Tag: Fair Use

Politics, Soapbox, technology

EFF wins DMCA exemptions!

| be3n

Jailbreaking, DeCSS, and more LEGAL!  read all about it.

http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2010/07/26

“When one jailbreaks a smartphone in order to make the operating system on that phone interoperable with an independently created application that has not been approved by the maker of the smartphone or the maker of its operating system, the modifications that are made purely for the purpose of such interoperability are fair uses.”

“The Copyright Office recognizes that the primary purpose of the locks on cell phones is to bind customers to their existing networks, rather than to protect copyrights.”

Corporations, Culture, Media, movies, Soapbox, technology

Feeling Blu.

| be3n

Blu-ray LogoJust a few days after acquiring my new Blu-ray burner, i’m already transcoding my first HD movie. After an hour to rip, i must wait nearly 3 hours to transcode. i don’t know why i expected it to be more difficult then it was.   Perhaps i should wait to see the output before making such a boast.  Before you cry DMCA, remember that fair use allows me to make any additional copies of media that are required to play it. How else am i supposed to play Prestige on my iPad in HD?  don’t answer that.  We’ll let the lawyers fight it out.

Links, Politics, Soapbox, technology, Web

A Tinkerer’s Sunset

| be3n

This article describes an upbringing with computers that in addition to being quite similar to my own almost certainly will ring true with many readers.  It talks of apple’s beginnings.  In those days in order to make anything your own you had to tinker.  Many computers at the start shipped not only with a basic interpreter in place of an operating system, but with schematics as well.  Unfortunately for some, times have changed.  If modern apple continues on the path they have clearly laid it means an end to the tinkerers lifestyle.

When DVD Jon was arrested after breaking the CSS encryption algorithm, he was charged with “unauthorized computer trespassing.” That led his lawyers to ask the obvious question, “On whose computer did he trespass?” The prosecutor’s answer: “his own.”

Apple is trying to do the same with their touch devices.  iPhone, iPod Touch, and the new iPad require serious hacking before any tinkering can be done.  If apple has their way, they will have jailbreaking void more then just your warranty and your service contract.  You’ve come a long way from your hacker roots Apple.  Your design is amazing, but PLEASE remember your pledge with OS X to be “Open for Business.”  From what i have seen, apple is no more open then they are required to be by all the licences they themselves are using.

Read the entire article here:  http://diveintomark.org/archives/2010/01/29/tinkerers-sunset