Re: [PLUG] Interesting thread on SEUL-EDU mailing list...

[Noah silva <nsilva@atari-source.com>]

> > purpose), I would be more than willing to let it play out in court - or
> > just stop using the software of the companies in question.
> 
> That's easy enough to theorize in a vacuum, but when it comes down
> to how much it'll cost one to go to court against the BSA versus
> change things quickly to make them go away, I think many people may
> make a different decision.
> 
> Your real rights are less relevant than how much pain MS/the
> BSA/whoever can cause you and to what degree that pain will do to
> your business/life/whatever. ("We're sorry, Mr. Silva, but your
> credit history shows a block on the part of the BSA. We can't give
> you a lease on that new Ferrari.")

If I let myself worry about this sort of thing, I would be too scared to
move.  Already sony says they are going to sue me for writing software to
let people actually USE their MD data drive (which sony no longer
supports, incidentally).  I have had DeCSS up on my web page, for quite a
while, etc.
 
> Sure, you can counter-sue. And maybe five years later you'll be
> proven right. But the damage will be done.
> 
> Cf, my comment about being ruled by corporations, not governments.

Well I think it's bad because at least the government has a semi-common
rule structure.  When it comes down to it, the government can be cohersed
into controlling it's bad citizens, including corperations.  The main
problem is that with technical things, a company can make and enforce
rules for itself long before you can haul them into court.  I am always
impressed with how some organization like DVDCCA can prevent me from
playing movies I bought legally on my own DVD player and extort people
out of money based on where they live, but someone who takes bread from
7-11 because they're hungry will get thrown in jail in 5 minutes.

 -- noah silva 

> (Note that I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing; just that
> one needs to play by different rules. Rules by which many folks in
> DC already play, incidentally.)
> 
> -- 
> gabriel rosenkoetter
> gr@eclipsed.net
> 


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