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Congressional Anti-Piracy Caucus Formed

Posted by timothy on from the battle-lines dept.

questionlp writes "News.com reports that three members from the House of Reps has formed a caucus that aims to stop piracy and make for stronger IP laws. One of the members of the caucus: helped author a note last fall to 74 fellow Democrats assailing the Linux open-source operating system's GNU General Public License as a threat to America's 'innovation and security.'"

111 of 577 comments (clear)

  1. This is just like Congress... by craenor · · Score: 4, Funny

    200 years after people stop raiding other people at sea, they try to put a stop to piracy. Next they'll be cracking down on cattle rustlers...

    1. Re:This is just like Congress... by cookd · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well, piracy still happens. People go out on their yachts and never come back, and the yacht is later discovered on the black market. The cannonballs are a lot smaller (.44, not 4) and few hoist the Jolly Roger or say "Arr, Matey!", but there is still a reason to patrol the seas.

      --
      Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
    2. Re:This is just like Congress... by earthforce_1 · · Score: 2, Interesting


      Actual, genuine high seas piracy is still a very serious problem in many parts of the world, particuarly the Persian gulf, SE Asia, and thanks the the drug trade, parts of the Caribbean.

      http://www.iccwbo.org/ccs/imb_piracy/weekly_pira cy _report.asp

      --
      My rights don't need management.
    3. Re:This is just like Congress... by mpe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, that kind of piracy still is a huge problem. It also involves loss of life, but does congress do anything about it?

      Given how many "terrorists" turn out of be either US government trained or funded. It's quite possible that the US Congress does quite a bit about piracy... Just not the sort of things which would result in fewer pirates.

  2. oh, i get it... by edrugtrader · · Score: 2, Insightful

    so free as in beer is like free as in campaign fund raising money from the riaa...

    --
    MARIJUANA, SHROOMS, X: ONLINE?! - E
  3. oh no!!! by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 4, Funny
    They're going to outlaw piracy! Soon it will be illegal for me to have all of my MP3s and DIVXs!

    oh wait.....

    1. Re:oh no!!! by Billly+Gates · · Score: 4, Interesting
      They're going to outlaw piracy! Soon it will be illegal for me to have all of my MP3s and DIVXs!

      No Linux and gnu either.

      After all Linux is just a pirated version of SCO Unix according to AL GORE attorney David Bios. These senators are paid for by Microsoft and Disyney.

      Linux is the only os that does not incorporate drm copyprotection so it must be stoped.

      Lets get together with a few ignorant and corrupt politicans educate them about this pirated Unix then only SCO has permission to write courtesy of Microsoft lobbiests.

      --
      http://saveie6.com/
    2. Re:oh no!!! by Hewligan · · Score: 2, Informative

      Linux is the only os that does not incorporate drm copyprotection so it must be stoped.

      Well, it will soon according to Linus.

      --

      "If God created us in his own image, we have more than reciprocated"

    3. Re:oh no!!! by FCKGW · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm sure normal Linux distributions used by you and me won't have DRM -- if they did, we wouldn't be using them. I think this is talking about Linux, mostly embedded as well as software running on top of Linux, being used for copy protection. If the software is to be truly free, everyone should be able to do what they want with it, even if it is against the interest of others. It's just like how free speech is compromised when pornography, etc. is banned. The GPL doesn't restrict use at all, so why should it in this case? Please tell me if I misunderstood the article.

      --
      It's an operating system, not a religion.
  4. Colon? by Roto-Rooter+Man · · Score: 2, Funny

    One of the members of the caucus: helped author a note last fall to 74 fellow Democrats assailing the Linux open-source operating system's GNU General Public License as a threat to America's 'innovation and security.'

    Innovative colon usage. Speaking of which...

    --

    The goatse guy for president. Win one for the gaper!
  5. In Other News by Coffee+Warlord · · Score: 4, Funny


    Congressman Wexler has added to his holdings, having purchased a yacht to go along with his mansion.

    1. Re:In Other News by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Informative

      Here's information about Wexler's main contributors, and here's information about Smith's. It looks like Smith is the one getting the yacht, since his #1 contributor by industry is the computer industry. Which makes sense since he's the one who wrote the note attacking linux.

  6. No, I am not being snarky by plemeljr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Where is the Fair Use and Consumer Rights Caucus?

    Oh yeah, there is none.

    --

    Please email all complaints to root@127.0.0.1 and the issue will be dealt with in due time.
    1. Re:No, I am not being snarky by yanestra · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Where is the Fair Use and Consumer Rights Caucus? Oh yeah, there is none.

      Possibly it's a problem of the American democratic system? The parties need to get their money from somebody, and that "somebody" is definitely not: The People.

    2. Re:No, I am not being snarky by Reziac · · Score: 4, Funny

      FUCRC ??

      [tries to pronounce acronym]

      Oh dear...

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  7. sounds fishy to me by zoloto · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Joining Wexler as co-founder of the caucus is Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who helped author a note last fall to 74 fellow Democrats assailing the Linux open-source operating system's GNU General Public License as a threat to America's "innovation and security." Smith's Ninth District includes the Seattle surburbs near Microsoft's Redmond, Wash., headquarters


    smells fishy to me...
  8. The official caucus theme song... by cyt0plas · · Score: 4, Funny

    - "It's the end of the world as we know it."

    --
    Contact Me (got tired of viruses emailing me).
  9. Turn it all off by Christianfreak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    a note last fall to 74 fellow Democrats assailing the Linux open-source operating system's GNU General Public License as a threat to America's 'innovation and security.'

    Turn it all off then. Vast portions of the Internet run on Linux, FreeBSD (even though it isn't GPL) and especially Apache. Maybe we should all pick a day and turn it all off, at least in the US it would probably bring traffic to a halt. THEN maybe they will reconsider making stupid laws regarding the choice of one's operating systems!

    --
    The Anti-Blog
    1. Re:Turn it all off by The+Master+Control+P · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Ok, but what day? Preferably something that will be particularly disruptive - Sometime the week before Christmas?

  10. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    These men have just become my three favorite people to hate, along with our non-president Bush.

    Here's some addresses for you to do with as you please; normally I'd recommend writing them as I usually do, but their corrupt stupidity compels me to not care if you DDOS them, spam them, or whatever:

    Rep. Robert Wexler

    Rep. Adam Smith

    Rep. Tom Feeney

    Oh, and if you haven't already, try joining the EFF.

    Corporatism getting way out of hand. It's getting scary as hell if you ask me.

    1. Re:Well... by JanusFury · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Those are great resources, but honestly, saying Bush isn't the US president makes you sound like you're in denial. Bush was elected because of how the political system here was designed, not because he 'cheated'. You should gripe about the system behind his victory, not some imaginary crime committed by his campaign. And pretending he's not the president isn't going to keep him from being re-elected, so I suggest focusing on the legitimate reasons to dislike him instead of imaginary ones. For example, his appointment of ashcroft. Who would want to re-elect bush if they knew a man came with him who is trying to create a police state? That's the kind of arguments you need to make to win people like me over, otherwise you're just preaching to the choir.

      --
      using namespace slashdot;
      troll::post();
    2. Re:Well... by ChadN · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm the worlds biggest Bush basher (please, no jokes... Okay, maybe just one or two), but I think the issue you mention has been discredited as a valid complaint (ie. it didn't happen like popularly re-reported, and has not been shown to have been a likely contributor to Gore's loss).

      That said, the Supreme Court's decision in the matter is still a shameful mark on American history ('no precedent' indeed).

      I'm happy to hear specific and credible evidence to the contrary. (seriously)

      --
      "It's overkill, of course. But you can never have too much overkill." - Anonymous Slashdot Coward
    3. Re:Well... by cranos · · Score: 2, Informative

      Okay here's a link about the disenfranchisement of black voters. These people were scrubbed from the electoral rolls before they even had the chance to use one of those stupid machines. The scrubbing was basically that badly screwed up that thousands of legitimate voters were denied their rights. That alone should have been enough reason for a re-vote.

