your argument is to take the path of least resistence. want an alternative? how about:
software company makes product ABC. ABC sells well, gets old, and eventually lives out its product lifespan. company stops sells ABC.
some people still like ABC. they use it daily. they like it for various reasons, but the most compelling is use.
company loses touch with the market place, goes bankrupt. company makes millions, sells to some corporate monolith who has billions of products. etc. (think of a way for the company to die - choose one.)
ABC is now no longer avail. users still like it, but can't find it. it's not sold, it's not free, it's lost!
enter kid who sees ABC, sees demand, and decides to put it up for the public for free use. essentially re-publishing it.
did said kid try and get rights to do so? did he call the company, attempt to contact the owner of the copyright, did he attempt to legally do what he wanted?
no? why?
(i can hear it now) "well, that would be to difficult. it would take time to track this down, might take months. all for a single program."
i'm writing software right now. i like to think of my self as neither greedy nor corporate.
we provide software for sale that provides automation to services people use daily. we sale that software. my compant pays me. i enjoy it.
if we wanted, we could give the stuff away.
if you feel so inclined, spend 14 months writing some stuff and then put it on the web for free.
as for me - i'll continue doing what i love and getting paid for it.
as for Its hard to make money on something you don't sell - you (as a company) losing something (a product) to the public domain if you don't protect the copyright. why protect the copyright? uh - how about licensing? wouldn't be far fetched that one day someone may feel nostalgic and want to make a new version of your old product. they'd owe you a fee to do so - if you protected the copyright.
my original missive is simply me playing devil's advocate.
as for morality - i long ago gave that up. i think amoral would be the correct word.
yes, Laws are not perfect, but they are laws. maybe trying to change them before violating them would be nice. this argument is all ways thrown out when people feel that the status quo needs to change - ie change only happens because the brave have the guts to stand up to laws which are antiquated and out-of-step with the real world. ah - so we destroy a property right with legal context b/c they are somewhat out-of-date? we have courts, rules of law, and social norms which dictate that one should operate within the bounds of a legal society. if any yahoo could decide what he thought was right and then act upon it, we'd have a anarchy.
and to be frank, i trust few people. it should be harder for people to act in any way other than one that effects only them. so if this young man wants to pirate this software, fine. but to throw it up for public consumption? little to far for me.
how can these guys can do this and think of it as a good service?
this is illegal.
to use the oft cited collolary - books - if a books is out-of-print, do you as a public citizen have the right to make copies for people? even if you take no income from it? aren't you violating the publisher's rights? the author's rights?
i fail to see where this 17 yr old is any different than any other pirate copying games and throwing them up on an FTP site.
we're not talking heat, we're talking about skin cells, detritus, etc. these things are my possessions. heat is a non-tangible property of the body - you cannot own a piece of heat over time. conversely, skin cells can be saved, kept, tested, analyzed, etc.
it is also untrue that by entering an non-government establishment you give up your rights to search/seizure. you must give consent. if you deny consent, they have the right to deny service. by entering a establishment without a posted warning (i.e. a sign similar to hand gun warnings) they may not collect pieces of your body b/c they would lack your explicit/implicit permission.
the point being, this is a unique device, but it is highly unlikely that, after eventual tests in court, businesses would be allowed to collect and test your personal bodily effects.
that this device will require consent to be used. yeah, when you enter an airport and agree to goto the boarding gates, you are consenting to allow them to search your person (without violation) and belongings.
this is a unique device and will allow such searches to be more exact, but if you think that you'll encounter this while entering the local deli, think again. trust me - it may take a Supreme Court ruling, but that plume belongs to you and will be subject to the same rules and regulations of search/seizure.
"I'm curious what everyone else thinks will be the emerging technology - and where it will be."
hmmm.
i read the original article in yesterday's WSJ and it was typical WSJ - half of it was to pull you in (wow! Swatches that act as ski passes!) and half was actually good stuff (smart cards.) of the items mentioned i think 2 stand out:
Smart Cards - Yeah Amex finally got one out to the public, but until i can use it in the soda machine at work, ride the L with it, and then eat dinner using it, it's not really the same. Smart Cards have been shunned by the powers that be in the US (read: banks) and the chance that they will come about in the next few years is slim and none. During job interviews at college Wells Fargo sent one of their supra-geeks to woo us. He talked about their programming depts and projects they work on and one adept student (from Europe) asked about Smart Cards. Wells representative said that they had tried it in Calf. and it failed b/c the people didn't like it. i think truth be told Wells didn't like it and wanted it dead. that's fine, but the possibilities of carrying a card that can carry hospital info or a card that has cash on it and can be transfered to person or business easily is very desirous to me. i would think that Smart Cards would/could be used in some very liberating and helpful ways, but are being ignored b/c large banks see it as difficult to implement or worse a threat to their bottom line. but outside of the US Smart Cards will continue to grow in use and importance.
