Re: [tlug] GPL Quote

["Kenneth Burling" <burlingk@example.com>]

On Sat, Dec 27, 2008 at 12:59 AM, Stephen J. Turnbull
<stephen@example.com> wrote:

> Maybe not in Europe, but both certainly have in the U.S.  The right
> to make backups went all the way to the Supreme Court IIRC, although
> now it's explicit in Title 17, I think (which means Congress wrote
> it into law, possibly in the DMCA).

How many people have actually read the DMCA?

I am hoping that many have.  I am guessing that several people here
have, since I do not see the usual "DMCA is the mark of the beast"
type debate that I see in some other forums.  :P

the DMCA MOSTLY just restates existing copyright law, and says "The
Government is actually watching now."  Most actual substantial changes
are in the form of explicitly stateing things in favor of the
consumer.

The fact that the media and software industry liked to use it as their
multi-purpouse club/bullying tool is a good indication of how much
they are depending on consumer ignorance in their activities.

That said, it does give copyright law more teeth, because they ARE
watching now.  :P  In MOST cases though, copyright law is substantialy
the same now as it was a hundred years ago.