[TriLUG] opposing the SSSCA

[al johson]

The latest issue of Wired magazine (which I received free to cover my
subscription to Maximum Linux) has a very long and interesting article on
this legislation complete with a chart of how many times you'll have to pay
for stuff residing on your computer if it passes!! Also check out the stupid
article on the attempt to turn Linux into a competitive desktop alternative.
I have several problems with the latter since it seems to be written by
someone who thinks Microsoft has already won that battle. It's interesting
that I couldn't find any references to Mandrake-Linux in the entire article.
The author clearly doesn't know what she's talking about!!
----- Original Message -----
From: rpjday <rpjday at mindspring.com>
To: TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 6:04 AM
Subject: [TriLUG] opposing the SSSCA


>
>   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."
>
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