At 04:52 PM 3/16/2004 -0500, Walt wrote:
>"Think your home is your castle? Maybe not, at least not if you live in
>Europe. Last week, BBC News reported that the European Parliament has
>passed an anti-piracy law, by a vote of 330 to 151, that would allow
>companies holding copyright to raid homes, seize property and ask courts
>to freeze bank accounts of those they believe have violated their
>intellectual property rights."
>
>"This goes even further than laws proposed in the U.S. Congress that
>would allow copyright holders to hack into the computers of those they
>suspect of violating their copyrights and delete the files. Many see
>that as an invasion of privacy, but it's nothing compared to giving a
>private company the right to enter your home without your permission."
>
>Quote from WinXPnews that came in today on just how far out of line the
>music and software industries are getting. This is becoming law folks,
>BUSINESS CAN RAID YOUR HOME on a whim, at least in Europe. So can any
>nature recordist who thinks you have some of their copyright material
>illegally, they don't have to get permission they get to define who
>get's hit.
>
>When you claim your rights to copyright for your nature recording this
>is the sort of thing you are claiming now. I don't think members of this
>group will be smashing in our doors, and I doubt many could hack our
>computers. But that's the image claiming copyright is building. Is there
>anyone in this group claiming copyright should be done like this? Or is
>everyone going to raid each other?
>
>As I said, time for customers to bite back. I will not be bashing
>anyone's door down. And I'm glad macs are harder to break into. I've
>seriously thought about not listening to any recorded music for the rest
>of my life if that's what it takes to be safe.
>
>In case anyone thinks this is OT, from the beginning of the group
>copyright issues have been raised. Like it or not we are being
>"protected" by the music industry for our creative efforts at nature
>recording. Leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Where do I sign to force
>this bunch to not represent me?
>
>Walt
>
I can answer that: Ye and no. The LAWS are not yet out of hand, the LAWYERS
and LAWMAKERS are.
Does this mean now I can raid Microsoft campus in Redmond any time I want,
based on their using my 1956 Razor-billed Auk recording in their 1998
Encarta? Or can I just break into the Lab of Ornithology which gave it to
them, since I signed the release when I was only 17 years old . . . I am
confused, here.
Seriously, WIRED magazine has a recent article on piracy. It turns out
according to the author that every single advance in media has been
accompanied by widespread piracy - movies, sound recording, radio, TV,
etc. Why do you think the movie industry moved from New York to Hollywood?
To get farther away from Edison (in New Jersey), his patents, the Feds and
the Eastern establishment. Further back, book copyrights were not
recognized by the fledgling United States of America so they could print
European authors' books and pay no royalties. Only when we began losing
money from AMERICAN authors works did we pass a copyright act.
To summarize: The hypocrites are on the warpath again.
sending my best,
Marty Michener
Hollis, NH
Graminoids - a new book for naturalists who have never been able to
identify sedges and grasses.
http://www.enjoybirds.com/HomePublishing/PubHome.htm#gram
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