Re: IP was: My Extropian Manifesto...

From: John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue Aug 15 2000 - 23:04:54 MDT


Michael S. Lorrey <retroman@turbont.net> Wrote:

>The GATT provides mechanisms under the WIPO to establish this internationally.
>Countries that refuse to accept WIPO rulings get electronically embargoed.

I'm no expert on GATT but I very much doubt the treaty says that, not that it would
matter if it did. Passing laws is easy, enforcing them is not.

>Shutting off the internet to countries that do not enact such laws and enforce
>them is easy to do.

Easy to do? I think not, it would be almost as hard as making an effective
ABM system.

>>Me:
>> Encryption, anonymous re-mailers, DC nets, data havens.

>Rewards for informants.

With a properly designed anonymous re-mailer or DC net NOBODY known
where a message came from except the sender.

>That doesn't shut down the internet, it merely removes players who refuse to
>play by the rules, and who refuse to only deal with people who play by the rules.

The only way a ISP could guarantee that illegal activity was not going on is to
shut down, exactly the same it true of the phone company.

>bill the software author for all royalties unpaid as a result of people
>using his/her software.

I know of no software that can only be used illegally, I know of no software
that can only be used legally. Are you going to jail the maker of a word processing
program because somebody used it to write a ransom note?

                   John K Clark jonkc@att.net



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