This is NOT about theft, so you can get off yer high horse.
This is about LEGITIMATE networking protocols, the same as the ones that are shipped in the OS you are using RIGHT NOW. Under this ruling Microsoft can be held liable, because they "aided and abetted" the theft of copyrighted music.
The P2P nets are used for a LOT more than just downloading music and movies illegally, they are used by corporations for file sharing, I know of several online games that use it to process patches to the games, and the weath of knowledge as P2P networks move forward enriches us ALL, as the technology grows. Yes, people are abusing it - but now we'll get *zero* growth, because who in their right mind would invest in ANY new file sharing technologies, when this ruling give Hollywood and the music industry carte blanche to shut you down in a microsecond? Have you no idea how this ruling is going to be applied across other technologies as well? A user rips off a movie with his Tivo unit - Tivo gets sued out of existence.
This is BAD. Very, very, very bad.
Thank you for explaining that to him.
Lawsuits will be the death of this country.
It could very well be a means to shut down a site like FR - make it to where ISPs won't take the risk of a site engaging in fair use, and block it.
I share you opinion... even if I use it to "share" music and other files. But remember that many of them were born before 1940!
if this ruling is taken to its logical extreme, anyone who writes software for two computers to communicate to each other could be held liable if that software is used to transfer copyrighted material.
i know that is not what the court said, the court said "intent" -- but don't think that businesses are not going to use this ruling to bully others.
this in combination with our loss of private property rights, the loss of free speech under the campaign laws, the extention of copyrights and their new application under DCMA ... i don't even recognize the country i grew up in and i'm not that old.
i can no longer laugh at the tin-foil-hat types.
What's the difference between that and using OS peer to peer on a LAN?