[openbeos] OT Australian DMCA
- From: Mat Hounsell <mat_geek@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 12:39:42 +1100 (EST)
http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/us_fta/outcomes/08_intellectual_property.html
As part of our free trade agreement with the U.S. our goverment has agreed to
implement comparable copyright laws. So that means the DMCA.
So the following (and more) is about to become (practically) illegal:
* Circumventing copy-protection - i.e. CSS on DVDs.
* Revealing security flaws.
* Using copy-protection countermeasures - like the shift key.
* Overcoming lock-in - like MS Word
For Example the makers of universal garage door openers have been sued under
the DMCA by door manufacturers.
If you want to overcome any windows lock in like the boot loader and word file
formats and it is successfully you will probablely be sued.
What is WORSE is there are clauses in the agreement that allow americans
entities to sue the goverment if a change in the laws disadvantages them.
So if we go to Open Source, Microsoft can sue .
If you are concerned contact your "representatives" before it is enacted. But,
I will bet Howard will cause a double disolution before he sees this deal fail.
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/index.htm
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/index.htm
http://yro.slashdot.org/search.pl?query=DMCA
http://greetings.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Greetings
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