Thank you very much for you advice and your time, this is by far the most logical answer that i have heard, and one that really helps me know what to do next.
It is a bit frightning to have a go at this alone, i appriciate all the help that the/. community has given. . . It means alot to have strangers that care. . .
As i've stated before, I have not Pirated DTV's signal, or modified any of their hardware in any way. And they are not sueing me for pirating a signal, I am being sued for purchasing a Smart-Card Reader. That is all. . . If we follow the same logic with other laws than I could also be convicted for every traffic violation that owners of the same model of car i drive, have commited.
And I will never pay them off for something that i have not done. . . . I was only showing what kind of options that they are "giving" to people to get out of the case. . . . And as for the local news, they ran a story on the DTV cases a few months back, and said that it "Was no longer in the viewing publics interest." Good thought tho. . . . . For me the worse part of this whole thing is the way I now feel about the country and legal system around me. I once believed that people could not be falsely persecuted, and that everyone has the right to legal representation. It seams that both were illusions of false justice, created by a bloated government, which is ran by thoughtless businessmen.
i had some problems with the link to my original post. . . so here it is . . . . .
Yes, I have been served with papers, and trust me. . . this whole thing sucks.
I was served at work, where i am a unofficial IT guy, with my fellow co-workers looking on as if i were a dangerous criminal. (Embarassing does not even begin to explain the feeling.) My first reaction was, WTF is this? I have never been sued before, i have never been in any kind of trouble before, hell, i have not had a speeding ticket in over 10 years. . . . but low and behold, here was a document stating that i am being sued for $120,000 by a company that i have been a long standing customer with for many years. As i read on, i found out that it was for a Smart Card Programmer. Once again that WTF feeling came back. . . . I purchased this equipment over 2 years ago for a security project that never got off of the ground. A company that i worked for wanted a better way to keep control over who used the company network, i found some info on smart cards, did a search for "smart card programmer" and purchased the cheapest unit i could find. (about $160 if memory serves me correctly), Only to find out that it would not work for what i wanted to do. And now im being sued! And as i said earlier, i am a DTV customer, have been for 6 years. If i were going to hack TV cards, you would think that i would do mine first!
Just to make one thing clear, I am a poor guy, And as a poor guy, there are not many options for me to take. Anyway, i dont want to rant about this, however i believe that it is a great injustice. This is just extortion, plain and simple. I was told that i could settle for $4,500 before i went to court, or $10,000 after the court process had began. Alternatively, i could fight it, and the cheapest lawyer would be on the average of $15,000 by the time it is all over. Obviously, not a "poor boy" option. And since it is a civil case, i am not entitled to a court appointed lawyer. So the only option left for me is to fight it myself. Which, if any of you have ever looked into the paperwork involved in a Federal Civil Case, looks like i have just over a snowball's chance in hell.
So if i go to court and loose, by law, they can take what little i have, and then some. One option that they could take is garnishment, and being that this is a Lawsuit for damages, they could take a chunk of my pay check for the next 25 years! I only make $12 an hour now, and have a wife and 2 kids, so this is not a good thing for a person who is just barely making it. This Lawsuit is designed to crush people like me so that people who have the money to pay the ransom, will do so.
You do not want to do that! These guys are bloodthirsty villans. I was served for a summons to Federal Court over a month and a half ago. I have been in contact with the EFF for a while now, see http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=71490&cid=6465 738 . . . . but as much as they want to help, they cannot afford to represent all of us in court. Thus, you end up in the same boat i am in. . . . a sinking one. . . ..
I Was contacted yesterday to see if i wanted to pay them off. . . . and i was told that all they wanted was 3 months of my pay-checks upfront, and half of the money i make for 6 months. . . I have a wife and 2 children, we can't live up to there demands and eat. . . . So, its off to the slaughter I go. . . . . Alone. . . . .
Just an update, i have contacted someone at the EFF. They don't know if they can help yet, but it sounds promising. I realy appreciate all the help that slashdot readers have shown. Your efforts have positively affected at least one family in need, and for that, I thank you.
