"The usual places"
Locating the files you want
can be quite simple. You may already have the tools needed on your own PC;
Outlook Express, for example, can download and decode binary files form usenet
groups, or grabbing file susing your browser. This guide is intended to explain
where “hard-to-find” things are usually found on the internet – it isn’t a
guide on pirated materials, though you may come across those sorts of things in
these places. It is intended on helping you locate underground Xbox software,
binaries compiled for the Xbox by devoted enthusiasts for users of modified
Xboxes. This software is not, I believe, actually illegal, but because of the
nature of such things, nobody wishes to take a chance.
If you are looking for files
for the Xbox, for example, you can see if your usenet server offers up one of
the alt.binaries.* newsgroups related to the Xbox and connect up... once
connected up, you can search for the files you need. If they are not there, you
may need to download more headers or get a pay usenet service.
|
Options: |
|
|
|
|
Usenet Reader Client |
Outlook Express, Agent,
Newsbin can all handle downloading binaries. The downside is that it must
assemble the binaries from multiple messages, and each message has overhead
associated with converting binary data into ASCII characters used in usenet
messages. EasyNews.com and UsenetServer.com are
two pay usenet servers that use nntp servers to serve up messages. See the
next section for info on EasyNews.com. UsenetServer.com runs US$14.95/month, unlimited downloads, but does not have the best
retention. |
|
|
Web-based usenet servers |
Easynews.com and
News2Me.com both support web-based interfaces which offer direct downloading
of binaries from the usenet archives. These are pay services, and there are
pros and cons for both services… EasyNews.com has the BEST retention and often has the most complete postings, but
is pricier, at US$10/6GB of download (or a month, whichever comes first). News2Me.com has decent retention, but is much less expensive coming in at
$10/month – with up to 50GB per month, and $0.50 per GB over that limit. |
Do some research…. These are
only newsfeeds that I have experience with, so your mileage may vary, and you
may find a better newsfeed elsewhere.
Try EFNet servers for
channels like #xbins and other such channels. Look at the number of people in
the channel, lurk a while. Learn how to use a decent IRC client, like mIRC. I
don’t IRC much, and it’s a pain to DCC (Direct Connect Chat), which is often used
to serve up binary files using ‘bots’, as each ‘bot’ handles incoming requests
differently.
I haven’t haunted these in
quite a while… “Pubs” are public FTP servers that have been coopted by third
parties to use as dumping grounds for all sorts of files. You may find what you
are looking for here, but don’t count on it. I can’t even tell you where to
start looking for them anymore, except that I started my search using google and had no trouble finding lists
of pubs and what I might find on them.
Ugh. Pop-up havens and a lot
of dead ends abound here, but occasionally, you may find a gem here. Often, you
are directed to “Upload-only” FTP sites or web sites filled with porn ads and
complex deeply-linked schemes that will have you clicking till your fingers are
sore before actually getting to a file download link…. That turns out to be
broken.
Good luck on that.
So that’s it. “The Usual
Places” – don’t ask me any more about it, as this is all you will get.