      On your point about the head of the Electoral Office, the position should not be appointed by the governor or any member of the ruling party. The whole idea that the head of the supposedly independant arbiter of democracy should be beholden to one political party or another goes against the whole idea of a fair democracy. It's like the winning team picking whoever the hell they like as referree at the next game.

      See this is the problem with American Democracy, it's not. While it may have started out with high ideals the American political system has degenerated into an almost dictatorial system with corperate bribery becoming the norm and narcissim and cronyism replacing any semblance of the sort of meritocracy that should be in place.

      Here in Australia we have the concept that the public service must be able to fearlessly tell the government when it is doing the wrong thing, for the life of me I cannot see that happening in the states. Mind you I can see that concept rapidly disappearing here as well as our conservative government keeps riding the coat tails of the republicans in the US and introducing such ideas as Judges and Magistrates on limited term contracts.

    4. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I'm the worlds biggest Bush basher (please, no jokes... Okay, maybe just one or two), but I think the issue you mention has been discredited as a valid complaint (ie. it didn't happen like popularly re-reported, and has not been shown to have been a likely contributor to Gore's loss).

      That said, the Supreme Court's decision in the matter is still a shameful mark on American history ('no precedent' indeed).
      Agreed. The so-called "Constitutional Crisis" the Republicans were carping about was a myth; besides our Constition already had guidelines in place for such a potential crisis: the resolution of disputed Electoral College votes is reserved to Congress. Plainly stated, the Supreme Court usurped power properly held by Congress, and got away with it only because Congressional power was held by the Republicans - who didn't complain.
    5. Re:Well... by Michael+Woodhams · · Score: 2

      I'm not a US citizen, but I do have opinions on some of this.

      The butterfly ballot: Probably cost Gore the presidency, but the parties had the chance to object to it beforehand, so tough. You can't start reallocating votes by second guessing whether people accidentally misvoted.

      The recount: The fair thing to have done would have been a complete state-wide recount. With hindsight, the Democrats should have gone with this rather than asking for just a few, and expecting the Republicans to play the same game. I have no opinion on the legal aspects to this.

      The Federal Supreme Court: This was purely a state matter, for all that it had nationwide significance. States control their own elections. The supreme court had no legitimate juristiction. (Had Florida failed to provide delegates to the electral college by the deadline, then it would have been up to the SC to decide whether to wait for them to get their act together, or to elect the president without them.)

      --
      Quattuor res in hoc mundo sanctae sunt: libri, liberi, libertas et liberalitas.
    6. Re:Well... by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Personally, I think the country is happier with the Supreme Court making a de facto decision* on the president than turning it over to the House of Representatives. The Republican majority in the House would have resulted in the same decision, and everybody would be left scratching their heads at how we would have chosen our head of government exactly the same way most other democracies do it. Most incumbents in the House would have been kicked out last year, no matter their vote for president, simply because the presidential election would draw a lot of voter interest to them.

      And the new group of people in the House, being politicians themselves and knowing that having the undivided attention of the voters isn't always a good thing for one's political career, would probably work hard to push through a constitutional amendment taking both the Electoral College and the House of Representatives out of the decision making process (before you disagree with me, consider how and why Congress passed the buck by adopting the War Powers Act), whether there was truly popular demand for the idea or not. And then the President of the United States would be chosen not because of this or that issue, or eventhis or that alliegence to a particular political party, but solely on his or her ability to work a crowd. And I'm sure it wouldn't be long before TV viewers could call in their votes over the telephone in the middle of prime time. Do we really want a Chavez or a Berlusconi in the White House?

      The problem isn't the Supreme Court, who was constitutionally bound to let Florida shoot itself in the foot. The problem isn't even the Electoral College itself. The problem is that the Electoral College isn't allowed to do its job. Their one and only job is to vote for somebody for president. No need for forming political alliances or back room politics or hose trading or any of the other nonsense we see in legislatures because they only have one and only one thing to do. But we have allowed political parties to tie their hands and take away that decision from them.

      Who's served by these "winner takes all" laws, or even any law that "requires" the electors to vote for a particular candidate? It's certainly not the voters, because it's obvious that 49.9% of them can be disenfranchised with the stroke of a pen, for better or for worse (is there any wonder at today's voter apathy?). It's not the potential candidates, because the system requires them to be politicians, who need to spend billions to convince tens of millions of voters instead of 538. The only ones that benefit are the political parties themselves (and their donors, of course), because silencing the Electoral College ensures that any and all realistic presidential candidates must join one party or another, leaving us (voters, candidates, everyone) with the same Hobson's Choice that all too many other democracies have. There hasn't been a party-independent president in over 200 years.

      If we were actually able to vote for electors, not just this party's or that party's slate but actual people who are mentally and legally able to make the one and only decision they'd have to make, things might actually turn out better.

      Of course, I'm one of maybe three people on the planet that feel this way...

    7. Re:Well... by HiThere · · Score: 2, Informative

      He wasn't elected, but rather selected. The Supreme Court refused to allow a final count of the ballots, and sealed them. The vote was as near as it was because of force, fraud, etc. But both sides engaged in it. It's just that Bush has friends that were considerably more skillful (and better placed) than the Democrats were.

      But you are correct, this is a part of the traditional US voting practice. The Democrats of Chicago under Mayor Daley were particularly nortorious for it. This part just isn't usually covered in civics class. (And is only admitted officially in small print after several decades have passed.)

      --

      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
    8. Re:Well... by Bj�rn · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sources? Well the scandal was uncovered by the Pulitzer Prize nominated BBC and Guardian reporter Greg Palast. The story was also reported by the Washington Post, the Nation and Salon though I haven't seen those articles. Here is a link to a BBC article.

      --
      Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think. --Niels Bohr
  11. Fine.... by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...Let them do whatever they want to IP laws here. Shut down every server that hosts MP3s and DIVX movies. I'll just go to Korean / Dutch / Nigerian Servers and download the stuff. And I don't care what kind of copy protection they mandate. There's always a way through the analogue hole. Great waste of my tax dollars.

    1. Re:Fine.... by ShieldW0lf · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Ever heard of civil disobediance?

      The law is not sacred... the law is the current working relationship, and a work in progress. If everyone had attitudes like yours, I'd be a serf.

      --
      -1 Uncomfortable Truth
  12. America's 'innovation and security.' by Soulfarmer · · Score: 2, Funny

    WHAT America's 'innovation and security'???

    You mean Micro$oft?

    --
    -Is the meaning of life vanity, or is vanity the meaning of life?
  13. Even more interesting by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Informative

    In fact, Smith's main single contributor was Microsoft!

    1. Re:Even more interesting by IO+ERROR · · Score: 4, Interesting
      In fact, Smith's main single contributor was Microsoft!


      This is not surprising, since his district, the Ninth District of Washington, is where Microsoft is. I am not surprised that he is representing their interests.


      I wouldn't be surprised if the other Congressmonkeys behind this were being financed by the movie and record industries.


      It isn't time to spam your Congressmonkey yet. They haven't DONE anything, or even proposed to do anything yet. When they actually start doing something, then it will be time to act.

      --
      How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
    2. Re:Even more interesting by SLot · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It isn't time to spam your Congressmonkey yet. They haven't DONE anything, or even proposed to do anything yet. When they actually start doing something, then it will be time to act.

      I disagree - if you happen to be a constituent of said Congressmonkeys, you are paying their salaries, and you therefore should complain often & loudly when they do anything that you don't feel represents your interests.

