Proposed digital copy protection legislation (MANY USEFUL LINKS) (1 Viewer)

[Jerry AZ]

Do you believe this crap?!!
Anit copy bill

 

[MikeAlletto]

This thread probably won't be open for long...but this kinda thing is not gonna pass. People just won't buy products if it stops them from doing what they've been doing since the computer first came out. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[MickeS]

It seems like any industry can buy government legislation these days.

I don't like the idea at all, but at least this made me a little happier: The CBDTPA does say the final "encoding rules" should take into account fair-use rights, such as making backup copies or reproducing short excerpts from books, songs or movies. Copies of TV broadcasts made for one-time personal use at home are also permitted.

/Mike

 

[Greg_Y]

It seems like any industry can buy government legislation these days.

Heck, you don't even need an industry. Just one company. How much of the new copyright laws were directly due to Disney's lobbying to keep Mickey out of the public domain?

 

[Stephen_Opipari]

Check out www.digitalconsumer.org if you want to help do somthing about it, namely writing your Senators. And they have a pre-prepared form on their webpage where they will acutally send a fax for you.

 

[Rob Lutter]

That must be the most ignorant bill I have ever heard. Don't people realize that if we didn't copy others, the human species would be... REALLY STUPID. Imagine if the person who invented the word "THE" would sue anyone who used the word "THE" more than two times in a sentence. Sounds pretty stupid, huh? This bill is basically the same thing.
Don't worry... people try to pass crap like this all the time... I wouldn't worry about it

 

[CRyan]

Although I completely understand the reason behind the rules of this forum, it is politics such as this that should be openly discussed in a forum such as the HTF. It has EVERYTHING to do with what Home Theater is about.

I don't suspect that this thread will last long, but I do ask that something be done to allow discussions such as these in the future in an appropriate HT related forum.

Anyway, you are probably right that this particular legislation will not make it. However, we are looking at a possibly grim future when considering certain copy protection schemes and loss of consumer rights.

C. Ryan

 

[Scooter]

Believers in the First Amendment didn't believe campaign reform would pass as written..but it did!!!!

hollings is in eisner's pocket...period!!!! The link is but one article about this bill and holling's "passion" for security. Firstly this bill should be trampled by the citizens..secondly hollings needs to be booted from government!

 

[Michael Reuben]

but I do ask that something be done to allow discussions such as these in the future in an appropriate HT related forum.

It's really up to the participants. All it takes is the exercise of a little common sense before clicking on "Submit Reply". Stick to a discussion of digital copy protection, and why it will or won't work, is or isn't desireable, etc., and the thread can continue. Rant about industries "buying" legislators, and the thread gets shut down.
It's really up to all of you. We can cut some slack for the posts up to now, but from here on in, please think before you post.
Michael Reuben
HTF Adminstration

 

[CRyan]

Good point Michael.

C. Ryan

 

[Jack Briggs]

Everyone here should prance over to the nearest newsstand and pick up a copy of the April, 2002, Sound & Vision. There is a fairly comprehensive story in it regarding the copy-protection issues facing makers of CD burners and such. Read and stay informed--you'll be less taken by surprise when you hear about proposed legislation that impacts your ability to copy CDs.

 

[CRyan]

Yeah, I just read that yesterday. Pretty good article really. Things, they are a changin'.

An informed public is the key though. It is the only we can try to stop some of this madness. Otherwise, the beaurocrats will have no understanding of what they are really doing IMO.

C. Ryan

 

[WoodyH]

There's been a ton of discussion on this in various weblogs recently.
Here's some pointers for more info and opinion:
From Wired: Anti-Copy Bill Hits D.C.
From Boing Boing: The Anti-Mammal Dinosaur Protection Act
From LinuxJournal: Biting the Hand that Beats You (this one was written by Link Removed, who keeps an eye on things like this). Note: I didn't realize at first that this was the same article that started this thread :b - but I'll keep it in, as Doc's weblog can be a good source of information.
There's a lot more out there, but these should be enough to give an idea of the more worrisome aspects of this bill - and how it relates to the entertainment industry and home theater.

 

[Scooter]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47296,00.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/24262.html
'nuff said.

 

[JohnRice]

you'll be less taken by surprise when you hear about proposed legislation that impacts your ability to copy CDs.

Of course, this goes far beyond being able to copy CDs. It involves being able to play them in the first place. You mentioned Sound & Vision, but Stereophile has also had articles in virtually every issue for at least the last year. I imagine it is a particular issue for them since most ultra high end CD players are using CD-ROM drives, which are rendered unusable by most of the copyguard techniques.

The music industry is also completely forgetting (or ignoring) the fact that the "mindless" CD player is rapidly disappearing. More and more of the average Joe and Jane are buying a DVD player and dumping their worn out, dedicated CD player all together. In fact, I expect I may be in the minority even here in the HTF as someone who still has a dedicated CD player as well as a DVD player. This is not to mention that the CD-A only drive is going to virtually, if not completely disappear. The economy of volume is already making CD-ROM drives the most logical type to manufacture regardless of the final purpose.

Regarding the fact that Philips won't allow a copyprotected CD to bear the "Compact Disc" logo, I don't remember which magazine it was, but it was mentioned that one CD was released without the logo. Personally, I'm definitely not buying any CD that I know I can have trouble simply playing back on the equipment of my choice. Whether that is now, or twenty years from now.

 

[MickeS]

Regarding the fact that Philips won't allow a copyprotected CD to bear the "Compact Disc" logo, I don't remember which magazine it was, but it was mentioned that one CD was released without the logo.

I think it was Natalie Imbruglia's "White Lilis Island", but I'm not sure. That CD is notorious for being unplayable in not only CD-ROM drives, but some regular CD players as well.

/Mike

 

[Scooter]

Take a look...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...sers&printer=1

 

[MickeS]

Since I play CD's primarily at work on my CD-ROM drive, listening in headphones, this is pretty bad news. Of course, I don't listen to Dion or Imbruglia, but I assume that more "CD's" like these will be produced.

It also stinks because people won't be able to copy the songs to their portable MP3-players.

I think the music industry is just shooting itself in the foot with thi.

/Mike

 

[Jason Handy]

We can all hope this goes the way of Divx

 

[Kevin P]

Neither the Imbruglia or Dion CDs are copy protected in the US. I have both of them and they play, rip, burn, etc. fine in all my PCs. It seems like Europe's getting the brunt of this.

In any case, it has got to stop. Copy protecting CDs will accomplish nothing to stop piracy. It'll just make people stop buying CDs.

KJP