idea what any of this means, nor what to do with it, what to change, or where to put it.

    I can’t be a complete idiot for thinking this seems overwhelmingly technical. Like surely you can’t believe you can show that to the average person on the street and they’d be like “ohhh just table inet exclude traffic! of course!”

    and “exclude traffic” sounds like the opposite of what I want - which is to include my ssh traffic.

    HawlSera, in Amazon clearly lying about "ownership" on Prime.

    I used to buy movies on Amazon, assuming it worked like Steam does, where if Steam loses the license to sell it, you still have the ability to play it even if Steam isn’t allowed to sell it.

    Hell I still have access to the stuff I got back when Steam still sold movies (I honestly miss Steam movies…)

    When people started telling me their copies of things they owned were no longer usable once Amazon stopped selling it, I stopped buying.

    IF BUYING ISN’T OWNING PIRACY ISN’T STEALING!

    hperrin,

    I had an Oculus account. I bought games for Oculus. Facebook forced me to link my Facebook account to it. Facebook removed Oculus accounts so it was all under Facebook accounts. Facebook deleted my account. I no longer owned the games I bought. I deleted the Facebook app.

    HawlSera,

    I thought the facebook account requirement was removed

    hperrin,

    It may have been, but I wouldn’t know. I’m never going back on that platform again. They stole a couple hundred dollars worth of games from me.

    dRLY,
    @dRLY@lemmy.ml avatar

    I haven’t ran into a situation where any of the digital copies of things I bought have been pulled. So I can’t speak to what happened with your friends. But I will say that if you have any purchased digital copies of movies, you should at least setup Movies Anywhere and link all accounts you have. It isn’t like how Steam will still allow you to download a pulled game. But it does give you copies of things on multiple sources once linked. So if you got something on Amazon, it would also be linked as “purchased” on other services like Vudu, YouTube/Play Movies, Apple, etc… It won’t apply to everything you have got but would likely cover most big name items.

    It used to be marked with the old “Ultraviolet” branding, but when that was shutdown the basic underlying service was transferred to Movies Anywhere. Most of the time you can see which things would count because they have the MA logo. Not great for smaller releases and most shows won’t be part of it (atm at least). Though some shows might also show up, as I have seen things from HBO and some other ones.

    All that being said. You are very much correct about “buying isn’t owning” these days. And even when there is something like MA, there are still thousands of movies and shows that will only ever get a digital “release” from torrents/P2P. Sad that some cool shit will never get a real HD re-master for Blu-ray (let alone streaming). I very much feel that studios should have at best a 10 year window to make whatever sales before the masters should be copied to public archives. If the studios won’t do it, then there are more than plenty of people out there that would do the job for the love of keeping old media preserved and accessible. Also bullshit when I try to go the “legal” route and find a show on one service in HD but only in SD on others. It is pretty infuriating to see that in some cases I can only get like season 2 of something on say Vudu for example, but season 1 is seemingly exclusive to Amazon. And one is in HD and the other is only SD.

    Comque, in Is there an option for pirating Assimil courses?

    There are scanned PDFs available online.

    However, my advice would be to actually purchase the book and then attain the audio .mp3s via an alternative online source.

    Assimil does sell CDs - or directs you to their app - both are equally useless, at least that is my experience.

    RealFknNito, (edited ) in Amazon clearly lying about "ownership" on Prime.
    @RealFknNito@lemmy.world avatar

    I just do the morally correct thing. Buy it, then pirate it so I really do own it forever. Inconvenient from a data storage perspective but the only simple solution I have on hand.

    DevilOfDoom,

    Or don’t buy it, then pirate it.

    RealFknNito,
    @RealFknNito@lemmy.world avatar

    Depends on what it is. I’ll freeboot full priced games by well known companies that I don’t want to support but smaller games from studios trying their heart out? I’m a sucker for chucking money at them.

    Album,
    @Album@lemmy.ca avatar

    Or don’t buy it and don’t pirate it either. Fuck em. This shit isn’t even worth pirating.

    selokichtli,

    Wouldn’t call that piracy.

    Facebones,

    100%. That’s a backup.

    FlyingSquid,
    @FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

    I don’t agree that it is ‘morally correct’ to pay $20 for a shitty movie that cost over $100 million to make when that money could have gone to fund 5 much smaller, much better movies just so the studio could shovel money into their Scrooge McDuck moneybin with yet another multimedia tie-in.

    Zibitee,

    Mmm… Sure. I think it’s morally correct for yourself. But the copyright people? They’ll argue all day that you shouldn’t be allowed to pirate it even after ownership. You need to buy the same movie on, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, purple-ray, AND omni-ray when it comes out. After all, there’s money to be made.