Cell Phones - this may be the single liberating force in the next few years. wanna see how liberating? goto Nokia's home town and see all the uses they have dreamed up: use it with a vending machine, buy lunch, send money to a pal, rent bikes, ride the public trams, etc. they are way ahead. i know, i know, these are small things, but they build. no one built linux without unix - consider all the things being done now as ground work. couple this with PDAs, global postioning (for maps, directions, etc.) and anything else you can - wow! cells phones have so many uses and opportunities. but yes, Europe/Asia seem far ahead on this. hopefully they will transfer something to the US if we can pull our heads out and figure out that we don't need global phones that cost $5/min (thanks motorola, but no thanks.)
all in all, i am hopeful, but as some of the posters have (tongue and cheek) pointed out, we do better with marketing than with creation. oh, we buy a lot of stuff too!
this was our freshman level project in college - a giant group project, taking customer specs, writing fucntionals, technicals, then building, debugging, and turning in only an EXE.
we used C++ (or VC++ if we wanted) and tools like ErWin and iSQL.
this was for a 'group' grade, so the team was the only important part and we competed among groups.
this was one of the best projects that i was invloved in during school b/c it involved alot of time and alot of work, but the payoff was great.
the project involved a print shop and the need to have a daily printed schedule for employees to use for machine set up. the DB was to have a front end to input jobs and then a master screen to print out the days work. no crystal reports, etc. pure programming work only. print outs had to be able to be tailored to user need, ie sorted by day, by type, by materials needed, etc.
it was the prof's brother's real company and real job that had been done for his shop a couple of years earlier. the prof acted the part of his brother - we set up meetings, showed him milestones, WIP, etc. was alot of fun.
since these are AP highschool kids (my brother was one who just graduated in 2000) this is well within their reach.
maybe it's b/c i'm new to online play (and to games in the last 10 years,) but i find the argument that internet multiplay is crap b/c people cheat asine. i enjoy internet play. when i'm gaming and i encounter people with 300 pings speaking german and playing on the same server as me it seems a little cooler, a little more worldly, and thus a little more open. maybe it's me, but sometime i hope that experiences like these can act as equalizers among people. divisions among ages, races, borders, etc can be diminished a bit. limiting yourself to LAN-only gaming is just that - limiting. and i for one hate limits as an afront to my personal freedom and right to choice, for anything, games included.
as for the argument that after-game discussion is fun when it's with people you know first-hand, i say, bah! ICQ, messages boards, etc. provide the same experience. granted it may be a little difficult to chat with someone from Taiwan if we have a language barrier, but often enough that is not the case.
of course, i read all the post on this article and get a little discourged. lots of age-ism, us vs. them mentality going on and i think that's sad b/c the original article seemed pretty unbiased.
so internet games? they rule and i hope that they continue to be a viable and blooming segment of games. LAN games have their place, as an addition to internet games, not a replacement of. play some of each and enjoy!
yes - i agree whole-heartedly with your points and i think that, though the day may be far off where we get a subscription model (similar to cable tv,) i am of the mind that after Napster gets spanked in court (i'm not saying beaten, but a mere triming of the wings for old Icarus) that they will be prime for massive deals with current major label/industry big shots, such as BMG or Sony and that they may even be bought out.
that said, it is my fear that many of the labels will refuse to accept that the model has changed and will continue the current practice of signing 400 bands, raping 389 in shitty contracts, promoting the hell out of 11, and getting 2 who go multi-platnuim and end up paying for the who deal.
if that's the real question, then the follow-up would be how does napster effect subsequent music purchases?
i find my self buying more CDs now that i have a broadband connection at home, but often what i buy is in a completely new genre for me as a listener. part of this is due to napster and part of this is due to the influence of friends who have moved to new areas of the U.S.
so for me, yes i am spending more on CD music (yes i am above the age of 24) but i am spending it on stuff most mainstream labels shun.
So can someone explain to me what the big deal is? I mean, who cares that I can turn Macrovision off or on or watch DVDs from India (if i had the wherewithall to get them.)
