Kim Dotcom’s Big Party: Mega Launches, Tech Writers Go Hands On [Updated]
So far Kim Dotcom and the launch of Mega has been the big tech story of 2013, unless you buy into the Facebook Graph Search propaganda, just as Kim Dotcom and Megaupload was one of the biggest tech stories of 2012. Over the weekend Mega launched with few surprises and tech writers shared their take on the ultimately rather simple experience of Mega in its current form. Yet all this is but prelude as the sound of Maori dancing and chanting fades into the distance and the all-seeing eye of American justice blinks but does not tear.
From all reports, the Mega launch was as expected, a bit over-the-top, a bit cheesy but a fun time. Owen Williams shares a combo of photos and Kim Dotcom quotes. Currently the full press event is available as one video or in pieces starting with the video below. Maori opened, cheerleaders followed, a fake FBI raid ensued, you get the idea.
MEGA Keynote – Kim DotCom Mansion [1st of 6 Parts, Continues as Playlist]
The main matter of interest here, especially once this weekend fades, is the new Mega which faltered over the weekend under the mad rush but is now currently available. So what will you get when you get inside?
Getting Into Mega
To get started on Mega for free, you simply create an account, including agreeing to the Terms of Service designed to shield Mega from your potentially bad behavior, confirm your email address, log in and wait while they create a "2047-bit RSA public/private key pair" for encryption purposes with a special touch:
"To strengthen the key, we have collected entropy from your mouse movements and keystroke timings."
And then you're good to go.
Once You're Inside
If you're satisfied with free 50 GB storage for the moment, you can skip upgrading to "Pro" tiers and start uploading files. If you've accessed Mega from another browser, it will also encourage you to use Chrome.
Gizmodo's Mario Aguilar cheekily uploaded Metallic's "Kill Em All", which uploaded quite quckly "in just a few minutes":
"From there, with a single right-click, I can generate a download link for the album. And then I can send it to whoever I want. It's Megaupload with a file manager."
Which is why Aguilar's post includes the statement "This Service Could Dismantle Copyright Forever" in the title.
Other tech writers, such as The Next Web's Owen Williams, went a step further and actually shared a file. Check out his account to see how easy it is to share though he encountered some issues with sharing the encryption key via Mega.
Is That All There Is To Mega?
At the moment, yes, though that's enough to count as a major response to the attack on Megaupload. However, there is more to come as you can see from the development roadmap and from Kim Dotcom's Twitter tease of MegaMovie (including above image).
So the Big Deal is the Encryption?
Aside from the Megaupload/Kim Dotcom backstory, the launch of Mega is largely about a free 50 GB file storage and sharing service that offers encryption to the general public in a manner to which the general public may actually respond. The implications of such encryption, beyond the destruction of copyright and the fall of Western civilization as we know it, can be ascertained from the headlines of relevant tech posts:
How Mega’s Clever Encryption Will Protect You, But Mostly Kim Dotcom
Mega Launches: Brilliantly Secure, But Not Anonymous
Mega users: If you're hacked once, you're hacked for life
If you're interested in the encryption angle, keep a lookout for much deeper looks from the security community over the next week or so.
Update: Here we go with the first serious criticism of Mega's encryption services.
More: Mega Launches Saturday. What Can We Expect From Kim Dotcom?
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (Twitter/App.net) also blogs at Crowdfunding For Musicians (@CrowdfundingM) and All World Dance: Videos. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
