I don't care if you believe that piracy is an evil that will destroy game developers or if you hold dear the notion that all information should be free. The actions of Sega going after websites that do not directly or even contributorily infringe upon Sega copyrights are wrong. www.isonews.com is a completely legitimate website that reports information that is (or at least should be) protected by the First Amendment. For Sega's "tech saavy" lawyers to spend their time harrassing and threatening the distribution of information instead of actually going after actual software pirates is absurd and offensive. I hope isonews.com takes Sega on in a court of law for the gaming giant hasn't a leg to stand on. Perhaps a federal judge will be able to understand the distinction between free speech and copyright infringement that so many of the users miss.
Actually Mr. Harris (Sega's lawyer) cares less about the merits of his case than his ability to intimidate ANY website that publishes unauthorized information about Dreamcast materials. I use the term "unauthorized" to imply not desired by Sega as opposed to illegal content. I don't have a problem with Sega defending its intellectual property interests, but the blunt and oafish tactics of Sega's legal counsel in attacking websites is violating the legitimate free speech interests of sites such as isonews.com which even offered to cooperate with Harris if he could provide ANY examples of illegal content. I don't know if Harris is after publicity or the interests of his client, but I do know that he is attacking the cancer of piracy with a machete when he should be using a scapel. An intersting (and illuminating) dialogue between Harris and the isonews staff should be available at the website sometime in the near future.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't care if you believe that piracy is an evil that will destroy game developers or if you hold dear the notion that all information should be free. The actions of Sega going after websites that do not directly or even contributorily infringe upon Sega copyrights are wrong. www.isonews.com is a completely legitimate website that reports information that is (or at least should be) protected by the First Amendment. For Sega's "tech saavy" lawyers to spend their time harrassing and threatening the distribution of information instead of actually going after actual software pirates is absurd and offensive. I hope isonews.com takes Sega on in a court of law for the gaming giant hasn't a leg to stand on. Perhaps a federal judge will be able to understand the distinction between free speech and copyright infringement that so many of the users miss.
Actually Mr. Harris (Sega's lawyer) cares less about the merits of his case than his ability to intimidate ANY website that publishes unauthorized information about Dreamcast materials. I use the term "unauthorized" to imply not desired by Sega as opposed to illegal content. I don't have a problem with Sega defending its intellectual property interests, but the blunt and oafish tactics of Sega's legal counsel in attacking websites is violating the legitimate free speech interests of sites such as isonews.com which even offered to cooperate with Harris if he could provide ANY examples of illegal content. I don't know if Harris is after publicity or the interests of his client, but I do know that he is attacking the cancer of piracy with a machete when he should be using a scapel. An intersting (and illuminating) dialogue between Harris and the isonews staff should be available at the website sometime in the near future.