I own 2 DVD players - a nice Pioneer and the cheap Apex that allows me to turn off Macrovision. And you know why I own two? Not b/c i am some Mr. America/Conspicuous Consumer but b/c the Apex players MP3s. that was the entire reason to buy another. Macrovision codes? i could care less.
so i guess my question is, are people really using this - the ability to turn off Macrovision - and if so, why?
"business sense"? what business sense? the guy could and has run one of the greatest computer companies into the ground b/c his ego writes checks his business sense can't cash.
if you have any respect for Jobs it is more than likely misplaced. sure he was in on the founding of Apple, but business sense? guy lost control of his company to a man who sold "sugar water."
exactly. steve jobs is half the business man as bill gates. you can hate that statement, but the truth and history will bear it out.
look at how they annouce new prodcuts. they beat analyst estimates by $.01 yesterday - why? b/c people have figured out that during the MacWorld Conference they announce new products and lower prices of the old ones. of course sales would lag (that's what they blame the blase sales on for the previous quarter) if people see savings down the pipe - ie iMacs for $799 instead of $999 list.
it's not that he is a kid - it's that he has no self-control. he truly lives up to all the press reports of being a meglomanicial as*hole. he'll respond that this is just business, nothing personal, but honestly, if it was just business then he'd make the right decsion - ie more strick controls on what ATi sees and when they see it. Yes, that would require more oversight on Apple's part (a lot,) but hey, that's what business is all about. vendetta's? that's what movies are about.
yeah, i can completely relate. i mean, what were those people thinking who created the first computer? i mean, i'm a human, i want to work in the sun, plant fields, do manual labor, build crap with my hands. don't they know this?
get serious. b/c this firm (which just happens to be MS so it's flame bait to all the little linux/bsd/unix/wack-wack-wack crowd) is trying something new, you slag it. god, reading most of the posts on this board is like hearing people in the middle ages speak on Da Vinci's works. it's called experimentation and it is what gives us new, cool and sometimes useful sh*t that gets used in ways originally never thought of.
here's the letter i wrote to my rep. feel free to use it as a form and fill in the info for your rep. be sure to fax this - it will get read more readily. i hope this helps! i already sent this to my personal listserve. let's/. our reps with a little geek love! ---------------------- letter below ---------------------- 1111 My Street Houston, TX 77777-6113
Sheila Jackson Lee 410 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3816 Fax: (202) 225-3317
July 13, 2000
Dear Sheila Jackson Lee,
I would like to thank you for being my representative in our House of Representatives and for working towards our interests not only as Houstonians and Texans, but also as Americans. Having voted for you in all three of your elections to the House of Representatives I can say that I have been pleased with your continued work and commitment to us, your constituents.
I am writing you today in regards to H.R. 2987 The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act which has been tacked on as a rider to H.R. 833 (short titled) Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2000. As one of Houston's technology workers, I have had the wherewithal and time to read in its entirety H.R. 2987. I am appalled and dismayed by the blatant disregard for personal privacy rights contained within this H.R. 2987. This bill has been targeted by the ACLU as a severe revision of our rights as American citizens on the internet.
Currently this Act is before the House Judiciary Committee. Please accept this written notice as my public plea for you to act on my behalf to work to stop H.R.2987. Again, I am a three time voter for you and would like your continued support in Washington representing Houstonians needs and desires.
Thank you for your time and effort. Please keep fighting the good fight!
wow! your logic sucks. remember, unlike CDs, web addresses are limited. you cannot ship www.uRanAss.com gold. there is only one and if you own it then it has some intrinsic value - much more than an song or CD which can be replicated across space and time. quit your bitchin' and go back to the RIAA site.
Slashdot Mirror
your argument is to take the path of least resistence. want an alternative? how about:
software company makes product ABC. ABC sells well, gets old, and eventually lives out its product lifespan. company stops sells ABC.
some people still like ABC. they use it daily. they like it for various reasons, but the most compelling is use.
company loses touch with the market place, goes bankrupt. company makes millions, sells to some corporate monolith who has billions of products. etc. (think of a way for the company to die - choose one.)
ABC is now no longer avail. users still like it, but can't find it. it's not sold, it's not free, it's lost!
enter kid who sees ABC, sees demand, and decides to put it up for the public for free use. essentially re-publishing it.
did said kid try and get rights to do so? did he call the company, attempt to contact the owner of the copyright, did he attempt to legally do what he wanted?
no? why?
