I read the DMCA as allowing the circumvention of access control mechanisms, but denying the right to _distribute_ the circumvention tools.
Thus, it is more like a maze setup in front of the polling booth. If you can get through the maze, you can vote. But you can't distribute maps telling others how to get through the maze.
The DMCA has several sections that outline and maintain the ability to reverse-engineer cryptography - the actual process of reverse-engineering is not illegal. But distributing tools to crack the encryption is illegal. From what I've read, the DMCA is the ultimate anti-script-kiddie-law ever conceived.
At a few minutes after midnight (CST) on Friday night/Saturday morning, my cable modem (connected to Charter@home) reset itself. It came back up less than a minute later. 15 minutes later I had a new IP address, but routing was flaky. It took about an hour or more for the routing tables to calm down and I was able to get to most sites on the 'net that I tried.
The conversion to Charter Pipeline in my area was quite successful - kudos to those network admins for a successful changeover.
No addional ports have been blocked, (incoming ftp still works), and I had downloads exceeding 300K/sec early Saturday morning.
I may need to call customer service to get access to the new news server, but otherwise things look good here.
When the smoke and mirrors all fade (on both sides), the part of the DMCA that deals with DeCSS and Dimitri (yes, I've actually read it) will boil down to this:
The DMCA cannot hinder free speech - it actually says that IN the DMCA (thus preventing the DMCA to be struck down as unconstitutional). But distributing a mechanism to break encryption is illegal, and probably will stay that way.
Source code will fall under free speech, and therefore will be able to be distributed at will.
Binaries will not. They will fall under the DMCA because they don't fall under free speech.
Distributing all the pieces (compilers, source, etc) to CREATE the binaries will be ok. Just as it is perfectly legal to distribute the materials to make a bomb. AFAIK, even building one isn't a crime. Using one or distributing bombs is a big no-no.
I'm just waiting for the precedent to be set that code is free speech. It will happen. The hoopla around DeCSS proves it is utterly stupid NOT to let code fall under free speech. Try printing a binary on a tee-shirt though.
Other parts of the DMCA (including the ones that cover fair-use) will also be contested, and the precedents will be set.
THIS is an example of converging technologies? Gimme a break. How about some useful convergance:
I imagine 1 device:
-cell phone (digital & analog of course)
-color pda
Ok. This has been done. But add:
-mp3 player (stereo sound output with decently fast processor)
-LARGE storage (several gigs)
-small enough to fit into a shirt pocket (but large enough so the screen isn't tiny)
-gaming buttons (emulate a Gameboy Advance, SNES, Nintento, Genesis, etc)
-battery life of a week or so
-durable enough so I can drop it and not have to worry about it
-hooks up to optional DVD player for those long trips (make the screen 16:9 if tipped sideways
-toss in 802.11b and bluetooth for S&G
Slashdot Mirror
Yes, and they made it into a movie: _At First Sight_, with added the typical Hollywood romance, of course.
I read the DMCA as allowing the circumvention of access control mechanisms, but denying the right to _distribute_ the circumvention tools.
Thus, it is more like a maze setup in front of the polling booth. If you can get through the maze, you can vote. But you can't distribute maps telling others how to get through the maze.
The DMCA has several sections that outline and maintain the ability to reverse-engineer cryptography - the actual process of reverse-engineering is not illegal. But distributing tools to crack the encryption is illegal. From what I've read, the DMCA is the ultimate anti-script-kiddie-law ever conceived.
Yes they do have a full-screen mode. It is only available in the "Pro" version, and it is called "Present Movie". Works like a charm.
At a few minutes after midnight (CST) on Friday night/Saturday morning, my cable modem (connected to Charter@home) reset itself. It came back up less than a minute later. 15 minutes later I had a new IP address, but routing was flaky. It took about an hour or more for the routing tables to calm down and I was able to get to most sites on the 'net that I tried.
The conversion to Charter Pipeline in my area was quite successful - kudos to those network admins for a successful changeover.
No addional ports have been blocked, (incoming ftp still works), and I had downloads exceeding 300K/sec early Saturday morning.
I may need to call customer service to get access to the new news server, but otherwise things look good here.
When the smoke and mirrors all fade (on both sides), the part of the DMCA that deals with DeCSS and Dimitri (yes, I've actually read it) will boil down to this:
The DMCA cannot hinder free speech - it actually says that IN the DMCA (thus preventing the DMCA to be struck down as unconstitutional). But distributing a mechanism to break encryption is illegal, and probably will stay that way.
Source code will fall under free speech, and therefore will be able to be distributed at will.
Binaries will not. They will fall under the DMCA because they don't fall under free speech.
Distributing all the pieces (compilers, source, etc) to CREATE the binaries will be ok. Just as it is perfectly legal to distribute the materials to make a bomb. AFAIK, even building one isn't a crime. Using one or distributing bombs is a big no-no.
I'm just waiting for the precedent to be set that code is free speech. It will happen. The hoopla around DeCSS proves it is utterly stupid NOT to let code fall under free speech. Try printing a binary on a tee-shirt though.
Other parts of the DMCA (including the ones that cover fair-use) will also be contested, and the precedents will be set.
THIS is an example of converging technologies? Gimme a break. How about some useful convergance:
I imagine 1 device:
-cell phone (digital & analog of course)
-color pda
Ok. This has been done. But add:
-mp3 player (stereo sound output with decently fast processor)
-LARGE storage (several gigs)
-small enough to fit into a shirt pocket (but large enough so the screen isn't tiny)
-gaming buttons (emulate a Gameboy Advance, SNES, Nintento, Genesis, etc)
-battery life of a week or so
-durable enough so I can drop it and not have to worry about it
-hooks up to optional DVD player for those long trips (make the screen 16:9 if tipped sideways
-toss in 802.11b and bluetooth for S&G
NOW we're talking convergance.