New Copyright Bill Heading to DC

Wired ^ | Sep 7 2001 | Declan McCullagh

[ThinkDifferent]

WASHINGTON -- Music and record industry lobbyists are quietly readying an all-out assault on Congress this fall in hopes of dramatically rewriting copyright laws.

With the help of Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.), the powerful chairman of the Senate Commerce committee, they hope to embed copy-protection controls in nearly all consumer electronic devices and PCs. All types of digital content, including music, video and e-books, are covered.

[ThinkDifferent]

As terrible as the DMCA is, this proposed law is worse. If the government is allowed to dictate hardware and software design, say goodbye to your privacy and your fair use rights. And forget about running "unapproved" OSes like Linux. But I guess anything's worth it to prop up the obsolete business models of the movie and music cartels.

[ThinkDifferent]

bump

[Drammach]

Protecting Copyright should remain a domain of the courts.
Seeking redress through legal action has always been the traditional responce, and should continue to be so.
By forcing manufacturers of related electronic goods to take on costs of protecting copyrrights, cost of those goods will increase for not only the manufacturers, but consumers as well.
Let the copyright owners protect themselves in court, and leave others alone.

[HAL9000]

The biggest proponent of this draconian legislation is Microsoft.

Microsoft wants to require all computer users to store data on disk drives with built-in Big Brother snooping hardware.

Want to store some MP3 music on your computer? Too bad. The disk drive won't save it.

This will kill formats like MP3 and force computer users to restrict themselves to Microsoft approved-formats and listen only to Microsoft-approved music.

[aposiopetic]

The SSSCA says that it is illegal to create, sell or distribute "any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies" that are approved by the U.S. Commerce Department. An interactive digital device is defined as any hardware or software capable of "storing, retrieving, processing, performing, transmitting, receiving or copying information in digital form."This is horrible.

[aposiopetic]

Care to offer your opinion on this IP matter? Perhaps there are virtues to it that escape me. But it will take some convinving.

[patent]

No, this is pure interest group pandering. They can have my hard drive when they pry it from my cold dead modem.

patent

[patent]

Also posted here, with the same title.

patent

[aposiopetic]

FMCDM. I like it.

[patent]

I wonder if they should update the art of the cache for computers? When caching your processor, it is important to avoid excess moisture buildup . . .

patent

[aposiopetic]

When finally approaching the cache, don't go directly to it, first "fish hook" your trail, double back and observe your own path in to check for followers.Whew! Glad I followed this advice. Jack Valenti (or was it Fritz Hollings? they're so hard to tell apart) was in full stealth pursuit mode.