Telstra BigPond axes Linux mirror

 

Unmetered content service gets the chop.

Telstra will shut down its BigPond file library at the end of the month, citing "low usage" and limited appeal to "mainstream" users.

The library, which acts as a local mirror for Linux distributions and various utilities, was understood to have been operating since 2003.

Affected BigPond users criticised the decision to close it on the Whirlpool broadband forum.

That criticism was later amplified after the forum link was posted to technology news aggregator Slashdot.

"The BigPond File Library will be discontinued after June 30, 2010 - due to low levels of general usage and limited appeal to a mainstream audience," Telstra said in a brief statement on the library website.

"Large file libraries such as download.com and tucows.com offer a range of files and content we can not match, so we have taken the reluctant decision to discontinue this service."

It was unclear whether Telstra planned to unmeter access to either download.com or tucows as a replacement service for affected users.

A Telstra spokesman has been contacted for comment.

Affected users were being urged to voice their concerns directly to the office of Telstra chief David Thodey.


Telstra BigPond axes Linux mirror
"I did cancel my service a while back when they increased my fees because my land line was not with them. However, I was a big fan of the file library."
By papaiso
 
 
 
Comments: 8
arrow224
Jun 28, 2010 3:00 PM
No way! That sucks.

Ahh well, as long as they make another file repository site unmetered, I will be happy.
carl
Jun 28, 2010 3:06 PM
The files bigpond library and linux dist mirror were different services.

Files on the library site were manually approved and created a web page layot,
where are the linux repositories was a automated replicating mirror little to no input.




"The BigPond File Library will be discontinued after June 30, 2010 - due to low levels of general usage and limited appeal to a mainstream audience,"
If this is true adding a competing or another relevant provider as free meter should be of little cost.

If there is no substitute provided they have certainly received their last dollar from me.
legless
Jun 28, 2010 4:51 PM
So they can the files download site, got rid of user websites and will not really replace either with anything useful. I complained about them closing the personal websites and they said it was due to low demand and that users wanted things like blogs and such.

Basically they got rid of the only two things I actually used and have kept

1. Blogs (which I have no use for)
2. Bigpond sport (which I have no use for)
3. Gamesarena (which I have no use for)
4. Bigpond TV (which I have no use for as it's nearly all sport)

What's next? Kill off POP email accounts and make us use webmail services?

Maybe they could make sites like ABC's iView unmetered which I have suggested to them but so far, nothing.
Mitch
Jun 28, 2010 5:48 PM
Gee I am glad that I never joined Bigpond!
tin
Jun 29, 2010 11:07 AM
Well, ironically, this server was the only reason I would have signed up to Telstra ADSL2. I had been considering it over the last 3-6 months (numerous times), but never got around to it.

Oh well. Now I know which way to go :)
hamrag.yattletrot
Jun 30, 2010 9:33 PM
Meh. For their ADSL band wireless customers, Internode unmeters the following content:
Tivo (EPG, updates and downloads)
ABC's iView
Streaming radio stations (of which they have about 60)
Gamer servers, incl. Australian hosted Steam servers
MajorGeeks
SourceForge
And their own, very extensive, download mirror server

If you want a decent, knowlegable ISP, they fit that bill. I don't work for them, just a happy customer :)
carl
Jul 9, 2010 10:59 PM
I have completed my cancellation of Bigpond Cable
and install iiNet in its place

Are you happy now telstra? I wasnt kidding
papaiso
Jul 16, 2010 4:49 PM
I did cancel my service a while back when they increased my fees because my land line was not with them. However, I was a big fan of the file library.
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