I have tryed to search for the EEF to no avail. Would someone kindly post a link for me? Thanks. I also found the lawyer that was mentioned in one of the posts, however he is not certified to be a lawyer in the state which i live. Thank you for the info though. I really didn't expect anyone to post to this, i appreciate the input you all have given, and look forward to future posts and any advice that anyone may have. My belief in good people is beginning coming back. Thanks.
In a phrase: I completely agree. Yet, it is my home, and no matter how much i disagree with it, this is where i want to raise my children. I too have thought of moving to a country that has more sensible laws regarding such circumstances. However, my whole life is here. Family, Friends, and a entire country full of folks that i care about. I believe that my best course of action, with or without help, is to take these bastards on. Not just for me, but for others that have lived through the same hell. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you very much for responding to my post. This has been a pretty scary ordeal for me, and the caring that you have shown has greatly renewed my faith in "real" Karma. As far as DTV goes, id love nothing more than to take this all the way. I believe that what they are doing is wrong, and that they should be made to understand that these tactics are unethical and unprofessional. Furthermore, in a strangely positive aspect, by me not having much anyway, i have very little to loose. I have decieded that if any lawyer or orginization would like to take my case, I would never settle - NEVER - I believe that the U.S.A. should be free of tyrants. I personaly judge a tyrant by their actions, not by their leagal standings. And i would be willing to use whatever means i have to stop people like this from extorting anyone else, ever.
This lawsuit has taken on a very life-changing experiance for me. It has let me see that: A) The U.S. Legal system is only fair if you have money to throw at it. B) People really are out to get you. C) You dont have to do anything wrong to loose everyting you have. D) There are great people that, you don't need to see or meet to know that they are great.
Thank you,
I will keep you posted as things happen.
Yes, I have been served with papers, and trust me. . . this whole thing sucks.
I was served at work, where i am a unofficial IT guy, with my fellow co-workers looking on as if i were a dangerous criminal. (Embarassing does not even begin to explain the feeling.) My first reaction was, WTF is this? I have never been sued before, i have never been in any kind of trouble before, hell, i have not had a speeding ticket in over 10 years. . . . but low and behold, here was a document stating that i am being sued for $120,000 by a company that i have been a long standing customer with for many years. As i read on, i found out that it was for a Smart Card Programmer. Once again that WTF feeling came back. . . . I purchased this equipment over 2 years ago for a security project that never got off of the ground. A company that i worked for wanted a better way to keep control over who used the company network, i found some info on smart cards, did a search for "smart card programmer" and purchased the cheapest unit i could find. (about $160 if memory serves me correctly), Only to find out that it would not work for what i wanted to do. And now im being sued! And as i said earlier, i am a DTV customer, have been for 6 years. If i were going to hack TV cards, you would think that i would do mine first!
Just to make one thing clear, I am a poor guy, And as a poor guy, there are not many options for me to take. Anyway, i dont want to rant about this, however i believe that it is a great injustice. This is just extortion, plain and simple. I was told that i could settle for $4,500 before i went to court, or $10,000 after the court process had began. Alternatively, i could fight it, and the cheapest lawyer would be on the average of $15,000 by the time it is all over. Obviously, not a "poor boy" option. And since it is a civil case, i am not entitled to a court appointed lawyer. So the only option left for me is to fight it myself. Which, if any of you have ever looked into the paperwork involved in a Federal Civil Case, looks like i have just over a snowball's chance in hell.
So if i go to court and loose, by law, they can take what little i have, and then some. One option that they could take is garnishment, and being that this is a Lawsuit for damages, they could take a chunk of my pay check for the next 25 years! I only make $12 an hour now, and have a wife and 2 kids, so this is not a good thing for a person who is just barely making it. This Lawsuit is designed to crush people like me so that people who have the money to pay the ransom, will do so.
Slashdot Mirror
Hmmm. . . Sounds alot like this.