      American way and all. :)

    3. Re:Even more interesting by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Haven't done anything? Did you read the article? Smith went on a smear campaign against Linux. Wexler co-sponsored the bill that would have legalized computer sabotage by the entertainment industry. Now they are going to waste taxpayer money and divert resources badly needed in other areas to defending us from "piracy." While forming a caucus is not the end of the world, the caucus will be the most significant voice in the congressional debates over these issues, and it behooves democracy for citizens to demand that other perspectives be represented on the caucus.

      Also it's one thing for Smith to represent MS's interests as the representative from that region, but it's another to act as their hired PR flak.

    4. Re:Even more interesting by shivianzealot · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It isn't time to spam your Congressmonkey yet. They haven't DONE anything, or even proposed to do anything yet. When they actually start doing something, then it will be time to act.

      ERROR, while I appreciate that you recognize the need to issue corrospondance, your perception of timing is dead wrong. By the time your congressman has "done something" he will have already picked sides, requiring a much LOUDER voice for any significant sway. Best to be the first heard on _any_ issue you care about.

      --

      Bored with karma, be a fan/freak

    5. Re:Even more interesting by dbrutus · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No, it's not time to spam them (not ever, really) but it *is* time to get them to lay down markers. Some questions I wish every Congressman and Senator was on record:
      1. Do you think the present copyright terms is too short, too long, or just right
      2. Copyright and patent are in the Constitution to "advance the progress of the arts and sciences". Is present policy the best we can do? If not, how should the rules be changed to do better?
      3. What's the maximum amount of time "limited terms" can last when it comes to patents and copyrights before terms are essentially permanent and the Constitution is violated?

      These are questions that are more open ended, are likely to be answered more thoughtfully absent a bill and a recent campaign contribution, and would be useful in future campaigns because it would allow the other party to criticise an officeholder if he later sold his vote for money. At that point, it's not some obscure issue that most normal citizens don't care about but going back on your word and being untrustworthy. That kind of damage is to be avoided if possible.

    6. Re:Even more interesting by visualight · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Okay so let's put them on record...

      I think one of the biggest problems with our present political system is that no real issues ever get discussed or debated. Even in the televised debates all the questions are preapproved by the campaigns. What if there was a list of questions, a bit longer than your three that every candidate had to answer if he/she wanted to actually get elected? What's really attractive about this is no matter what your politics are (as an individual voter) you'd most likely want to know the answers to these questions. With that in mind, wouldn't a publicity campaign called "ping them down" or something like that be pretty successful?

      Candidate A Candidate B still hasn't answered the "pin them down" questions. Is he being evasive?

      Candidate B Well, umm,...you see...

      The campaign isn't for or against any particular ideal so it could be really popular with the individual voters.

      The Questions. An Ask Slashdot maybe? Maybe better to get a few questions from existing political groups like the eff, aclu, and yes the *aa's. It has to be legit and unbiased to be popular

      Please someone have the resources to get something like this started

      --
      Samsung took back my unlocked bootloader because Google wants me to rent movies. They're both evil.
    7. Re:Even more interesting by klmth · · Score: 2, Insightful

      How about a slashdot interview with the congressmen in question? Surely they would at least consider it, at least from a public relations standpoint.

  14. Not to worry.. by 403Forbidden · · Score: 3, Funny

    If The Simpsons have taught us anything it's that Caucases are nothing more than a bunch of poorly inked drawings who congo line around a mountain lodge yelling "caucas caucas caucas!"

    Just like congress too.. always resting on their laurals.

  15. Democrats... by arazor · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A Democrat leading the charge to outlaw Linux and open source AGAIN! I am saying this as a registered democrat before someone marks this as flamebait. And I note there is at least 1 republican involved in this my point there really is no diffrence between the major parties.

    Just dont know what to do... EFF ACLU all good and well but there is no way in hell they can ever match the funds that MS MPAA RIAA et al have...

    I guess its true if voting really made a diffrence it would be illegal.

    1. Re:Democrats... by HBI · · Score: 3, Insightful

      As soon as you say ACLU I differ with you.

      Too much defending the weird instead of defending the righteous cost the ACLU any chance of my support.

      See how strange politics is?

      --
      HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
    2. Re:Democrats... by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 2, Troll

      exactly, they are more focused on defending child molesters like NAMBLA than defending the rights of every man woman and child in the country in copyright law chalenges. this just makes them worthless.

      --



      I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    3. Re:Democrats... by chill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      But the U.S. Constitution is there to protect the wierd. The conformist and majority opinion doesn't need protection, by definition.

      The basic rights apply to all -- not just the mainstream. Voodoo and animal sacrifices are just as protected as Baptists and televangilism.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    4. Re:Democrats... by HBI · · Score: 2, Insightful

      While in essence I agree with you, there was a middle ground to be struck. Face it, people have a hard time supporting NAMBLA and the American Nazi Party. So when the ACLU appears as champions of said groups on various occasions, for prima facie valid free speech reasons, this puts us off of them.

      Weren't there people that weren't social deviants that they could have defended, and made the same point? I have a hard time believing that they couldn't have.

      Maybe they are believers in the oft-quoted axiom that 'any publicity is good publicity'. Unfortunately for them, I think they have proven that wrong.

      --
      HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
  16. Are you crazy? by BoomerSooner · · Score: 4, Funny

    What about my up time on Netcraft!!!!

    This is a secret ploy to get all those 600+ day people to reboot. Well I'm not buying.

  17. I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning by miu · · Score: 2, Funny
    ...blamed P2P networks for spreading illegal forms of pornography, while another fingered universities as hotbeds of widespread--and felonious--copyright infringement.

    Men engaging in perversion with architecture are hardly qualified to complain about internet pornography.

    --

    [Set Cain on fire and steal his lute.]
  18. a tale of two Adam Smiths by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Adam Smith 1700's: "Letting people choose how to spend their money is the way to stimulate the economy."

    Adam Smith 2003: "But we can't let them choose Linux."

  19. we can stop this by JanusFury · · Score: 2, Interesting

    We can stop this, you know. All this idiocy can end. Intuit's about-face proves that even the big powerful companies will listen when enough people speak up.

    We need to write our senators, our mayors, our governors, our friends, our coworkers - even the president. The more loud we are, the less they will be able to deny what we're saying.

    --
    using namespace slashdot;
    troll::post();
  20. Money and your vote Count by Kefaa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In the absence of an opposing view, your representatives believe what they are told. Tell them differently.

    Be concise, polite, and specific. If we can /. a website we should be able to make a point in DC.

    Contacting your Representative -- The Easy Way

    Don't wait. Do it now or don't whine about it later.

  21. ARRR! by intermodal · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shiver me fuckin' timbers, matey...they say they be crackin' down on piracy. Hoist the mains'l! We best make sure they not be preventing Cap'n Torvalds from doin' what he wants with his ship...

    --
    In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
  22. Turn It Off the Day Of Their First Meeting by FFtrDale · · Score: 4, Interesting
    How about dropping the Linux, Apache et al. servers (that one Personally Owns or is responsible for) from the Net on the day that the Congressional RIAA Caucus holds its first meeting? They've imposed draconian laws about unauthorized computer access and are trying to fix as law the ability and legal right for copyright owners to crack our computers and break things in the course of their fishing expeditions. Now they're forming a conspiracy of elected officials to cripple the cutting edge in an effort protect their outdated cronies. It's time to show them whom they're dealing with. They've forgotten whose minds created the realm they presume to rule, and they've deluded themselves into forgetting whose hands keep it all running. Bad employee! No more time in Congress for You!

    --
    Think, write, think, edit, think...then post.
    1. Re:Turn It Off the Day Of Their First Meeting by shaitand · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It is amusing when petty brick and mortar governments think they can play on our digital turf. Perhaps it's time we showed them that the nation of geeks is joining the UN. The US is not the most powerful nation in the world, it is not the greatest super power at all. The cyber nation is the most powerful superpower, the leaders aren't elected, they earn their stake with blood, sweat, and too much damn caffiene!

