Posted on 03/20/2009 10:46:53 AM PDT by bimboeruption
A few years back, it emerged that US Senator Ted Stevens had been given an iPod by his daughter, and it had changed the way he saw the RIAA and the measures for which it lobbied.
It's always seemed to me that once politicians -- at least those not beholden to the entertainment industry -- experienced the stupidity and frustration of the locks and controls that groups like the RIAA and MPAA put on content and want backed up by law, they'd realize they were little more than attempts to frustrate consumers and prop up outmoded business models.
Maybe the UK is prepared for a similar political inflection point: its Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was recently given a gift of 25 DVDs of classic American movies by US President Barack Obama. When Brown sat down to watch one of them, he found he couldn't -- because Obama had given him Region 1 DVDs, unplayable in Brown's Region 2 DVD player.
The pointless DRM didn't stop any piracy, it prevented an absolutely reasonable use of legitimately purchased content. Maybe this experience will help the British government understand how many of the entertainment industry's efforts to strengthen intellectual property controls do little more than irritate legitimate consumers in the name of supporting failing business models.
Republic, I think we're all laughing through our tears.
What has become of our great country?...a country that our Founding Fathers pledged their sacred honor to preserve and protect.
A country that many lost their fortunes and/or their lives for.
My Dad was a Normandy Invader (D-Day). I'm glad he's not here to see the country he fought for populated by a majority of corrupt, selfish, evil, whining socialists. who owe allegiance only to themselves and don't think twice about killing or enslaving their children.
Obama...embarrassing American one world leader at a time.
Not going to happen. The Kenyan is getting even with the UK.
He’s got his own little third world reprisal game going.
And he’s using our country to do it.
(expletive deleted by user)
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