Comments on: A dog’s breakfast http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/ Writings on technology and society from Wellington, New Zealand Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: colin http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-532 colin Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:31:25 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-532 It could always be worse. Does that excuse it? I've shown the post above to a lawyer - I won't name him since I didn't pay him - and he agrees with my take on the legalizing iPods point. So, this bill takes rights away from the average New Zealander and gives nothing in return although claiming it does. If a company did that it would be prosecuted for false advertising. It could have been worse - they could have taken even more away, as politicians have in some other countries. Just hold on to that. These people expect us to vote for them. But they do what multinationals tell them to. Sheesh! It could always be worse. Does that excuse it?

I’ve shown the post above to a lawyer – I won’t name him since I didn’t pay him – and he agrees with my take on the legalizing iPods point.

So, this bill takes rights away from the average New Zealander and gives nothing in return although claiming it does. If a company did that it would be prosecuted for false advertising.

It could have been worse – they could have taken even more away, as politicians have in some other countries. Just hold on to that.

These people expect us to vote for them. But they do what multinationals tell them to. Sheesh!

]]> By: Lawrence D'Oliveiro http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Lawrence D'Oliveiro Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:08:46 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-530 Michael Geist reckons it could be worse: http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2829/125/ Michael Geist reckons it could be worse:

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2829/125/

]]> By: Tim McKenzie http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-528 Tim McKenzie Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:32:37 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-528 Thanks for that, Colin. Yes, I can see why you're reluctant to give a definite answer. But even your non-answer is enlightening in itself. I suppose it might be inevitable that laws are fuzzy around the edges, since they're written in natural languages, but you shouldn't expect to see harmless everyday activities in the fuzzy part! Your answer shows that even an expert in technology, having read the act, still thinks that versions of Linux that can play DVDs aren't obviously legal. Thanks for that, Colin. Yes, I can see why you’re reluctant to give a definite answer. But even your non-answer is enlightening in itself.

I suppose it might be inevitable that laws are fuzzy around the edges, since they’re written in natural languages, but you shouldn’t expect to see harmless everyday activities in the fuzzy part!

Your answer shows that even an expert in technology, having read the act, still thinks that versions of Linux that can play DVDs aren’t obviously legal.

]]> By: colin http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-524 colin Thu, 10 Apr 2008 07:25:24 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-524 Tim Like I keep saying, I'm not a lawyer and if you want legal advice, you'd better find one. But as I see it, the Act makes illegal supplying TPMs to people who you know are going to use them to break copyright. So, if you give a copy of Linux to a mate who has a stack of DVDs he wants to play on his computer, are you in breach? Cheers Colin Tim

Like I keep saying, I’m not a lawyer and if you want legal advice, you’d better find one. But as I see it, the Act makes illegal supplying TPMs to people who you know are going to use them to break copyright. So, if you give a copy of Linux to a mate who has a stack of DVDs he wants to play on his computer, are you in breach?

Cheers

Colin

]]> By: Tim McKenzie http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-522 Tim McKenzie Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:04:47 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-522 I tried reading the TPM part of the new Act, and I'm unsure whether or not it's still legal for me to play encrypted DVDs on Linux. Is my general-purpose computer now an illegal TPM circumvention device? I'd be interested to know if you've got any light to shed on this question. I tried reading the TPM part of the new Act, and I’m unsure whether or not it’s still legal for me to play encrypted DVDs on Linux. Is my general-purpose computer now an illegal TPM circumvention device? I’d be interested to know if you’ve got any light to shed on this question.

]]> By: * Soon I might not be a criminal when I use my iPod, in TiKouka http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/comment-page-1/#comment-517 * Soon I might not be a criminal when I use my iPod, in TiKouka Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:58:34 +0000 http://it.gen.nz/2008/04/09/a-dogs-breakfast/#comment-517 [...] the moment I’d posted I saw Colin Jackson’s post on the matter — A dog’s breakfast: Our elected politicians have voted for a complete dog’s breakfast in the form of the [...] [...] the moment I’d posted I saw Colin Jackson’s post on the matter — A dog’s breakfast: Our elected politicians have voted for a complete dog’s breakfast in the form of the [...]

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