    2. Re:Turn It Off the Day Of Their First Meeting by benedict · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The problem here is that the congresscritters have heard
      from Microsoft, and Microsoft knows how to be persuasive.
      Open-source advocates know how to be persuasive too,
      so the Congress needs to hear from us.

      Everyone shutting off their Linux machine for a day won't
      help. Everyone writing to their congressentity on the same
      day would make quite a bit of difference, especially if those
      letters are polite, concise, and well-thought-out.

      --
      Ben "You have your mind on computers, it seems."
    3. Re:Turn It Off the Day Of Their First Meeting by knobmaker · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Everyone writing to their congressentity on the same day would make quite a bit of difference, especially if those letters are polite, concise, and well-thought-out.

      What would, I think, make the most difference would be to write to Smith and tell him that if he persists in his unAmerican campaign against opensource software, you're going to send money to anyone who opposes him in the next election. And then follow through, if he doesn't change his position. A website devoted to taking donations for that purpose, and reporting unfavorably on Smith's activities would be a good thought-provoker for Smith. When next year rolls around, it would be a good time to remind slashdotters with a little fun money what Smith stands for. Could be a substantial source of anxiety for Smith.

    4. Re:Turn It Off the Day Of Their First Meeting by maxpublic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Everyone writing to their congressentity on the same day would make quite a bit of difference, especially if those letters are polite, concise, and well-thought-out.

      Looks like someone just fell off the turnip truck.

      In America, only two things really matter to a politician: power and money. Slashdotters don't have any of the first, but together they do have some of the second. Of course, there's no way these scumbags will buck their sugar daddies no matter what the provocation (skeletons, closets, connect the dots on your own), but you *could* use the money to back whoever is opposing the slimeballs in the next election.

      That's your only real option. Sponsor someone less evil than the person currently in office and hope he doesn't bend over and invite MS/the RIAA/the MPAA to give him the shaft once he's in office and safe from your wrath.

      Damn, it should be required that you boys and girls work for a congressman for a year, preferably while in high school. If the congress critter doesn't turn you off by trying to fuck you at every opportunity, his/her other activities will be more than enough to throw you off your feed for life. I *guarantee* you that.

      Unless, of course, you want to be a sleazy criminal sell-out just like them. Or a drug-addict, alcoholic, deserter like our President....

      Max

      --
      My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?
  23. USSR by porkface · · Score: 2

    No political system is perfect, but in my opinion, Linux gives us some of the greatest aspects of both Socialism and our "free market" economy.

    Let's face it, Microsoft is scared because they don't feel they can compete. What could be a greater sign that Linux encourages competition? Just because Linus isn't the richest man on Earth, doesn't mean Linux doesn't aid our economy.

  24. Hurrah! by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 4, Insightful

    [...] three members [of] the House of Reps has formed a caucus that aims to [kill open source software and fair use in the name of "stopping piracy"]

    Hurrah!

    Up to now the RIAA/MPAA/Microsoft/etc.-corrupted congresscritters have been pretty much anonymous. When they weren't actually introducing a bill you couldn't tell them from the general crowd of congressional dupes.

    Now we will have an explicit way to track the congressional ringleaders and target them for defeat - in primaries and general elections.

    Hot DAMN!

    (Ask anybody who helped take out Roberti, Roos, or Foley how a grass-roots movement works.)

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  25. FEC in focus by dillon_rinker · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Check out fec.gov - Rep. Robert Wexler received contributions from the following PACs (among others):
    1. AOL-Time-Warner

    2. ASCAP
      MediaOne
      Micros oft Corporation
      Fox
      RIAA
      Sony
      Walt Disney
    He's taken money from the very people that his legislative plans will benefit. Can any sane, rational person honestly believe that this is not a conflict of interest? This is not right, and it's symptomatic of the legalized bribery that is the core problem of the American political system.

    Furthermore, the contributions from the PACs listed above don't constitute anywhere near the majority of his campaign funding. He's a democrat, and most of the PAC contributions are from labor unions. The larger part of his campaign expenditures were thus paid by organizations that purport to represent workers - sometimes also known as consumers. Despite this, he is acting as the lapdog of the content industry. As Mark Twain said, an honest politician is one that stays bought.

    Wexler thus fails both the idealistic and pragmatic tests for honesty. I submit that he needs to be tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rail.

    1. Re:FEC in focus by Dr+Reducto · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The worst part is, everyone will not really know about how he does that and this whole thing will recieve very little mainstream press, because those companies control the media, and more of it if the FCC loosens its media ownership rules.

    2. Re:FEC in focus by TheSync · · Score: 2, Informative
      Yes, but Wexler SUPPORTS campaign finance "reform." Which shows what an empty topic it truly is....

      I applaud the recent passage of campaign finance reform, which bans the use of soft money and will begin the process of returning control of the federal government back to the people rather than the special interests. I sponsored the House version of this bill, which bans all soft money donations to the national political parties -- that means large unregulated donations from corporations, labor unions, and individuals. This bill also prevents independent groups from running television and radio campaign commercials right before an election, which are disguised as "issue ads," and requires more timely disclosures of independent expenditures.
    3. Re:FEC in focus by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 3, Insightful

      OK, I'd like to make a comment about how "corporations" are buying politicians. Yes, Microsoft and Disney gave money to a politician in exchange for "better" IP laws. We see that as a perversion of our political system.

      I have a slightly different view.

      MS and Disney represent a large body of people. These people depend on Office and Mickey to provide them with a paycheck. These people then spend their money in Florida and Washington which creates jobs for other prople. MS and Disney hope these laws will boost their profit. That, in turn, will keep the economy in their areas firm.

      You may or may not like IP for philosophical reasons. You may not like MS or Disney for philosophical reasons. You may belive that these laws will be ineffective and, therefore, a waste of time. But you cannot blame these companies for trying to keep their source of income strong.

      There is no way you can say that MS and Disney giving money to a politician in not in the best interests of the companies, it's employees, or the surronding economical region.

      --
      I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
    4. Re:FEC in focus by cc_pirate · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sure buying votes is in the best interest of the companies. Just like buying judges is in the best interest of the mafia. We despise and revile the latter as a complete perversion of the Justice system. Should we not despise and revile the former as a complete perversion of the Legislative system?

      Of course we should. Bribing officials who make policy for all of us so that SOME of us get a better deal is just WRONG.

      That you could possibly think it is acceptable says a lot about how completely fscked up America and our system of government is.

      --

      "There are laws that enslave men, and laws that set them free. " - Sean Connery as King Arthur

    5. Re:FEC in focus by Oddly_Drac · · Score: 2, Interesting

      "MS and Disney represent a large body of people. These people depend on Office and Mickey to provide them with a paycheck. These people then spend their money in Florida and Washington which creates jobs for other prople. MS and Disney hope these laws will boost their profit. That, in turn, will keep the economy in their areas firm.

      You may or may not like IP for philosophical reasons. You may not like MS or Disney for philosophical reasons. You may belive that these laws will be ineffective and, therefore, a waste of time. But you cannot blame these companies for trying to keep their source of income strong."

      On the whole, that sounds fairly accurate, but for a couple of things; it is not the remit of a company to translate the wishes of the employees into representation to government. The relationship between the populace and government should be through indirect representation.

      That's the spirit in which the constitution was written, government by the people, for the people. Instead you have corporations acting in a fashion that would have made a turn of the century plantation manager blush.

      The worst aspect of it is the entire world considers your democracy morally and ideologically bankrupt because corruption is actually considered part of the process. Any other country where a representative of the people receives money to promote an agenda, and you can track their election successes on how much they've salted away tends to become regarded as a rogue nation.

      So it's time for you to clean house. Mobilise. Gather statistics and make sure that everyone gets them, from the TV researchers to opposition senators. Find out how many Unix admins are in a particular city. Gather well-informed comment as to what software patents are actually doing...

