On Friday 21 April 2006 22:52, Ken Elliott wrote:
> Welcome to the Internet age...
The interesting thing about the Internet, as with anything else, is how people
choose to use it.
Blind faith in every fellow man is not safe, as we have all seen. If you have
ever observed how someone did something selfish, at others expense, know it
can happen at any level of society. The problem is when someone in greater
position of power does it. The ramification is much bigger, and thus their
responsibility.
If you are not willing to keep an eye out for when those cross your path, you
will loose some or even all your freedom. There was a confidence scam running
in the old days back when you could reset the gas pump's counter, at the
pump.
You'd fill up three quarters. Stop it, and restart it, topping off the last
quarter. Then evey now and then you go in and pay for gas you did not take
saying you forgot to pay last time. The attendant would be convinced you were
honest.
These kinds of things have been going on for a very long time from the bottom
to the top of society. DRM is one of those things which is being sold as
somehting good. Think about all those poor artists who are being ripped off,
is one slogan. Except the ones who really rip off artists is the the ones
accusing others of it. The record companies.
That does not make piracy OK. But the successful model of reaching the buying
public is not limited to record company promotions. That's important to keep
in mind.
But all we hear is about how it ruined music sales. (Which I have evidence on
saying it actually helped.)
Well, DRM is being run as just another confidence scam. It helps a few,
whoever is in control of it. And I can promise it will not be some great
independent body who know just the right thing to do.
Our founding fathers had some interesting things to say about people who took
away freedoms to help you...
Now this has left computing and moved into politics, which of course is what
everything ultimately ends up at anyway. But I'll be happy to continue this
eh, different thread, off-list.
--Steve Szmidt
"For evil to triumph all that is needed is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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