.nfo

Article summary

In the Warez scene, .nfo (short for info) is a file name extension for a text file (sometimes called an NFO file) that accompanies and describes a release of pirated software or media. The file contains information such as title, authorship, year and license information. For software, it might contain installation notes. This information is delivered for publishing through digital media to make it searchable on the web as well as within local catalogues and libraries. This type of file is also often found in a demoscene production, where the respective group includes it for credits, contact details, and the software requirements. This type of file has been described as the press release of the warez scene. Info files were ubiquitous, and sometimes required, during the era of the Bulletin Board System (BBS). The file was a stamp of authenticity, explicitly explaining what group released the software and described what modifications (or cracks) were applied if any. Once a software was packaged with an info file and then released, it was then officially owned by that group and no other group could ethically re-release that particular package . A typical warez info file was elaborate and highly decorated, and usually included a large ASCII art logo along with software release and extended warez group information.…

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Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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