      Do anything but bitch on Slashdot about how the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

      Hell, 350 letters to any major news network might get a flicker of interest, and what do you have to loose?

      OD

      --
      Oddly Draconis
      Too cynical to live, too stubborn to die.
    6. Re:FEC in focus by theLOUDroom · · Score: 4, Informative

      MS and Disney represent a large body of people.

      Wrong. MS and Disney are owned and controled mostly by a very small number of people (Bill Gates, et al.) That's who they represent.
      Corporations act in the interests of their shareholders. Corporations are not controlled via popular elections. They are not part the democratic system, and should kept the hell out of it.

      Look at it this way: How the hell can you have a functioning democracy, when one person with resouces far beyond those of most people (Bill G.) can contribute as much of his money as he wants to buying influence?

      These people depend on Office and Mickey to provide them with a paycheck.

      This argument is silly for a million reasons. For one, how do you know that MS is the only possible way these people could be employed? If MS was dissolved tomorrow, would everyone just stop using computers?
      Two, how do you that this is the best possible why these people could be employed? Perhaps there is another way things could be organized which would produce more.

      Arguments like this are a last resort of those who don't want to see change.

      But you cannot blame these companies for trying to keep their source of income strong.

      This statement is silly too. As long as a company is working to increase it's profits, they shouldn't be held accountable for anything they're doing? This pure idiocy.

      Here's an example:
      A nuclear power company has all these spend fuel rods they need to get rid of. They discover the cheapest way to do this, and increase their profits, is to buy a law that allows them to throw it out with their normal trash.

      This is clearly wrong, but all the arguments you gave support it. The power company is represented, speaking for all those people you think they speak for. The power company stays afloat, so everyone who works there can keep their jobs. And all they're doing is trying to increase their profits, they're blameless right?


      Your biggest failure is to consider the costs to society of these company's actions. There is no Wildlife Corp, that can buy influence to preserve our wilderness. There is no Public Domain Inc. which fights to get works placed into the public domain.
      Yes, there may be citizen's groups that fight these things, but the money they get is not anywhere near the value of the damage they have to try and prevent.

      Take my power company example above. Can you figure out the problem? The damage to society is not being accounted for. There is no automatic reverse contribution to take this into account. And don't say the people should take care of this reverse contribution, either. That would be impossible. It would require every person in the country to be informed about every law that was going to be passed, and donate accoringly.

      --
      Life is too short to proofread.
  26. Don't forget... by Jerk+City+Troll · · Score: 2, Informative

    as soon as the EFF Action Center writes a report... utilize their service to send your representatives a letter expressing exactly how you will feel and how you will vote. Keep an eye on it!

    Remember, as always, strength in numbers. And don't forget to donate to them an the ACLU.

    --
    Join Tor today!
  27. Map by heli0 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Here is a map of the area of Florida that Wexler represents. If any of you live in this area please do us all a favor by writing and faxing Wexler about our concerns.

    --
    Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way...
  28. Mod this down all you like... by fudgefactor7 · · Score: 2, Informative

    But this sort of thing wouldn't happen if congress wasn't corrupt as hell. Amend the 22nd Amendment to equally apply to Congress. It's only fair.

  29. A caucus for them, how nice. by aerojad · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So where's the caucus to keep these "watchdogs" from over-abusing their powers, jailing kids who accidentally mention the words "Harry Potter" somewhere online, or threaten to shut down universities' internet connections during finals because one of the professors may have a file that might be illgal according to some law.

    You know, protection from overbearing abuse, the rules that this country is based on... where's the caucus to protect people and their rights?

    Since when did people only apply to people who were located in large office towers and made millions a year, scamming average people for all they are worth.

    --

    SecondPageMedia - Wha
  30. Threats to Innovation by KrispyKringle · · Score: 2, Interesting
    What's sort of interesting here is not that Congress is concerned about piracy. In some sense, they of course should be. What gets me, though, is that save for a few large copyright holders like Disney and their kin, creative IP (to differentiate from technological or scientific IP, as in patents) represents a very, very small fraction of the revenue from companies which innovate with software, hardware, and other technology.

    When, as it often is (think Verizon v. the RIAA or DRM being forced on TiVos, MP3 players, and so forth), technology companies are at odds with media companies, it is pure fallacy to proclaim that it is the media companies' concerns that best represent American innovation (especially when this "innovation" is merely another teeny-bopper or an animated mouse from the last century).

    Congress, I have long admitted, follows the money. But the money, in this case, is not with the IP companies but with the technology companies. Does Intel want to build chips with integrated DRM? Of course not; such a move is not inherently profitable. Does Verizon want to be responsible for its subscribers' piracy, or Panasonic for the exact digital copies made with their MP3 players?

    Congress is behaving here as irrationally as the RIAA themselves (an organization so clealy ignorant and terrified of technology that they couldn't profit from it as the Apple iMusic store is now doing). IP controls go both ways; an incentive for innovation, when overly broad, stifles anything new. Intellectual property controls are certainly necessary, to some degree, but, as framed in the Constitution, to promote innovation in the arts and sciences, never to stop it.

  31. Slashdot as a political group? by ucla+perry+wong · · Score: 5, Interesting

    With all the non-sense laws that our government comes up with regarding technology, wouldn't it make sense to form a group of knowledgable and experienced individuals to lobby against these laws?

    I'm sure that slashdot can bring a real life political slashdot effect. Maybe it's something worth thinking about, or perhaps starting ;). We all know that our normal politicians can't get it right. I think we can!

    1. Re:Slashdot as a political group? by mcrbids · · Score: 2, Insightful

      wouldn't it make sense to form a group of knowledgable and experienced individuals to lobby against these laws?

      It's called the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and they need your help.

      Support them. Whip out your Visa Check card and PayPal them $500, $50, or just $20.

      You'll be a hero for helping good things happen.

      --
      I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
  32. Money and your vote Count? Not if you live here. by MsGeek · · Score: 4, Informative
    Unfortunately, my vote doesn't count because these people are representing me in DC:
    • Howard Berman, Representative
    • Barbara Boxer, Junior Senator
    • Dianne Feinstein, Senior Senator
    All three are 0wnz0r3d by the RIAA, MPAA, and Big Media.

    No, I didn't vote for Berman in the last election. I swallowed hard and voted for the Republican candidate, because he seemed to be genuinely concerned about eroding Fair Use rights.

    I don't know what's going to happen when Berman, Feinstein and Boxer are up for re-election again. Usually the Republicans run Religious Right-sponsored, Orange County-friendly candidates at the Senatorial level here in California. I can't support someone like that. But Feinstein and Boxer make me sick. Berman does too, but I think he's gotten enough heat from geeks in his district (they do exist) to where he's not going to try anything so stupid as a "Son Of Berman Bill".

    I live close enough to Hollywood to where it's a lot like living in Adam Smith's district in Washington State. This is a company town and Big Media is the company. Resistance, it seems. is futile.

    --
    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
  33. Time to Send More Money to the EFF by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Looks like the Crongressional Dip$hits are at it again.
    Perhaps they'll decide to save on legislature time and just try to roll the DMCA and the Patriot Act into one and just go ahead and lock up anyone with any sort of recording device as a Terrorist Threat.

    Ya ya ya... I have zero faith in our government to ever not have it's head so far up it's ass when dealing with anything that is even remotely related to the tech sector or individual rights as opposed to corporate self interests.

    Somehow, I have a feeling I'm not alone there.
    Anyway, time to toss some moolah to the EFF, because they're gonna need it.

    Pass the hat.

  34. Paranoia is getting to me by MisanthropicProggram · · Score: 4, Insightful
    In today's Wall Street Journal, there was an article about SCO claiming that Linux is using UNIX (SCO's) code. By the way, SCO just signed a licensing deal with M$. Now, we have this caucus assailing Linux amoung other things.

    Is M$ starting some sort of a campaign against Linux?

