A-Hole bill would make a secret technology into the law of the land

Boing Boing ^ | 23 January 2006 | Cory Doctorow

[ShadowAce]

The title is only part of the reason I posted this. It's actually a serious issue.

[ShadowAce]

[dfwgator]

The title is only part of the reason I posted this.

Sure it is.

[MineralMan]

Funny. Every Windows PC comes with a little app called "Sound Recorder," which has, as its sole purpose, turning analog sounds into digital sounds. You plug in your input into the sound card and record away.

This is stupid.

[Dallas59]

Used car salesman...

[domenad]

DAMMIT. I wish for A-hole legislation every day in traffic.

[ClearCase_guy]

Rogers: I've been told Dinsdale Piranha nailed your head to the floor.
Stig: No. Never. He was a smashing bloke. He used to buy his mother flowers and that. He was like a brother to me.
Rogers: But the police have film of Dinsdale actually nailing your head to the floor.
Stig: (pause) Oh yeah, he did that.
Rogers: Why?
Stig: Well he had to, didn't he? I mean there was nothing else he could do, be fair. I had transgressed the unwritten law.
Rogers: What had you done?
Stig: Er... well he didn't tell me that, but he gave me his word that it was the case, and that's good enough for me with old Dinsy. I mean, he didn't *want* to nail my head to the floor. I had to insist. He wanted to let me off. He'd do anything for you, Dinsdale would.

[Constitution Day]

A-Hole Bill

[Ben Mugged]

They are wasting their time. I can build a device from Radio Shack parts for less than $20 that will convert the analog source to digital. The resulting digital stream can then be input to my computers serial port and converted to a MP3 file. No security stamp, no A-Hole technology. Just fundamental electronics.

[Dallas59]

133 views and counting...

[R. Scott]

If it becomes a reality my old obsolete decks will be worth something again.

[Dallas59]

Keep your old computers.

[staytrue]

Seems this is a little late as I have a whole bunch of equipement that plays stuff I make from analog sources.

[petro45acp]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Was going to rant about DRM, but lost the bubble.

DRM = BAD

Responsible individuals paying the piper = GOOD

Cheers,
Top sends

[muawiyah]

Everybody knows its a really serious issue, but everybody who's thought about it for a few minutes realizes that "analog" recording technology is most likely going to disappear shortly.

Some issues really do have to be discussed by the technical people, not just the marketeers and their lawyers.

[staytrue]

I can build a device from Radio Shack parts for less than $20 that will convert the analog source to digital. The resulting digital stream can then be input to my computers serial port and converted to a MP3 file. No security stamp, no A-Hole technology. Just fundamental electronics.

I think the law would make your device illegal and possibly all my computers, dvd players, etc. I'm not sure if they will confisacted the old equipment. But when you get inbetween hollywood and a dollar bill, you better watch out.

[rattrap]

I thought most bills introduced by congress were A-Hole bills, at least they're being specific this time.

[Constitution Day]

Here's one homebuilt device I saw in Popular Science that would be made illegal by this law.
I don't even have an iPod, but I thought it was amazingly inventive.

Rip Records Straight to Your iPod
This retro radio cabinet automatically loads the iPod with tracks taken from classic vinyl

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[roaddog727]

A-hole bill for a bunch of A-Holes....