(i can hear it now) "well, that would be to difficult. it would take time to track this down, might take months. all for a single program."
uh-huh. but it would be legal.
i'm writing software right now. i like to think of my self as neither greedy nor corporate.
we provide software for sale that provides automation to services people use daily. we sale that software. my compant pays me. i enjoy it.
if we wanted, we could give the stuff away.
if you feel so inclined, spend 14 months writing some stuff and then put it on the web for free.
as for me - i'll continue doing what i love and getting paid for it.
as for Its hard to make money on something you don't sell - you (as a company) losing something (a product) to the public domain if you don't protect the copyright. why protect the copyright? uh - how about licensing? wouldn't be far fetched that one day someone may feel nostalgic and want to make a new version of your old product. they'd owe you a fee to do so - if you protected the copyright.
did i say evil?
my original missive is simply me playing devil's advocate.
as for morality - i long ago gave that up. i think amoral would be the correct word.
yes, Laws are not perfect, but they are laws. maybe trying to change them before violating them would be nice. this argument is all ways thrown out when people feel that the status quo needs to change - ie change only happens because the brave have the guts to stand up to laws which are antiquated and out-of-step with the real world. ah - so we destroy a property right with legal context b/c they are somewhat out-of-date? we have courts, rules of law, and social norms which dictate that one should operate within the bounds of a legal society. if any yahoo could decide what he thought was right and then act upon it, we'd have a anarchy.
and to be frank, i trust few people. it should be harder for people to act in any way other than one that effects only them. so if this young man wants to pirate this software, fine. but to throw it up for public consumption? little to far for me.
no rational? how about the fact that they own it, they paid for its development, its distribution?
oh, i forget, data just wants to be free.
It's simple greed and corporatism, designed to hold back geeks from things they can use in a productive manner.
hmmmmm. if it's corporatism and greed then why wasn't the software freeware in the first place?
if it was for geeks to be productive with, why not write it, publish it, and give it away?
hmmm. yeah, making money sucks.
how can these guys can do this and think of it as a good service?
this is illegal.
to use the oft cited collolary - books - if a books is out-of-print, do you as a public citizen have the right to make copies for people? even if you take no income from it? aren't you violating the publisher's rights? the author's rights?
i fail to see where this 17 yr old is any different than any other pirate copying games and throwing them up on an FTP site.
we're not talking heat, we're talking about skin cells, detritus, etc. these things are my possessions. heat is a non-tangible property of the body - you cannot own a piece of heat over time. conversely, skin cells can be saved, kept, tested, analyzed, etc.
it is also untrue that by entering an non-government establishment you give up your rights to search/seizure. you must give consent. if you deny consent, they have the right to deny service. by entering a establishment without a posted warning (i.e. a sign similar to hand gun warnings) they may not collect pieces of your body b/c they would lack your explicit/implicit permission.
the point being, this is a unique device, but it is highly unlikely that, after eventual tests in court, businesses would be allowed to collect and test your personal bodily effects.
that this device will require consent to be used. yeah, when you enter an airport and agree to goto the boarding gates, you are consenting to allow them to search your person (without violation) and belongings.
this is a unique device and will allow such searches to be more exact, but if you think that you'll encounter this while entering the local deli, think again. trust me - it may take a Supreme Court ruling, but that plume belongs to you and will be subject to the same rules and regulations of search/seizure.
"I'm curious what everyone else thinks will be the emerging technology - and where it will be."
hmmm.
i read the original article in yesterday's WSJ and it was typical WSJ - half of it was to pull you in (wow! Swatches that act as ski passes!) and half was actually good stuff (smart cards.) of the items mentioned i think 2 stand out:
Smart Cards - Yeah Amex finally got one out to the public, but until i can use it in the soda machine at work, ride the L with it, and then eat dinner using it, it's not really the same. Smart Cards have been shunned by the powers that be in the US (read: banks) and the chance that they will come about in the next few years is slim and none. During job interviews at college Wells Fargo sent one of their supra-geeks to woo us. He talked about their programming depts and projects they work on and one adept student (from Europe) asked about Smart Cards. Wells representative said that they had tried it in Calf. and it failed b/c the people didn't like it. i think truth be told Wells didn't like it and wanted it dead. that's fine, but the possibilities of carrying a card that can carry hospital info or a card that has cash on it and can be transfered to person or business easily is very desirous to me. i would think that Smart Cards would/could be used in some very liberating and helpful ways, but are being ignored b/c large banks see it as difficult to implement or worse a threat to their bottom line. but outside of the US Smart Cards will continue to grow in use and importance.