    Or, is it just other's paranoia about U.S. security?
    --

    There is no spoon or sig.

  35. yeah that will work by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Headline: "'Open Source' Hackers Shut Down Internet, Demand Control of Congress"

    I can't imagine Congress ever outlawing Linux, but if there was anything that could bring that day closer, this is probably it.

  36. Congress by di0s · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... should have a little sticker on the side that says "Hollywood Inside".

  37. agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by r3dfiv3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    i think its funny how a rep from wash, whose district includes ms headquarters, comes out in favor of ip laws and against linux. i wonder how much that cost balmer.

    1. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by Gortbusters.org · · Score: 2, Informative

      Probably about as much as it cost the RIAA to prosecture copyright crimes!

      --
      --------
      Free your mind.
    2. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Read here

      Money contributed from PAC of the corperation.
      (From the top contributors page)
      Microsoft Corp $32,200

      AOL Time Warner $5,000

    3. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by Peer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, it just says Computer Equipment & Services, but it won't be Kazaa ;)

      top industries supporting Adam Smith

    4. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Money contributed from PAC of the corperation.
      (From the top contributors page)
      Microsoft Corp $32,200

      I'm amazed that you can buy politicians and get them to sponsor bills involving billions of dollars, for pocket change like this. The leverage is remarkable. I'm sure to buy a poltician in Indonesia, for instance, is much more expensive.

    5. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by DickBreath · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm sure to buy a poltician in Indonesia, for instance, is much more expensive.

      This is good American innovation.

      It's like Congress letting Jack Valenti write the text of the DMCA. You can't buy better custom made legislation than this.

      (maybe that should be Congress's new advertising slogan?)

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    6. Re:agent smith, er rep smith is a talking puppet by Beryllium+Sphere(tm) · · Score: 2, Informative

      His district doesn't include Microsoft headquarters. Props to you for reading the article, which said that it does.

      His district is shaped kind of like a mirror image of Idaho. The bulky part is down around the state capital, almost a hundred miles south of Redmond. The "panhandle" just touches the south end of the Seattle metropolitan area.

      Here's a map: http://www.house.gov/adamsmith/i/district_map_popu p.jpg . Redmond would be at the northeast corner of the map if the map went five miles farther north.

  38. Silly congressman by RightInTheNeck · · Score: 2, Funny

    "assailing the Linux open-source operating system's GNU General Public License as a threat to America's 'innovation and security.'" Congressman to aid : "find out all information on Linux and this GNU thing so I sound like I know what im talking about out there" Aid to Congressman : "ok I'll call Microsoft and find out what we think"

  39. So does this mean... by Ryan+Amos · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That RMS is the next Osama bin Laden? In that case, he's already got the foot-long beard down.. Now all he needs is a turban.

  40. Adam Smith doesn't agree with Adam Smith by toupsie · · Score: 3, Funny

    Adam Smith (L-ECON) would not be happy with Adam Smith's (D-WA) manipulation of the free market through the passing of artificial governmental regulation.

    --
    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
  41. The Whitehouse Runs on Apache and Linux. by chris_sawtell · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?mode_u=on&mod e_w=on&site=www.whitehouse.gov&submit=Exam ine

  42. Grow Up and Fight! by supaflah · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When will you people grow up?
    Copyright protection laws (including Anti-Piracy) are great for Free Software!
    Is copyright law was enforced 100%, 80 percent of the world's computer users would have been Free Software users by now.
    $600 for MS Office? I don't think so.
    If you don't like paying for music- don't support corporate artists.
    Form a band of your own, for daemon's sake!
    I've been generating my own music (i'm a techno freak) for years. And guess what, ambient music is easy easy easy to make on your own.
    Breaking rules is for kids, Making rules of their own is for adults.
    The more you rant about Freedom and Piracy, the more power to the establishment to link Free Software and Piracy.
    I didn't go to see the Matrix. I haven't bought a Music CD in 5 years. Grow up and Fight!

    --
    --- Nothing but Blood and Kosmos
  43. Reaganomics for '03 by MunchMunch · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "These people depend on Office and Mickey to provide them with a paycheck. These people then spend their money in Florida and Washington which creates jobs for other prople. MS and Disney hope these laws will boost their profit. That, in turn, will keep the economy in their areas firm."

    Trickle-down intellectual property law?

    Trickle-down freedom?

    [cough]

  44. Reads like an enemies list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
    We already know that Rep. Adam Smith [D-Redmond] is on the enemies list. Microsoft gave him $32K for the 2002 election. The other people on the caucus also have bad records:



    Both the RIAA and MPAA were positive about this. That means that it is a very bad thing.
  45. So get out and fix it, dangit! by jgardn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Remember that politicians are people. President Bush raised far more money than the Democrats in 2000 because he targetted middle income families, and didn't spend as much time as he normally would've contacting big businesses.

    YOU do make a difference. The reason why the democrats are consistently coming out pro-big-business lately is because the grass-root democrats won't support them. Ask a democrat, "When is the last time you gave a buck to a candidate?" Then ask the same question to a republican. Which party do you think is eating from the hands of the constituency?

    I'll admit, the Republican Party doesn't do what I wish they did 100% of the time, but they are aiming in the general direction. Deregulation, lowering taxes, beefing up our borders are all things I feel are important. You'll find me and millions like me are going to put a couple bucks into our republican candidates. That is going to sway them away from big business, and more towards our interests.

    Washington State Republicans have broken completely from Boeing -- one of the reason why Boeing is leaving -- for this very same reason. They don't need their cash anymore. The republicans in WA are more than willing to pop out a $20 bill to support their own candidates as long as they do what the supporters want. (HINT: This next budget coming down is pretty much what we wanted. Expect a big republican win next year.)

    As long as you are giving a buck or two to your candidate, and millions of you are doing the same, you will have bought their vote. You get to write a letter to them that starts: "Dear Representative, I gave $20 to your campaign last year, but I will be giving $50 to your opponent this time unless..." which always gets more attention than "Dear Representative, I am a whiny brat who will never give a dime to your campaign."

    Remember, Big Business lives off of our buck. We can strangle them with boycotts if we so desire. (You ever notice how whimpy the business people get when they are faced with consumer outrage?) There is no way someone as dependent on our cash, and who can only turn a couple of percentage points on it for profit, can every compete with our cash going directly into the pockets of our representatives. We really do have the power. We really do control the game -- but only if we get in the ring and fight!

    So if you want to start a "Fair Use Consumer Advocacy Group", give a couple of bucks to your favorite politician who is generally going in your direction, and tell them where you want them to go. Convince others to do the same. A couple of thousand dollars and a couple of hundred votes later, you will have them eating out of your hand. They will come to you and ask, "Which way should I vote to get your help in next year's campaign?"

    If you don't know where to start, start small. Look for state representatives or city council members you want to support. Check out their record. Call them up and ask them how you can help. When you get to know them, and you begin to trust them, and they you, give them your money. Trust me, it works, and it is really simple. And as long as enough people are doing it, we'll keep the government in check.

    --
    The radical sect of Islam would either see you dead or "reverted" to Islam.
    1. Re:So get out and fix it, dangit! by krysith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "A couple of thousand dollars and a couple of hundred votes later, you will have them eating out of your hand."

      Speaking as a whiney brat who would never give a dollar to a campaign, I always thought democracy was about the votes, not the $$$. I guess I'm just naive and old fashioned, but at least I'm not being part of the problem (and yes, I do vote, even in local elections). The problem is when your $100,000 and 100 votes outweighs the desires of the 100,000 other voters who don't give any money. I pay my taxes - that should be all the vote buying I need to do!

    2. Re:So get out and fix it, dangit! by paiute · · Score: 4, Funny

      "You'll find me and millions like me are going to put a couple bucks into our republican candidates. That is going to sway them away from big business, and more towards our interests.

      You have a future in standup comedy.