    7u5k3n,

    Won’t someone think of the shareholders!

    ToxicWaste,

    I don’t know about the laws where you live. But here it is legal to make ‘security copies’ of any medium you bought. If you have to crack some kind of protection, that is an inconvenience.

    You are just not allowed to distribute any copies without the proper license.

    lapommedeterre,

    Sometimes I do what I call “time travelling” where I pirate first with the intention to buy later when it’s cheaper.

    RealFknNito, (edited )
    @RealFknNito@lemmy.world avatar

    I do that too but I call it a “forced demo”

    Chakravanti, (edited )

    It’s amazon. They pay actors and writers pennies and funding Amazon is itself completely immoral by any means. Even after the “fix” of the recent agreement.

    Don’t get me wrong. I do it because Prime has shit I can’t get elsewhere. So I have to on some levels. But I don’t unless I have to to get what I need to do what I do.

    Doesn’t matter. We’re all gonna die in that decade we’re now well into my original prediction of. Baking the planet, inventing viruses bro-/tech-/etc.-, Closed Source AI, etc. etc.

    2030: We’re all gonna die.

    AntiOutsideAktion, in I should figure out how myself
    @AntiOutsideAktion@hexbear.net avatar
    SnotFlickerman, in I should figure out how myself
    @SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

    Soulseek

    Open Tracker Signups (search for em)

    QuentinCallaghan, in I should figure out how myself
    @QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz avatar

    Well, the Ubisoft exec needs to get used to people pirating games if they cannot be owned.

    Taleya,

    If purchase isn’t ownership, then piracy isn’t theft

    PropaGandalf,

    Because IP is no property, piracy isn’t theft!

    jordanlund, in I should figure out how myself
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    He’s going to be surprised at just how many people are OK not owning Ubisoft games…

    originalucifer, in opinions on hide.me free VPN?
    @originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com avatar

    free services get paid somehow. i wouldnt trust them

    regardless, you want to use gluetun for your docker-based vpn client. then you can set other containers to only use gluetun for outside access, preventing public ip bleed.

    tubbadu,

    I know, but It’s better than exposing my IP, right? I mean, do I actually risk something using the free plan?

    regardless, you want to use gluetun for your docker-based vpn client. then you can set other containers to only use gluetun for outside access, preventing public ip bleed.

    this is what I was using with protonVPN, but I’m not sure if I can configure it also for hide.me because it is not in the supported providers

    stoy,

    Just go with mullvad, so far it is the only VPN I know of that allows you to pay with physical currency with zero papertrail back to you.

    Mullvad.net

    tubbadu,

    I wish I could afford it…

    originalucifer,
    @originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com avatar

    whatever free provider you want, pick one that supports OpenVPN, as that is where you can force gluetun to work generic-ly. i seemed to recall some instructions for non-preconfig OpenVpn connections. .. maybe

    tubbadu,

    doesn’t it also supports wireguard?

    parpol, in I should figure out how myself

    Unfortunately this apples not only to games.

    I’ve never wanted to download a car more than today.

    Mango, in it sure beats having to buy it, but seriously come on...

    OCR?

    Gaspar,
    @Gaspar@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

    Optical Character Recognition. Essentially, software that “reads” an image and pulls text out of it.

    antonim, in it sure beats having to buy it, but seriously come on...

    By the time you finished making this snarky meme, you could’ve set up a program to OCR a book yourself.

    5714,

    ‘A’ yes, but the more scan pix you get, the annoyter you get

    cupcakezealot, in Amazon clearly lying about "ownership" on Prime.
    @cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

    this is why i still buy cds and dvds

    Inky,

    I definitely do not value having lifetime access to 99.999% of the media I consume enough to have to deal with hoarding physical copies.

    theedqueen,

    Yep. I still like owning Blu-ray’s for this reason. When I tell people I have a Blu-ray collection they make fun of me.

    QuazarOmega,

    Clearly they don’t own a nuclear bunker

    HawlSera,

    Head by the dollar store sometime, Blu-Rays on crazy discount these days.

    VindictiveJudge,
    @VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world avatar

    1080p video streams are also much more compressed than BD. I can’t always tell, but when I can it’s because there are distracting artifacts on the stream.

    can,

    Do they at least come with cool bonus features?

    centof, in Amazon clearly lying about "ownership" on Prime.

    Because they control the FTC and any other regulatory agencies. It’s called regulatory capture. The only other way they can be held accountable is through the pay to play court system which is biased towards them because they can drag it out until the other party gives up.

    BearOfaTime,

    This is the answer.

    All fed regulatory agencies are captured at this point.

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