On Sun, Mar 14, 1999 at 04:13:50PM -0700, Dan Lester wrote:
> At 02:00 PM 3/14/99 -0800, you wrote:
> >
> >www.eldred.ne.mediaone.net/pr-1999-01-12.txt
>
> Would have gladly read it if the URL worked.  I got "Cannot find server or
> DNS Error" from IE5.

Oops, sorry. Drop the "www."

> >for an example of how powerful corporate copyright holders (not the
> >original authors) have legally stolen the public's constitutionally
> >protected interest in having copyright expire after a period of years.
>
> However, I'll bet it was another rant about the extension of copyright
> recently.  If so, I'll agree with the rant....but once again, suggest that
> people change laws rather than disobey them.....though that is YOUR
> personal decision, your court appearance, your fine, your jail time, not mine.

You're half right. It's about the (repeated) extension of copyright, but
it's the announcement of a suit filed against the extension by a Harvard
law professor, not a rant.

Advocating changing the laws is fine, and I wish the prof all the best,
but he's fighting vested interests with deep pockets. American law
shows an increasing trend of following the money -- not that our
legislators can be bought, understand.

Here's a differing view on a citizen's duty from Charlton Heston's
"Winning The Cultural War" speech at the  Harvard Law School Forum
on February 16, 1999:
[...]
  Disobedience is in our DNA. We feel innate kinship with that
  disobedient spirit that tossed tea into Boston Harbor, that sent
  Thoreau to jail, that refused to sit in the back of the bus, that
  protested a war in Viet Nam.
[...]

OBonTopic: What's the legal exposure of a list owner who allows
(i.e., does have a moderated list) copyright violation? If someone
posts a crack for a commercial program is the listowner liable for
federal criminal prosecution under public law 105-304 signed by
President Clinton on Oct. 28, 1998?

-rex
--
Linux 2.2.1