[plug] Re: Aussie DMCA is here now!

[Darrell Horrocks]

DMCA is the American FLA for Digital Millenium Copyright Act.

Is supposedly an upgrade to the copyright act so that it deals with the computer
age.

It seems pretty tight and almost draconian, but doesn't take away the concept of
"fair use".  EXCEPT that the act has a clause that denies decrypting a work or
using a "circumvention device".

This is currently the issue with regard to the DeCSS program, as people should be
able to decrypt works to make their own backups, use for papers etc, but this is
currently denied by the the act.

Of course the DVD producers love this! ;-)

Please feel free to correct me...I can't find the relevent links atm, but it
appears that the anti-circumvention clause is word-for-word with the American
one.

I will echo the doomed sentiment.

Regards

Darrell

Bret Busby wrote:

> "McMeikan, Andrew" wrote:
> >
> > too late, this is how copyright is going to be now.  I put a copy of the
> > explanatory memo on http://technocrat.net/966583745/index_html (this link
> > works :)
> >
> > were doomed I say, dooomed....
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: The Thought Assassin [SMTP:assassin at live.wasp.net.au]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 11:51 AM
> > > To:   plug at plug.linux.org.au
> > > Cc:   plug at linux.org.au
> > > Subject:      Re: [plug] Apologies
> > >
> > > On Tue, 22 Aug 2000, David Buddrige wrote:
> > > > The posting I made regarding the bill currently before parliament <...>
> > > Here's worse: (though significantly more ontopic)
> > > http:/technocrat.net/966583745/index_html
> > >
> > > -Greg Mildenhall
> > >
>
> What is DMCA (apart from being a FLA)?
>
> Two things; the web page makes the suggestion of "contact your MP", or
> similar. Waste of time. They do not listen to constituents, who they
> appear to regard as evil, nasty little things that should be eliminated.
>
> Secondly; I understood that this feral government was supposed to have
> legalised reverse-engineering of software, to allow porting, amongst
> other things. Did they do that? If so, isn't this inconsistent? If they
> didn't do it, does anyone else know anything about the previously
> reported actions of the feral government, to legalise
> reverse-engineering in this country?
>
> --
>
> Bret Busby
>
> ......................................