Cell Phones - this may be the single liberating force in the next few years. wanna see how liberating? goto Nokia's home town and see all the uses they have dreamed up: use it with a vending machine, buy lunch, send money to a pal, rent bikes, ride the public trams, etc. they are way ahead. i know, i know, these are small things, but they build. no one built linux without unix - consider all the things being done now as ground work. couple this with PDAs, global postioning (for maps, directions, etc.) and anything else you can - wow! cells phones have so many uses and opportunities. but yes, Europe/Asia seem far ahead on this. hopefully they will transfer something to the US if we can pull our heads out and figure out that we don't need global phones that cost $5/min (thanks motorola, but no thanks.)
all in all, i am hopeful, but as some of the posters have (tongue and cheek) pointed out, we do better with marketing than with creation. oh, we buy a lot of stuff too!
this was our freshman level project in college - a giant group project, taking customer specs, writing fucntionals, technicals, then building, debugging, and turning in only an EXE.
we used C++ (or VC++ if we wanted) and tools like ErWin and iSQL.
this was for a 'group' grade, so the team was the only important part and we competed among groups.
this was one of the best projects that i was invloved in during school b/c it involved alot of time and alot of work, but the payoff was great.
the project involved a print shop and the need to have a daily printed schedule for employees to use for machine set up. the DB was to have a front end to input jobs and then a master screen to print out the days work. no crystal reports, etc. pure programming work only. print outs had to be able to be tailored to user need, ie sorted by day, by type, by materials needed, etc.
it was the prof's brother's real company and real job that had been done for his shop a couple of years earlier. the prof acted the part of his brother - we set up meetings, showed him milestones, WIP, etc. was alot of fun.
since these are AP highschool kids (my brother was one who just graduated in 2000) this is well within their reach.
here's the link to what's going on with the House Report.
it appears that on "7/25/2000: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
this page does list the co-sponsors.
hope it helps.
thank you. explainations like yours is one major reason why i read /. moderators!!
The idea was good, it filled a niche, but is in no way technically advanced. It was *easy*.
/. opinion, but it's still opinion.
any modern business strategy course will teach you the now golden lesson of Microsoft: 1st to Market = High Barrier to Entry.
bugs? who cares. see the rule.
technologically advanced? who cares. see the rule.
now, sheep? that's simply some self-righteous label you'll use to make yourself feel better.
everyone is sheep, unless you live in some utopia where opinion doesn't matter.
my guess - you follow opinion same as everyone else. maybe just
i could be wrong. maybe you're Diogenes.
was a hoax.
we're admitting it.
send us an email.
*we promise that this is not a hoax and we won't take your email address, SPAM the shit out if it, sell it, or do something ELSE dis-ingenuous.*
right.
maybe it's b/c i'm new to online play (and to games in the last 10 years,) but i find the argument that internet multiplay is crap b/c people cheat asine. i enjoy internet play. when i'm gaming and i encounter people with 300 pings speaking german and playing on the same server as me it seems a little cooler, a little more worldly, and thus a little more open. maybe it's me, but sometime i hope that experiences like these can act as equalizers among people. divisions among ages, races, borders, etc can be diminished a bit. limiting yourself to LAN-only gaming is just that - limiting. and i for one hate limits as an afront to my personal freedom and right to choice, for anything, games included.
as for the argument that after-game discussion is fun when it's with people you know first-hand, i say, bah! ICQ, messages boards, etc. provide the same experience. granted it may be a little difficult to chat with someone from Taiwan if we have a language barrier, but often enough that is not the case.
of course, i read all the post on this article and get a little discourged. lots of age-ism, us vs. them mentality going on and i think that's sad b/c the original article seemed pretty unbiased.
so internet games? they rule and i hope that they continue to be a viable and blooming segment of games. LAN games have their place, as an addition to internet games, not a replacement of. play some of each and enjoy!
yes - i agree whole-heartedly with your points and i think that, though the day may be far off where we get a subscription model (similar to cable tv,) i am of the mind that after Napster gets spanked in court (i'm not saying beaten, but a mere triming of the wings for old Icarus) that they will be prime for massive deals with current major label/industry big shots, such as BMG or Sony and that they may even be bought out.
that said, it is my fear that many of the labels will refuse to accept that the model has changed and will continue the current practice of signing 400 bands, raping 389 in shitty contracts, promoting the hell out of 11, and getting 2 who go multi-platnuim and end up paying for the who deal.
god - just typing that makes me sick.
if that's the real question, then the follow-up would be how does napster effect subsequent music purchases?
i find my self buying more CDs now that i have a broadband connection at home, but often what i buy is in a completely new genre for me as a listener. part of this is due to napster and part of this is due to the influence of friends who have moved to new areas of the U.S.
so for me, yes i am spending more on CD music (yes i am above the age of 24) but i am spending it on stuff most mainstream labels shun.