We can't change what we don't own.
Thank you very much for you advice and your time, this is by far the most logical answer that i have heard, and one that really helps me know what to do next. It is a bit frightning to have a go at this alone, i appriciate all the help that the /. community has given. . . It means alot to have strangers that care. . .
As i've stated before, I have not Pirated DTV's signal, or modified any of their hardware in any way. And they are not sueing me for pirating a signal, I am being sued for purchasing a Smart-Card Reader. That is all. . . If we follow the same logic with other laws than I could also be convicted for every traffic violation that owners of the same model of car i drive, have commited. And I will never pay them off for something that i have not done. . . . I was only showing what kind of options that they are "giving" to people to get out of the case. . . . And as for the local news, they ran a story on the DTV cases a few months back, and said that it "Was no longer in the viewing publics interest." Good thought tho. . . . . For me the worse part of this whole thing is the way I now feel about the country and legal system around me. I once believed that people could not be falsely persecuted, and that everyone has the right to legal representation. It seams that both were illusions of false justice, created by a bloated government, which is ran by thoughtless businessmen.
i had some problems with the link to my original post. . . so here it is . . . . . Yes, I have been served with papers, and trust me. . . this whole thing sucks. I was served at work, where i am a unofficial IT guy, with my fellow co-workers looking on as if i were a dangerous criminal. (Embarassing does not even begin to explain the feeling.) My first reaction was, WTF is this? I have never been sued before, i have never been in any kind of trouble before, hell, i have not had a speeding ticket in over 10 years. . . . but low and behold, here was a document stating that i am being sued for $120,000 by a company that i have been a long standing customer with for many years. As i read on, i found out that it was for a Smart Card Programmer. Once again that WTF feeling came back. . . . I purchased this equipment over 2 years ago for a security project that never got off of the ground. A company that i worked for wanted a better way to keep control over who used the company network, i found some info on smart cards, did a search for "smart card programmer" and purchased the cheapest unit i could find. (about $160 if memory serves me correctly), Only to find out that it would not work for what i wanted to do. And now im being sued! And as i said earlier, i am a DTV customer, have been for 6 years. If i were going to hack TV cards, you would think that i would do mine first! Just to make one thing clear, I am a poor guy, And as a poor guy, there are not many options for me to take. Anyway, i dont want to rant about this, however i believe that it is a great injustice. This is just extortion, plain and simple. I was told that i could settle for $4,500 before i went to court, or $10,000 after the court process had began. Alternatively, i could fight it, and the cheapest lawyer would be on the average of $15,000 by the time it is all over. Obviously, not a "poor boy" option. And since it is a civil case, i am not entitled to a court appointed lawyer. So the only option left for me is to fight it myself. Which, if any of you have ever looked into the paperwork involved in a Federal Civil Case, looks like i have just over a snowball's chance in hell. So if i go to court and loose, by law, they can take what little i have, and then some. One option that they could take is garnishment, and being that this is a Lawsuit for damages, they could take a chunk of my pay check for the next 25 years! I only make $12 an hour now, and have a wife and 2 kids, so this is not a good thing for a person who is just barely making it. This Lawsuit is designed to crush people like me so that people who have the money to pay the ransom, will do so.
You do not want to do that! These guys are bloodthirsty villans. I was served for a summons to Federal Court over a month and a half ago. I have been in contact with the EFF for a while now, see http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=71490&cid=6465 738 . . . . but as much as they want to help, they cannot afford to represent all of us in court. Thus, you end up in the same boat i am in. . . . a sinking one. . . . .
I Was contacted yesterday to see if i wanted to pay them off. . . . and i was told that all they wanted was 3 months of my pay-checks upfront, and half of the money i make for 6 months. . . I have a wife and 2 children, we can't live up to there demands and eat. . . . So, its off to the slaughter I go. . . . . Alone. . . . .
Just an update, i have contacted someone at the EFF. They don't know if they can help yet, but it sounds promising. I realy appreciate all the help that slashdot readers have shown. Your efforts have positively affected at least one family in need, and for that, I thank you.
