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Fritz's Hit List
wwwssabbsdotcom was one of several to submit news stories about Ed Felten's latest venture: Fritz's Hit List, a list of electronic devices with some sort of digital storage and processing capabilities sufficient to qualify them "digital media devices" under Sen. Hollings' CBDTPA bill.
1) Make a list of electronic devices with some sort of digital storage and processing capabilities sufficient to qualify them "digital media devices" under Sen. Hollings' CBDTPA bill.
2) ???
3) PROFIT!!!
Read this closely. These are the fundamental assumptions made by Hollings -
At the same time, millions of law abiding consumers find little reason to spend discretionary dollars on consumer electronics products whose value depends on their ability to receive, display and copy high quality digital content like popular movies, music, and video games. Accordingly, only early adopters have purchased high definition television sets or broadband Internet access, as these products remain priced too high for the average consumer. The facts are clear in this regard. Only two million Americans have purchased HDTV sets. As for broadband, rural and underserved areas aside, there is not an availability problem. There is a demand problem. Roughly 85% of Americans are offered broadband in the marketplace but only 10-12% have signed up. The fact is that most Americans are averse to paying $50 a month for faster access to email, or $2000 for a fancy HDTV set that plays analog movies. But if more high-quality content were available, consumer interest would likely increase.
Where are they getting these figures?
I am me...I think
And no, this is NOT a troll
And yes, SOMETIMES piracy is a problem. But not in this case. Overpriced products (they just paid another $70M for price-fixing - again!!!!!) are the problem here.
(I always forget the details, but never the point, so don't ask me where or when, exactly.)
There was some small civilization in the Pacific, I think. It acquired, unfortunately for them, a foreign dictatorship, which decided it would rule over it.
The people weren't much fussed, and carried on their lives.
The dictatorship, decided it didn't like their subjects' sounds and banned the people's music.
The people weren't much fussed, accepted the ban and carried on with their lives.
The dictatorship, decided it didn't like their religious ceremonies, and banned them.
The people weren't much fussed, accepted the ban and carried on with their lives.
The dictatorship banned their traditional ways of fishing, and all other aspects of their culture; and the people accepted it and carried on.
The dictatorship banned the people's favourite home-brew, and there was a revolution, and they rid themselves of their dictators.
No word of a lie, this actually happened.
The moral of this story?
Don't underestimate people's tolerance for abuse (or their compacency.) It might be a long while, and a lot of freedom lost, before the general public gets up off it's arse.
Respectfully.
Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
Here's another DEMOCRAT liberal Senator from South Carolina attempting to restrict your freedoms.
Hmmm...can it be he is pro big business, pro censorship, and anti citizen rights/freedoms.
You democrats get what you voted for.
His bio: http://hollings.senate.gov/bio.html
You know, the party behind DMCA.
Yeah, I know this is /. and we can't let facts get in the way of our bashing of Ashcroft.