      --
      If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  46. Tell me what to say! by s-orbital · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I am one of Adam Smith's constituents, and I am frankly pissed to see that this fool is saying the things he is. Since I am tired of getting worthless form letter from everyone I email, I am going to give him a call. Anything, you recommend to say? Thank you.

    Art K.

    --
    Patent: from Latin patere, to be open
  47. Re:Democrats != civil rights and freedoms by Surazal · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The problem I have with this kind of argument is this: You want to labnel me as "liberal" or "conservative". Guess what? I'm one of those "middle of the road" people that extremists hate. I make decisions on my own.

    Yup I disagree with conservatives. I disagree with liberals. I agree with conservatives. I agreee with liberals. What this ammounts to is: I think Ann Coultier and Bill O'Reilly are idiots who make good arguments at times. Same with Bill Clinton and Barbara Streisand. Sometimes, though, they say stuff that actually amounts to an intelligence behind their ideologies. It's rare, but it happens.

    Now, to go back on-topic...

    What do I think of this action by these folks who are claiming that Open Source is a threat to National Security(tm)? Nothing. I clicked on the comments here to see what people are thinking about this matter on an intellectual level. NOT an ideological level.

    So, some people are raising a raucus in Washington. This happens all the time. Heck, it wasn't a few years ago when Microsoft faced a fate worse than this. In all honesty, I think Open Source got off lucky politically speaking over the past dozen years or so. And I'm glad to see it. Proprietary software needed its kick in the pants. That's not to say the Free Software movement (and its corporate-friendly equivalent, Open Source) needs the occasional kick too. But for these folks to be taken seriously, more than well-paid lobbyists will be able to make a difference.

    Ideology goes three inches and a neutrino's width with me. Case closed.

    (P.S. back from 3 years away from Slashdot, BTW... hoo-yeah :)

    --
    --- Journals are boring; Go to my web page instead
  48. This Means War by Glacian · · Score: 2, Funny

    Argh Mateys the first ping of me bow by some land luber trying to shut down me gnutela client, and im rollin me nmap cannons and pickin off the scurrvey bastard.

    --
    I SHALL RAIN DOWN MISSILES-IN-A-BUN ON YOUR PITIFUL CITY'S!
  49. Make the EFF powerful. by Sri+Ramkrishna · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you want people to listen to the EFF, start becoming memebers. Let EFF say that they represent a million people who would be very upset if a law that introduces stronger IP laws that affect fair use.

    sri

  50. Shadowrun by Ahaldra · · Score: 4, Informative

    This discussions seems to be more or less wrapped up and writing your Congressman and / or voting different seem to be good options. So all that's left for me is to throw in some comment.

    Everytime I read about Big 'Cons heavily influencing laws that undermine basic human rights and invalidating democratic structures, in order to grow bigger and bigger, I only wait for the awakening of magic in 2012.

    It's as if everyone in power in this world read the shadowrun books and thought "wow, thats a great world to live in".

    The US needs to reform their electoral and governmental system fast or they'll be run down the drain by all these corporate whores.
    That's what bothers me most with the eff and aclu: they just take the conservative approach of "everything has to stay the way it is" instead of calling attention to the things that IMHO need serious fixin.
    If you look at the eff's site, the news section is just full of battles in jurisdiction but on the legislation side of things, it's just "state has passed this, congress has passed that".

    Where is the support for a legislative proposal that actually strengthens consumer/citizen/human rights?
    Where is the proposal for a system that allows for more than two parties to gain power?
    Where is the continous lobbying effort to keep the politicians in line with common sense?

    --
    Code is Speech. No to Censorship.
  51. Anti-Privacy Coalition? by billstewart · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sorry, I know I misread it at first glance, but it really does fit. They want to know everything you're watching and listening to, and it's pay-per-view.

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  52. Strange blaming by Pofy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "...blamed P2P networks for spreading..."

    I always thought that in US, in general the argumentation was, for example, "guns doesn't kill, people do". So how come when it comes to copyright infringement and such, it is always the tool that is the cause, and not people.

  53. Free software creates jobs by yaphadam097 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the article:

    The concerns of the thousands of Americans whose livelihoods depend on intellectual property protection are not being fully debated or addressed

    What about the concerns of millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on free access to technology? Open source software creates jobs, because it creates the opportunity for someone with an idea to build a business without having to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to invest in software. For instance, I have started a software development business that I would not have been able to afford to start without free software:

    1. My server is a dual PIII running Gentoo Linux (savings: Windows 2000 Advanced Server $999)
    2. I use JBoss 3.2 and Tomcat 4.1.24 for my J2EE applications (savings: Weblogic $90,000)
    3. Emacs for code development, Dia for modeling, Ant for code generation, compilation, and deployment (savings: JBuilder Enterprise $3,500)
    4. CVS for source control and change management (Savings: Starteam, couldn't find a price but I know it's in the thousands)
    5. MySQL database server (savings: Oracle 9i $40,000)

    I am sure I could come up with a couple hundred thousand more if I really thought about it. The point is that I don't have the money for any of that. If things go well I plan to hire several developers over the next year or two. That's as many as ten jobs that wouldn't exist if it weren't for free software.

    Seriously, the argument that free software is "A threat to America's innovation and security," makes about as much sense as the one that says that giving rich people a tax break will lead to more jobs. They neglect to mention that the vast majority of the jobs are with large companies that already pay almost zero taxes. Most of the tax cut goes to rich people who will stow it away so that they are richer rather than companies with any significant number of jobs or middleclass taxpayers who do the bulk of the consuming that drives the economy.

    What these people need to do is get a clue. The record companies are going to go out of business if they keep doing things the way they have always done them. Since when is it good business to whine and moan until someone legislates away our freedom rather than innovating and coming up with a viable new way to make money? The reality is that these businesses have to change their way of thinking or they will die. The only real question is how much pain can they put the rest of us through before they do finally die. Can they successfully destroy the American way of life first? They're trying.

  54. 1984 by Cackmobile · · Score: 3, Interesting

    These sorts of articles are coming out faster and faster everyday. I never used to worry about it but now I am really starting to sweat. Its not just in the US where they are doing it. A lot of comments here say we will move offshore. Where are you going to go. ITs ahpopening in Australia and in Britain. While the majority of the population sleeps throuugh life, getting their news from sources that don't report things like this, they are tightening the screws. 1984 should be mandatory reading.

    BTW Guns are not the answer. Peacefully protest is. Do you really think that the citizens of the US could beat the US Defence force.

    --
    -- Karma Karma Karma Karma, Karma Chameleon - Boy George
  55. Re:How did Bush get elected President? by setmajer · · Score: 2, Insightful
    There is something tugging at your very being that says that if Bush is succeeding, that means you will not, unless you repent, believe in Christ, obey God, and live according to his commandments.

    Let me get this straight: you believe there is an invisible man living in the sky, ready to throw you into a flaming pit where you will burn for all eternity if you don't do what he says because he loves you, but liberals are the 'degenerate wackoes'?

    --

  56. Kozinski and The Blonde Leading the Bland by werdna · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I guess we always needed a luddite caucus. If you can't beat the Unibomber, join 'em, I suppose. Congressmen calling for the stunting of technology -- how quaint.

    I suppose they would have opposed the invention of the piano roll, too -- and that victrola, what a threat! The audio tape, the video tape and now the P.C. Ironically, it was these technologies that made the companies that build these Congressmen's campaign warchests.

    At the end of the day, the market does a far better job of deciding what technologies the world need than does the Congress. Amazing how supposedly "conservative" congressmen don't think twice about regulating industries they don't understand to protect the interests of businesses they do. Alas, the one being regulated by them is the one driving our economy.

