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IsoHunt releases roll-your-own Pirate Bay

Open source 'OpenBay' gives YOU the chance to become Cop-bait

Torrent site ISOhunt has created a roll-your-own, open source, version of infamous file-sharing site The Pirate Bay.

IsoHunt's motive for the release seems to be a belief that big targets like The Pirate Bay will inevitably be picked off by law enforcement agencies. Lots of sites, however, present a tougher target. Open-sourcing what it's calling "OpenBay" means there'll be more targets for law enforcers to consider.

“History of torrent sites such as Isohunt and The Pirate Bay gives us a lesson that would be a crime not to learn,” says the new OpenBay site. “The era of individual torrent sites is over.”

IsoHunt also offers a five-step installation guide, culminating in a Wizard, that it says “... will give absolutely anyone with minimal knowledge of how internet and websites work and some server basic equipment, opportunity to create Pirate Bay copy on his own domain.” The site's also made a copy of the last known Pirate Bay database available, plus content from IsoHunt and Kick Ass Torrents.

There's little indication the site offers simple tools to cloak the presence or operations of OpenBay hosts, so those who choose to implement this software look to be inviting a visit from the Copyright Cops. Whether plod can be bothered to shut down hundreds, or thousands, of torrent sites remains to be seen. IsoHunt seems to be betting they can't, or won't be able to keep up with their proliferation.

The global game of whack-a-mole continues. ®

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