Category: Uncategorized
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Misleading Term of the Week: "Standard"
A “standard” is a technical specification that allows systems to work together to make themselves more useful. Most people say, for good reasons, that they are in favor of technical standards. But increasingly, we are seeing the term “standard” misapplied to things that are really regulations in disguise. True standards strive to make systems more…
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Fritz's Hit List #4
Today on Fritz’s Hit List: auto navigation systems. These systems, which display digital maps and compute driving directions, qualify for regulation as “digital media devices” under the Hollings CBDTPA. If the CBDTPA passes, any newly manufactured auto navigation systems will have to incorporate government-approved copy restriction technology. Fight piracy – regulate navigation systems!
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Live On-Line Feed of Tomorrow's House "Piracy" Hearings
Tomorrow (Thu 26 Sept) at 9:00 AM (Eastern time), the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, will hold a hearing on “Piracy Of Intellectual Property On Peer-to-Peer Networks.” A live feed will be available during the hearing. [link credit: Ray Ozzie]
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Fritz's Hit List #3
Today on Fritz’s Hit List: the Philips digital baby monitor. This product, which transmits audio in digital form from one part of a house to another, qualifies for regulation as a “digital media device” under the Hollings CBDTPA. If the CBDTPA passes, any newly manufactured digital baby monitors will have to incorporate government-approved copy protection…
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Finkelstein on Spam-Blocking vs. Censorware
Seth Finkelstein offers interesting comments on my previous post about the spam-blocking of Schneier’s CryptoGram. I wrote I’m amazed at the number of people who scoff at the feasibility of automated Web-porn filtering, while simultaneously putting their faith in automated spam filtering. Seth replies (in part): The distinction between keeping people from something they want…
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Schneier's CryptoGram Misclassified as Spam
Seth Schoen reports that Bruce Schneier’s CryptoGram email newsletter is misclassified as spam by SpamAssassin and Razor. Seth Finkelstein explains why SpamAssassin gets it wrong. Schneier’s worst offense, according to SpamAssassin, is using the phrase “100% free”. Second worst: using the same all-caps word twice on the same line. (The offending word is “BES,” which…
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Fritz's Hit List #2
Today on Fritz’s Hit List: the Amana Messenger refrigerator. This appliance, with its audio message feature, qualifies for regulation as a “digital media device” under the Hollings CBDTPA. If the CBDTPA passes, any newly manufactured Amana Messenger refrigerators will have to incorporate government-approved copy restriction technology. Fight piracy – regulate kitchen appliances!
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Miller on DMCA and DVD Reviews
Ernest Miller at LawMeme explains why there is so little fair use in DVD reviews.
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Crackdown on Greek Gamers
According to a BBC story, Greek police have stepped up the pace of arrests in enforcing a new Greek law banning all computer games. Many Internet cafes have been shut down. [Link credit: disLEXia]
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New Feature: Fritz's Hit List
Today on Fritz’s Hit List: Big Mouth Billy Bass. That’s right, your favorite wall-hanging, singing, dancing, animatronic fish qualifies for regulation as a “digital media device” under the Hollings CBDTPA. If the CBDTPA passes, any new Billy Bass will have to incorporate government-approved copy restriction technology. Fight piracy – regulate singing fish novelties! ======= What…