Why isn't everybody up in arms against the "lifetime/long-term warranty to original owner only" deals? Granted, such clauses do not reduce the value of item for resell to zero (as the no-resell provision for software does), but they do seriously affect its attractiveness, thus (one might argue) artificially inflating the "brand new" market by providing an incentive to buy from mfr. These are quite common for musical instruments, for example.
Why do you think that cash is the answer to untraceable transactions? All it takes is bar code on every bank note (as there already are in some European countries), small machines that every merchant runs them through (this will also weed out counterfeits, so acceptance of these devices will be widespread) and once-a-day (maybe even once-a-week) upload to the Big Brother of all the bills tendered at a particular business. All components are already there; only a matter of time before we put them together in the name of catching the next nut who tries to buy seven one-way first-class airline tickets with cash.
As for me, I'd put more faith in smart cards with private/public key encryption. That is, until I find out that our Fed friends want to install a back door into that one too. Wait...
The argument "we allow companies do it, why not feds" does not fly for one very simple reason - there's no "voting with your feet", or wallet, or whatever, when it comes to government - we are all its customers, regardless of our desire (or lack thereof). If you don't like people at RadioShack nosing at your phone number - don't shop there. But what do you do if you don't like Carnivore, or national ID? Tough. Besides, no government measure advertised as "temporary" or "emergency" has ever been such. Who remembers now that 1942 payroll tax witholding directive was sold as war necessity (can you imagine the repercussions on the current tax system if everybody received what they earned, and then had to cut an actual check to IRS every three month)?
Slashdot Mirror
Why isn't everybody up in arms against the "lifetime/long-term warranty to original owner only" deals? Granted, such clauses do not reduce the value of item for resell to zero (as the no-resell provision for software does), but they do seriously affect its attractiveness, thus (one might argue) artificially inflating the "brand new" market by providing an incentive to buy from mfr. These are quite common for musical instruments, for example.
Why do you think that cash is the answer to untraceable transactions? All it takes is bar code on every bank note (as there already are in some European countries), small machines that every merchant runs them through (this will also weed out counterfeits, so acceptance of these devices will be widespread) and once-a-day (maybe even once-a-week) upload to the Big Brother of all the bills tendered at a particular business. All components are already there; only a matter of time before we put them together in the name of catching the next nut who tries to buy seven one-way first-class airline tickets with cash.
As for me, I'd put more faith in smart cards with private/public key encryption. That is, until I find out that our Fed friends want to install a back door into that one too. Wait...
The argument "we allow companies do it, why not feds" does not fly for one very simple reason - there's no "voting with your feet", or wallet, or whatever, when it comes to government - we are all its customers, regardless of our desire (or lack thereof). If you don't like people at RadioShack nosing at your phone number - don't shop there. But what do you do if you don't like Carnivore, or national ID? Tough. Besides, no government measure advertised as "temporary" or "emergency" has ever been such. Who remembers now that 1942 payroll tax witholding directive was sold as war necessity (can you imagine the repercussions on the current tax system if everybody received what they earned, and then had to cut an actual check to IRS every three month)?