'Whe muh haha muh!"
no - there's some sounds with 'b' in there.
www.PayPal.com
vs.
www.PayPaI.com
for somereason this fooled people b/c the emails were sent in italics.
So can someone explain to me what the big deal is? I mean, who cares that I can turn Macrovision off or on or watch DVDs from India (if i had the wherewithall to get them.)
I own 2 DVD players - a nice Pioneer and the cheap Apex that allows me to turn off Macrovision. And you know why I own two? Not b/c i am some Mr. America/Conspicuous Consumer but b/c the Apex players MP3s. that was the entire reason to buy another. Macrovision codes? i could care less.
so i guess my question is, are people really using this - the ability to turn off Macrovision - and if so, why?
explain it to me, i may be a little slow.
danka!
"business sense"? what business sense? the guy could and has run one of the greatest computer companies into the ground b/c his ego writes checks his business sense can't cash.
if you have any respect for Jobs it is more than likely misplaced. sure he was in on the founding of Apple, but business sense? guy lost control of his company to a man who sold "sugar water."
get real.
moderate this up!
exactly. steve jobs is half the business man as bill gates. you can hate that statement, but the truth and history will bear it out.
look at how they annouce new prodcuts. they beat analyst estimates by $.01 yesterday - why? b/c people have figured out that during the MacWorld Conference they announce new products and lower prices of the old ones. of course sales would lag (that's what they blame the blase sales on for the previous quarter) if people see savings down the pipe - ie iMacs for $799 instead of $999 list.
it's not that he is a kid - it's that he has no self-control. he truly lives up to all the press reports of being a meglomanicial as*hole. he'll respond that this is just business, nothing personal, but honestly, if it was just business then he'd make the right decsion - ie more strick controls on what ATi sees and when they see it. Yes, that would require more oversight on Apple's part (a lot,) but hey, that's what business is all about. vendetta's? that's what movies are about.
grow up Steve. being rich doesn't make you right.
yeah, i can completely relate. i mean, what were those people thinking who created the first computer? i mean, i'm a human, i want to work in the sun, plant fields, do manual labor, build crap with my hands. don't they know this?
get serious. b/c this firm (which just happens to be MS so it's flame bait to all the little linux/bsd/unix/wack-wack-wack crowd) is trying something new, you slag it. god, reading most of the posts on this board is like hearing people in the middle ages speak on Da Vinci's works. it's called experimentation and it is what gives us new, cool and sometimes useful sh*t that gets used in ways originally never thought of.
here's the letter i wrote to my rep. feel free to use it as a form and fill in the info for your rep. be sure to fax this - it will get read more readily. i hope this helps! i already sent this to my personal listserve. let's /. our reps with a little geek love!
---------------------- letter below ----------------------
1111 My Street
Houston, TX 77777-6113
Sheila Jackson Lee
410 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3816
Fax: (202) 225-3317
July 13, 2000
Dear Sheila Jackson Lee,
I would like to thank you for being my representative in our House of Representatives and for working towards our interests not only as Houstonians and Texans, but also as Americans. Having voted for you in all three of your elections to the House of Representatives I can say that I have been pleased with your continued work and commitment to us, your constituents.
I am writing you today in regards to H.R. 2987 The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act which has been tacked on as a rider to H.R. 833 (short titled) Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2000. As one of Houston's technology workers, I have had the wherewithal and time to read in its entirety H.R. 2987. I am appalled and dismayed by the blatant disregard for personal privacy rights contained within this H.R. 2987. This bill has been targeted by the ACLU as a severe revision of our rights as American citizens on the internet.
Currently this Act is before the House Judiciary Committee. Please accept this written notice as my public plea for you to act on my behalf to work to stop H.R.2987. Again, I am a three time voter for you and would like your continued support in Washington representing Houstonians needs and desires.
Thank you for your time and effort. Please keep fighting the good fight!
me
Software Engineer
some company
wow! your logic sucks. remember, unlike CDs, web addresses are limited. you cannot ship www.uRanAss.com gold. there is only one and if you own it then it has some intrinsic value - much more than an song or CD which can be replicated across space and time. quit your bitchin' and go back to the RIAA site.