Astraweb Block accounts: Header Downloads will be Counted

[malcontent]

http://helpdesk.astraweb.com/index.php? ... &newsid=60

20% of Header Downloads will be Counted

As of 5th Jan 2013, 20% of your header downloads will count towards your download quota for Pay By Download accounts.

For example, if you download 10MB of headers, 2MB will be deducted from your Pay By Download balance.

Unfortunately we have had to take this drastic move due to the number of users abusing the system. For normal users that do not abuse the system, the impact is minimal to your everyday use.

Unlimited monthly account holders will not be affected.

[sander]

Is this a counter measure against people running their own index system?

[shypike]

Probably.
It also jeopardizes the change I intend for release 0.8.0.
The idea was to use HEADER instead of STAT so that DMCA takedowns can be detected.
Which means that the way Astraweb "removes" posts will cost you extra.

[sander]

Probably.
It also jeopardizes the change I intend for release 0.8.0.
The idea was to use HEADER instead of STAT so that DMCA takedowns can be detected.
Which means that the way Astraweb "removes" posts will cost you extra.

Well ... "For normal users that do not abuse the system, the impact is minimal to your everyday use.", so to me that sounds you can just go on with HEADER in 0.8.0.

I think Astraweb takes a counter measure against people polling one million articles per day.

[AaronGant]

I think Astraweb takes a counter measure against people polling one million articles per day.

Yeah definitely curving abuse. A one time $10 payment for life, if they didn't start counting some data for headers.