[GNUz] copyright item on RNZ

[Timothy Musson]

InfoHelp, 2004-07-16 10:48:01:
> Timothy Musson wrote:
> >InfoHelp, 2004-07-15 11:10:02:
> > > another RNZ (FM101) discussion on copyright this hour

> Interesting re music was that the distributors & the technology 
> suppliers were working together (or against each other?) on this. 
> Meaning there'd either be disabling digital stamps to look forward to, 
> or no possibility of them at all.

Thanks for the summary, Rik.

Here's a wee ranty bit...
(Something to do with it being Friday night :)

Here's why I think it's important for format shifting to count as a fair
use.

There's nothing ethically wrong with buying a music CD, for example, and
taping it so you can listen to it in the car. It's just nuts that anyone
in NZ who does that right now can potentially be sued for copyright
infringement (..."piracy", to use the propaganda word). The RIANZ says
it doesn't hassle people about that kind of infrigement, but that
doesn't alter the stupidity of the situation.

There's another reason it matters: it affects anyone who doesn't want to
use proprietary software. Because as long as format shifting for
personal use counts as copyright infringement, the Recording Industry
(et al.) can argue that circumvention software has no legitimate use,
and should therefore be banned.

But circumvention software will exist as long as people can freely share
information and create software. And those are the things the recording
industry and friends will target before they're done.


> PS liked your sig, & will look into it too.

Hmmm! I guess I should advertise it a bit more often, then :)
I signed up for "associate membership" in June last year, after Chris
Sawtell (I think it was) mentioned it on the CLUG list.

-- 
Timothy Musson
member.fsf.org