Is invite trading really that bad?

[Night0wl]

I have thought about this thread for a while. And honestly, when I came here, I came here to trade. Not because I have no social skills or because I don't care about the sites I'm on, but because to me it seemed, there was no other option. Mind you this was back in 2007. Somehow by the posts I made here, I was liked by some people, who didn't trade. I didn't get my invite to where I wanted (that came later almost by accident) but I got to know lots of great people in filesharing. Since then it turned to shit, but it used to be great and relaxed. Mostly because of narrow minded staff on sites I'm sad to say.

Honestly I don't think it has anything to do with good or bad. except the good get put in the same group as the bad.

We have the people who trade the invites/accounts with just anyone = Yes IMO they are bad, because they invite just anyone, whether the already banned cheater, people who have no place there, even the ones who collect IPs etc.
We have the people who sell their invites, which IMO is just as low as it gets
We have the ones with zero social skills, or time, who use the WIAW to slowly get up the ladder and get into the sites the want. IMO also bad, because usually they don't care who they invite/give accounts to
We have the ones who just trade for the sake of trading, yeah they are here too. I spoke to one, whos mission was to him and his friend have three accounts on every tracker i.e. two people but still wanted three accounts
Now it gets grey
We have the ones with no too good social skills, who e.g. are on a music site and have invites. They really love the site, but still they would love some nice movie site as well.
We have the ones, like me, who know exactly what they want. And they give up with no other option than a trade (I never traded in my life, but if things turned out different, who knows)
We have the online friends/acquaintances who invite each other to their "home"
We have closed invite only invite forums, where the members support each other... well here I don't know

Bumrocks said it pretty well. We have the good traders, who exchange their sites with other likeminded people i.e. a movie site invite for a music siteinvite. Both will be used.

But on the other hand tracker staff don't have a choice with all the assholes out there.

[IdolEyes787]

The problem with the current situation is that getting into most of the "better" trackers is totally dependent on who you know , as abundantly evidenced by all the cloned idiots on most of these sites , and not what you know or how much you care about actually being a member there.
If more sites were to go the way on open applications maybe it would help , at least a little , in solving some of the problems.
Of course then other than clearly definable niche trackers ,applications would probably just come down to proving that you have such and such uploaded on other sites so I guess that wouldn't really be any better would it?

Obviously the only certain and lasting solution would be to make everything "non-exclusive" but that's Socialist talk and obviously not in line with the whole principle behind the internet.

[ca_aok]

The problem with the current situation is that getting into most of the "better" trackers is totally dependent on who you know , as abundantly evidenced by all the cloned idiots on most of these sites , and not what you know or how much you care about actually being a member there.
If more sites were to go the way on open applications maybe it would help , at least a little , in solving some of the problems.
Of course then other than clearly definable niche trackers ,applications would probably just come down to proving that you have such and such uploaded on other sites so I guess that wouldn't really be any better would it?

If it wasn't for the traders and sellers, most sites wouldn't feel the need to try and limit invites as they do. And of course, because of the limited invites, traders and sellers become more prevalent. Positive feedback loops ftl I suppose.

Obviously the only certain and lasting solution would be to make everything "non-exclusive" but that's Socialist talk and obviously not in line with the whole principle behind the internet.

Sounds like it's right out of Stalin's mouth, comrade.

[cinephilia]

If it wasn't for the traders and sellers, most sites wouldn't feel the need to try and limit invites as they do. And of course, because of the limited invites, traders and sellers become more prevalent.

yes, that's called a vicious circle. the question is who do you expect to put an end to this tendency ? ...traders ?

[IdolEyes787]

If it wasn't for the traders and sellers, most sites wouldn't feel the need to try and limit invites as they do. And of course, because of the limited invites, traders and sellers become more prevalent. Positive feedback loops ftl I suppose.

OK you know that I'm basically against trading purely from the standpoint that one should leave up to their word but seriously forgive my ignorance and explain to me again, multiple accounts aside, exactly how a traded account is necessarily any more of a liability to a tracker than a "normal" one?
Or is it all about the multiple accounts and the selling or is it the fact that "bad" members ( are there other ways to be bad besides hit and running )that have abused their privileges have ( by taking someone else's account but then it's not about invites ) an easy way to gain access again?

Obviously the only certain and lasting solution would be to make everything "non-exclusive" but that's Socialist talk and obviously not in line with the whole principle behind the internet.

Sounds like it's right out of Stalin's mouth, comrade.

My Dad was big in the NDP .True story.

[ca_aok]

OK you know that I'm basically against trading purely from the standpoint that one should leave up to their word but seriously forgive my ignorance and explain to me again, multiple accounts aside, exactly how a traded account is necessarily any more of a liability to a tracker than a "normal" one?
Or is it all about the multiple accounts and the selling or is it the fact that "bad" members ( are there other ways to be bad besides hit and running )that have abused their privileges have ( by taking someone else's account but then it's not about invites ) an easy way to gain access again?

See my reply on page 1. But as you've no doubt noticed I have a strong moral viewpoint on these sorts of things and an innate distaste for dishonesty. If some kid with a keyboard (i.e. me) can join all these sites without any trouble (with one or two exceptions), anyone else can do so as well without resorting to this bullshit.

My Dad was big in the NDP .True story.

So he's probably been in close proximity to Harper at some point? I dunno if I'd be able to resist giving him a square kick to the nuts if it was me.

yes, that's called a vicious circle. the question is who do you expect to put an end to this tendency ? ...traders ?

Making invites more readily accessible only stops one type of trader, the type that actually wants to become a member and use the site. It won't do shit to prevent the rejoins from the banned, invite sellers, those that trade for sport, etc.

[A]

If some kid with a keyboard (i.e. me) with lots of time on hands and lots of effort in socializing can join all these sites without any trouble (with one or two exceptions), anyone else can do so as well without resorting to this bullshit.

Corrected.

edit:

I have a strong moral viewpoint on these sorts of things

You have no moral problems pirating stuff(?) but you have problems when people trade/cheat the system built around piracy.

[ca_aok]

The thing is, I actually didn't put in effort at all. I could count on one hand the number of sites I've actually needed to "socialize" for. The truth is, pretty much everything you need can be found by hitting power user at a big tracker with an invite forum. Sites that people waste time trading for here could be obtained by putting in the effort to hit PU at a site like What. Most of my so called "rare" sites were given to me without asking and in some cases (FTN), barely knowing the person at all.

I've asked for three sites in my time with bittorrent: What.cd (my first tracker other than Demonoid), HDBits and E. Most of my other trackers were from unlimited invite offers, open signups, or occasionally a good friend.

The people who "socialize" for invites are easy to spot and don't necessarily succeed. Participate in a community because you want to, not because you're working an angle.

[A]

Most of my so called "rare" sites were given to me without asking and in some cases (FTN), barely knowing the person at all.

Yea,those are the side effects of socializing if you dint know.

[IdolEyes787]

Yea,those are the side effects of socializing if you dint know.

Lucky him .Usually all I get from it is a hangover and the occasional STD.