The worst piece of legislation for the information age
Poster: Aron Schatz
Posted on March 23, 2002 at 2:03:11 AM
Wired news: Anti-Copy Bill Slams Coders .
Now, this you may just shrug off. I urge you to read the article. This will have a strong effect on all devices, not just computers. We are talking about cell phones, PDAs, word processors, digital cameras, MP3 players and more. This also will affect ALL software. Mind you, the people that support this bill are all 'Big Business' in the computer industry.
But the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA) would also wreak havoc on programmers and software companies -- both those distributing code for free and those selling it.
That's right. You thought open source was safe? Not if it is illegal.
No more than two years and seven months after the bill becomes law, the only code programmers and software firms will be able to distribute must have embedded copy-protection schemes approved by the federal government.
Let us say some lobbyist doesn't want a particular piece of software to passthrough the house. They pressure the house to stop it. Were is the freedom to code?
Legal experts said on Friday that the CBDTPA regulates nearly any program, in source or object code, that runs on a PC or anything else with a microprocessor.
Nothing is safe. Be prepared to buy all new equipement and sites like mine will go down the drain.
There is a loophole: Programmers could still create unapproved code on one computer. But they couldn't give it to anyone else or transmit it on a network.
Some loophole.
It could become unlawful for U.S. programmers to distribute any newly developed non-compliant code after the CBDTPA takes effect. Because the CBDTPA also regulates importing software, it could be illegal to download non-compliant code from overseas.
This reminds me somewhat of a tarrif. But, information isn't like goods, it's all zeros and ones, it isn't tangible.
Anyone violating the CBDTPA would be subject to statutory damages ranging from $200 to $25,000 per violation. An irked content owner would have a quiver of legal arrows to aim at a violator: Search warrants, impounding or destruction of equipment used in the illegal activity, plus attorney's fees, reimbursement for lost profits and actual damages.
It's all about the profits right? I recommend that everyone goes and rights to their congress people. Tell them to NOT pass this bill. America will go backwards, what are we thinking??!?
Now, this you may just shrug off. I urge you to read the article. This will have a strong effect on all devices, not just computers. We are talking about cell phones, PDAs, word processors, digital cameras, MP3 players and more. This also will affect ALL software. Mind you, the people that support this bill are all 'Big Business' in the computer industry.
But the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA) would also wreak havoc on programmers and software companies -- both those distributing code for free and those selling it.
That's right. You thought open source was safe? Not if it is illegal.
No more than two years and seven months after the bill becomes law, the only code programmers and software firms will be able to distribute must have embedded copy-protection schemes approved by the federal government.
Let us say some lobbyist doesn't want a particular piece of software to passthrough the house. They pressure the house to stop it. Were is the freedom to code?
Legal experts said on Friday that the CBDTPA regulates nearly any program, in source or object code, that runs on a PC or anything else with a microprocessor.
Nothing is safe. Be prepared to buy all new equipement and sites like mine will go down the drain.
There is a loophole: Programmers could still create unapproved code on one computer. But they couldn't give it to anyone else or transmit it on a network.
Some loophole.
It could become unlawful for U.S. programmers to distribute any newly developed non-compliant code after the CBDTPA takes effect. Because the CBDTPA also regulates importing software, it could be illegal to download non-compliant code from overseas.
This reminds me somewhat of a tarrif. But, information isn't like goods, it's all zeros and ones, it isn't tangible.
Anyone violating the CBDTPA would be subject to statutory damages ranging from $200 to $25,000 per violation. An irked content owner would have a quiver of legal arrows to aim at a violator: Search warrants, impounding or destruction of equipment used in the illegal activity, plus attorney's fees, reimbursement for lost profits and actual damages.
It's all about the profits right? I recommend that everyone goes and rights to their congress people. Tell them to NOT pass this bill. America will go backwards, what are we thinking??!?