[TriLUG] opposing the SSSCA

[rpjday]

  it occurs to me that, rather than just taking a position opposing
the SSSCA (the latest piece of execrable anti-consumer legislation to
come down the pike), it might be more effective to put that particular
bill in the larger context of the various pieces of legislation that
have been passed or proposed over the last few years whose effect it
is to inexorably strip the public of its rights.  i refer to things
like the original DMCA and UCITA.  sometimes, there's a lot more
impact in not just criticizing a single bill, but showing how that
bill is just part of a larger trend.  sometimes, people who don't see
the harm in a single bill will quickly recognize when it's part of
a larger pattern.

  and part of that trend is the perpetually-increasing length of
copyright in this country, which prevents works from entering the
public domain.  if you want to know more about this, check out
www.law.asu.edu/HomePages/Karjala, the link to "Opposing Copyright
Extension."

  also, columbia prof. eben moglen, who is also the general counsel
of the FSF, has written on occasion about these issues.  if you
want to read more of his stuff, http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu.

  comments?

rday

-- 
Robert P. J. Day
Eno River Technologies, Durham NC
Unix, Linux and Open Source training


Microsoft:  Committed to putting the "backward" into "backward compatibility."