Slashdot Mirror
Copy That Floppy, Lose Your Computer
Over the weekend we posted a story about a new copyright bill that creates a new govt. agency in charge of copyright enforcement. Kevin Way writes "In particular, the bill grants this new agency the right to seize any computer or network hardware used to "facilitate" a copyright crime and auction it off. You would not need to be found guilty at trial to face this penalty. You may want to read a justification of it, and criticism presented by Declan McCullagh and Public Knowledge." Lots of good followup there on a really crazy development.
In case you missed the message, Don't Copy That Floppy!
(warning: may cause eye strain and/or brain damage)
Misery loves company. Online misery loves unsuspecting random strangers.
Since the intarweb is used to facilitate copyright infringement, the gov't can seize the entire series of tubes!
Hm... Lobby, lobbier, lobbiest...
OK, it all checks out... You can go about your business. Move along.
Bow-ties are cool.
And I welcome a new way to avoid paing electronics recycling charge!
Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
At least they didn't say it would "brick" the computer. Baby steps, folks.
Are you suggesting that here, in the Land of the Free(TM), that the government would seize and auction off your assets for a copyright "crime" even if you haven't been adjudicated as guilty? Oh, come on.....next you'll try to tell me that they'll seize and auction your car and keep your cash if they even suspect you of having drugs! (Chuckle) Yeah....like that's gonna happen....
"Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." -- Eric Hoffer
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
from http://www.wikiality.com/Dennis_Kucinich
Bow-ties are cool.
People at Harvard do illegal file sharing. Now the government can take all their computers! Woohoo! I bet they have nice stuff. They can go there on their way to MIT!
The government is going to have absolutely awesome computers. And the beauty of it, is they can sell them, then go back and impound them later! Sell them again and again and instant $$$ Budgest crisis? Solved! Funding wars against the rest of the world? PAID FOR! Impound and auction, rinse and repeat!
"What computer did I download it with? Well, it was this one, over here. Yes, the one that says 'two-eight-six' on the front. And all six of those monitors over there, I was definitely downloading with those. And that dot-matrix printer in the corner...that's my MP3 printer."
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
Yep, all you can do now is live in fear. It's no longer about being a good citizen. Given enough time, they will eventually come and make an example of you.
You expect us to read the FAQ's? You must be new he--oh, wait... nevermind.
That's not true. It's actually parchment. Much more durable.
.sig withheld by request
Wow, you are really that old?
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.