    Distinguishing between the technologies and those who exploit them wrongly is the identifying feature of these doofuses. These guys would ban credit cards as forms of lockpicking tools because they can be used to jimmy open some old doors. We already have laws making copyright infringement illegal -- we don't need new ones to make criminals of other people who don't infringe and who make useful, important technology, just because some special interest group doesn't want to be vigilant or change business models to one that can succeed in the twenty-first century..

    Luddites unite! Since we are already going to double the debt in the next few years, why not also wreck the economy?

  57. Ways out. . . by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 2, Insightful
    The only way out is to kill.

    It's past noon, my friend. It's getting too late even for civil uprising. The lock-down is very nearly complete, and people are too dazed to realize it. If you wanted to organize a civil war, I don't think you could pull it together without getting yourself vanished long before you managed to get anything started. You couldn't use the net; you'd have to do it in basements and using local people, (And good luck finding enough like-minded neighbors willing to die for their country!)

    The science of cell networks with physical go-betweens is long dead. People have been numbed into blithering stupidity. --A great many of them still believe that Bush is 'da man. (With the exception of the ecconomy. But so what? Bush will either rig another election, or the guy from the other side will get in. --Who also happens to be a Bonesmen this time around. Gee, no kidding?)

    I hate to say it, but the ship is done for. It is now the time to get yourself out of America toot-sweet. 'Cuz in a few short years, French and German shells are going to be raining through American skies. --But not before Bush and his gang of psychopaths has turned the middle east into a firey cauldron and scooped up all native dissenters, such as yourself.

    This is not a drill. Check out this site on American concentration camps. --A little alarmist, but there is a healthy dose of real info in there, too. Here are several others. . . Ashcroft plan Okanagon County And my 'favorite', which describes just how willing American soldiers are to break the Geneva Convention in Afghansitan when dealing with 'terrorists'.

    Brutal. And for the most part, invisible. Seriously. Buy a mini-van and load up what you need, or ship your essential stuff, board a plane and get out. It's not as hard as it sounds, and hey, you might just live to see the end of the decade.

    Cheers.


    -FL

  58. You Know... by Matrix2110 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have to vent my spleen here folks, bear with me a minute. I read the article and I have to say these people are worst nightmare jury that open source could imagine. I read the thread up and down, and none of you seem to understand what just happend here. This is an honest paradiem shift, and nobody in this community noticed it. It is very subtle but commands a broad range of guess what? (Crackdown) Bear with me a little more, Microsoft licensing SCO? What the heck is this all about? Man that opens up another can of worms. (Microsoft defends SCO until the death of IBM?)

    The FCC relaxing ownership hold on TV Monolopies? -Pet gripe. (While ignoring the lesson of Clear-channel when radio ownership was 'relaxed'?)

    I cannot tell you how many jobs that little jewel will cost all the time preserving the fat cats on top.

    Thanks for listening to my spleen, my killer comment is: They are lumping open source software, Spammers, P2P and Anti-DRM people into the group known as "terrorists"

    How does it feel to be labeled a Spammer.

    I don't like it and you should not take it.

    I am even going to go out on a limb here, and say I support Spamcop. Before the flames begin, I have not found a more effective solution for free or for money. Say what you want about server level solutions, They just dont work. Witness the debacle that AOL is going through.

    Sorry for the extra mini-rant I promise the punchline is:

    Write your Congress-critter, Or present me with ten thousand geeks who are willing to present a united front against a deadly foe and are willing to spend 50 bucks apiece to get a lobby group formed.

  59. So what? by Bendebecker · · Score: 2, Funny

    "The concerns of the thousands of Americans whose livelihoods depend on intellectual property protection are not being fully debated or addressed,"
    They are already ignoring the concerns of the millions of americans who livelihoods don't depend on intellectual policy, why care about another few thousand?

    --
    There's a growing sense that even if The Future comes,
    most of us won't be able to afford it.
    -- Lemmy
  60. Apparently OSS can't Innovate by Thavius · · Score: 2, Insightful

    By the way the article reads, and the attitude of a lot of non-geeks, it seems that everyone things that Open Source software cannot innovate. No innovations rise out of open source software. None, all Open Source software is a direct copy of Closed source and has only one intent of stealing sales of closed source software.

    If you write software, or develop an algorithm, or whatever, and release it to the public without some sort of gain, then you are obviously a bad person. Imagine if a scientist worked very long and very hard on a cure for cancer, and found it. Then he released his findings to the world, with the stipulation that no one can profit off of it, not even the scientist himself. Pharmaceutical companies would be up in ARMS about this, and probably would form a lynch mob.

    There are some people who just don't understand that some people do things for the betterment of everyone, not just the betterment of their bottom line.

  61. Re:How did Bush get elected President? by ChadN · · Score: 2, Informative

    In the event that it is a close call, Florida state law says that there must be 1 and exactly 1 recount.

    I call 'bullshit!', and request that you cite a source for this statement.

    Immediately after the initial count (favoring Bush by 1,784), an automatic recount was started (pusuant to section 102.141(4) of the Florida Election Code). This recount (approx two days), gave Bush a 327 vote margin of victory.

    Due to the discrepancy, the Florida Democratic Election Committee, under section 102.166 of the Florida Elction Code, requested a manual recount (authorized by section 102.166(4)), to be done in some of the most populous counties (which Gore had won). Asking for recounts in a few counties is not an exceptional circumstance (asking for a statewide manual recount would be, for logistical reasons alone)

    First a smaller sample recount in these counties was done (to determine if a full recount was warranted). The full recount then proceeded, but was going to take so much time that it was going to pass the certification deadline (November 14, one week).

    The secretary of state, Katheleen Harris, had the authority and discretion to extend the deadline, in order to receive the results.

    She chose to NOT extend the deadline, and if you assume her reasons were political (I concede that both "sides" will disagree on this issue), this is really the first point where political control of the state starts to possibly affect the outcome of the election. Earlier events were all lawful, done in a non-partisan way (in close races, asking for a recount is not uncommon; that is WHY there are laws covering it)

    There is, of course, much more to be said. I am sick of people distorting the events of this time period. It is a part of our HISTORY, and we should at least get it factually correct. Luckily, there are a few books and other sources that give a reasonably undistorted timeline (at least, as best as I can tell)

    As far as your "Christian" comments, I have no response. They are so paralogical as to make everything you say suspect.

    --
    "It's overkill, of course. But you can never have too much overkill." - Anonymous Slashdot Coward
  62. Re:How did Bush get elected President? by Sloppy · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I'll also tell you why you hate President Bush. It is because he is a Christian.
    Perhaps you are addressing that specific person and know something about him, in which case what I am about to say does not apply. But if you think that in general, Bush is hated for being a Christian, you are very mistaken.

    I consider mystics to be Mostly Harmless. The reason I dislike Bush is because I think he is insincere and fake.

    I think that his policies are not guided by conservative ideals. Like most republicans, he mixes capitalist implementations with socialist powers that were derived from socialist values. Question the capitalist implementation, and you're a liberal. Question the socialist powers and values, and you're a reactionary anarchist. Yes, I hate people who want to have their cake and eat mine too.

    And while he may or may not be a real Christian (I just don't know), I do know that most people who slip "God Bless America" into speeches, do so for the purposes of manipulation. Bush strikes me as being as fake and empty as any American flag that wasn't flying on 9/10/2001 but was flying a few days later.

    My distrust of that man has nothing to do with his mysticism, unless there's some sort of weird "greed cult" that I haven't heard about. (Other than the Scientologists, I mean.)

    But as for your main point, yes he was elected. And to all the whiners who say he wasn't: not only does jgardn make an excellent point about the law, but the fact of the matter is that about half the voters voted for Bush. About half the voters voted for that other guy too. If having half of the voter's support is considered a corrupt appointment instead of an election, then the 2000 election was doomed no matter how it turned out.

    99% of the people said, "I want someone who can afford lots of TV commercials and who the republicans and democrats, who decide who will be on the televised debates, won't feel threatened by" and that's what they got. What's so unfair about that?

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.