I will keep you guys posted as things happen.
I have tryed to search for the EEF to no avail. Would someone kindly post a link for me? Thanks. I also found the lawyer that was mentioned in one of the posts, however he is not certified to be a lawyer in the state which i live. Thank you for the info though. I really didn't expect anyone to post to this, i appreciate the input you all have given, and look forward to future posts and any advice that anyone may have. My belief in good people is beginning coming back. Thanks.
In a phrase: I completely agree. Yet, it is my home, and no matter how much i disagree with it, this is where i want to raise my children. I too have thought of moving to a country that has more sensible laws regarding such circumstances. However, my whole life is here. Family, Friends, and a entire country full of folks that i care about. I believe that my best course of action, with or without help, is to take these bastards on. Not just for me, but for others that have lived through the same hell. Thanks for the reply.
Thank you very much for responding to my post. This has been a pretty scary ordeal for me, and the caring that you have shown has greatly renewed my faith in "real" Karma. As far as DTV goes, id love nothing more than to take this all the way. I believe that what they are doing is wrong, and that they should be made to understand that these tactics are unethical and unprofessional. Furthermore, in a strangely positive aspect, by me not having much anyway, i have very little to loose. I have decieded that if any lawyer or orginization would like to take my case, I would never settle - NEVER - I believe that the U.S.A. should be free of tyrants. I personaly judge a tyrant by their actions, not by their leagal standings. And i would be willing to use whatever means i have to stop people like this from extorting anyone else, ever. This lawsuit has taken on a very life-changing experiance for me. It has let me see that: A) The U.S. Legal system is only fair if you have money to throw at it. B) People really are out to get you. C) You dont have to do anything wrong to loose everyting you have. D) There are great people that, you don't need to see or meet to know that they are great. Thank you, I will keep you posted as things happen.
Yes, I have been served with papers, and trust me. . . this whole thing sucks.
I was served at work, where i am a unofficial IT guy, with my fellow co-workers looking on as if i were a dangerous criminal. (Embarassing does not even begin to explain the feeling.) My first reaction was, WTF is this? I have never been sued before, i have never been in any kind of trouble before, hell, i have not had a speeding ticket in over 10 years. . . . but low and behold, here was a document stating that i am being sued for $120,000 by a company that i have been a long standing customer with for many years. As i read on, i found out that it was for a Smart Card Programmer. Once again that WTF feeling came back. . . . I purchased this equipment over 2 years ago for a security project that never got off of the ground. A company that i worked for wanted a better way to keep control over who used the company network, i found some info on smart cards, did a search for "smart card programmer" and purchased the cheapest unit i could find. (about $160 if memory serves me correctly), Only to find out that it would not work for what i wanted to do. And now im being sued! And as i said earlier, i am a DTV customer, have been for 6 years. If i were going to hack TV cards, you would think that i would do mine first!
Just to make one thing clear, I am a poor guy, And as a poor guy, there are not many options for me to take. Anyway, i dont want to rant about this, however i believe that it is a great injustice. This is just extortion, plain and simple. I was told that i could settle for $4,500 before i went to court, or $10,000 after the court process had began. Alternatively, i could fight it, and the cheapest lawyer would be on the average of $15,000 by the time it is all over. Obviously, not a "poor boy" option. And since it is a civil case, i am not entitled to a court appointed lawyer. So the only option left for me is to fight it myself. Which, if any of you have ever looked into the paperwork involved in a Federal Civil Case, looks like i have just over a snowball's chance in hell.
So if i go to court and loose, by law, they can take what little i have, and then some. One option that they could take is garnishment, and being that this is a Lawsuit for damages, they could take a chunk of my pay check for the next 25 years! I only make $12 an hour now, and have a wife and 2 kids, so this is not a good thing for a person who is just barely making it. This Lawsuit is designed to crush people like me so that people who have the money to pay the ransom, will do so.