Gameboy Genius

R.I.P. OiNK.cd

Update! I’ve noticed that during the last 24 hours, I have gotten 600 new visitors (And counting) to my blog through search engines queries about OiNK. There are to things that I’d like you people to do.
One thing is more altruistic. FOR-OiNK is an idea of a way to help share the immense music library of OiNK with the world. If you were an OiNKer check it out!
The other thing is more egoistic. I’d like you to click here to listen to my Gameboy music. It’s free, but thanks to the ads, I receive a tiny amount of money every time someone listens to one of my songs. In that way you can support me and my blog. Thank you in advance.

It has come to my unfortunate attention that OiNK.cd (Previously OiNK.me.uk) has been shut down. Just a few hours ago the server room in Netherlands was raided, and at the same time the OiNK*, the administrator was arrested in the UK.
First there was a message telling people to refer to media for information but the incident. Not soon after, the message was replaced by a notice saying the following in a monotype font:

This site has been closed as a result of a criminal investigation by IFPI, BPI, Cleveland Police and the Fiscal Investigation Unit of the Dutch Police (FIOD ECD) into suspected illegal music distribution.

A criminal investigation continues into the identities and activities of the site’s users

The message confirmed my initial suspicion - they’re not going mainly after OiNK, but they’re planning to file lawsuit’s against individual people. It is yet so far unknown whether they’ll go after all users, top seeders or a selected few sceners who spread pre-release music. The organizations behind the raid are IFPI’s evil twin, their British equivalent BFI, as well as British and Dutch police.

I’m pleased to see that this also made it into the mainstream news, at least here in Sweden, where Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s biggest daily wrote about it in their net edition. Maybe we’ll see it in the printed edition tomorrow as well.

The last few days before the attack, there was a discussion on the site about a new feature that would allow users to hide their uploads and seeds from their public profile, to help protect their security. Maybe this was the move that made IFPI and fellow predators to attack. We might never get to know.

OiNK’s Pink Palace will always be in my heart for being a great source for high quality music, thanks to a dedicated staff, and for having a loving (Although as it seemed drug using) community.
Rest in peace, OiNK.cd, or better, fight back and resurrect.

* Footnote: A little clarification of something that most people might not know. OiNK was not actually the name of the site, it is the nickname of the site’s founder and main administrator. The formal name of the site was “OiNK’s (not so) pink palace”.