Anti-Copy Bill Slams Coders

Wired.com ^ | March 22, 2002 | Declan McCullagh

[Korth]

WASHINGTON -- America's programmers, engineers and sundry bit-heads have not yet figured out how much a new copyright bill will affect their livelihood.

When they do, watch for an angry Million Geek March to storm Capitol Hill.

A bill introduced this week by Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-South Carolina) would roil the electronics industry by forcibly embedding copy protection into all digital devices, from MP3 players to cell phones, fax machines, digital cameras and personal computers.

[Korth]

You can get the rest of the article by clicking on the link. The feds are supporting this in part because they want to reign in the liberty that so many americans have found online. Notice that most of the supporters are left wing dems.

[AD from SpringBay]

Sounds like another iteration of the Anti-dog eat dog Rule.

[CasearianDaoist]

Note that this segment of the industry are heavy donors to the Democrats. Also, this about hillary's book "advance."

[no-s]

Check this part:

The CBDTPA says no "importer" may download non-compliant software -- but who qualifies as an importer? "If you're doing this to load on your computer at home, I suspect that most courts would probably not find you to be an importer," Polk says. "But who knows what the legislative history is? Someone in Congress could include a memo saying we mean 'importer' to be everybody."

I think I've found a new calling in life - I'm going to become a "bitlegger", no more a programmer.

[muawiyah]

Where to start - so many places - well, here it goes: Fritz Hollings is an ignorant old hillbilly (except that is offensive to hillbillies isn't it).

Actually, his staff members are totally corrupt. No doubt they have been bought off by Hollywood interests, and more than likely it was done in a cashfree manner - a line here, a woman there, next thing you know, Ol'Fritz' staff is theirs.

On the other hand it's entirely probable that these guys are into destroying the software industry in America because they have sold out to the Red Chinese.

Ol'Fritz probably has copies of the program for "Red Detachment of Women" signed by Madame Mao herself.

[narby]

Well that's it. I'll have to retire when this goes into effect. No new software to be written in America.

[Centurion2000]

America's National Firewall

I think china and North Korea have something like this already ..... how pleasant to think that amerika is falling for fascism in a big way.

If they want to cripple production on a computer just remove the Cut Copy and Paste function from a PC.

[meadsjn]

I'm gonna get a lawyer to start the copyright process for MOVE, DOWHILE, STRING, "+", and "=". Someone else has already reserved the ",".

If the feds are controlling executables today, they'll have it down to the command and keystroke level tomorrow.

[Paul C. Jesup]

This bill is about banning technology and trying to force everyone back to the 20'th Century. If that bill is passed into law, EVERY computer owner in this country (you, me, the person next door) would become outlaws. Also, it would send the economy into a DEPRESSION and piss off nearly the ENTIRE population.

That is how REVOLUTIONS get started.

[feedback doctor]

Please don't shoot me because I'm from SC. The stories we could tell about Fritz.

Suppose I have a digital camera. Suppose I have a a CD. The CD cover is Copyrighted artwork. Suppose I try to take a picture of said CD cover with my Federally approved digital camera. Will the camera refuse to take the shot, or will it report the infraction to der Fritzi?

[Jefferson Adams]

how pleasant to think that amerika is falling for fascism in a big way.

Are you surprised? People like myself have been shouting it from the rooftops for years. But then, we're "tin-foil wackos."

[Paul C. Jesup]

Look on the bright side. You views are about to be vindicated.

[Nogbad]

bump

[Paul C. Jesup]

I'll bump with you.

[justrepublican]

Maybe worse. I have heard of a device installed in your car that checks your breath for alcohol and if you are over the limit it calls the police.

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[Publius6961]

Unintended consequences...
I love 'em.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Just remember that 'unintended consequences' is a double-edged sword. This will come back to haunt Disney and the RIAA.

[neutrino]

This will no doubt be as successful as ITAR-13...which makes it a felony (ten + $10K) to export strong crypto software outside of North America. It takes on the order of minutes for new versions of PGP to show up at sites in the UK and Norway.

[Dinsdale]

I could actually see Bill Gates moving Microsoft to Mexico over this.
If you think the rumor during clinton got started on its own I got a bridge to sell ya.

I'd be gone if this law was passed and enforced.