This is a little off topic, but in reqards to the car insurance, in Germany, if you let your insurance lapse, the Polizei are there the day of expiration and will take the license plates off the car. In Germany, you do not drive a car without license plates unless you want to get stopped. Every driver should have insurance. Because they don't we have sky high insurance rates. I don't think this relates to the DMCA at all. Art -----Original Message----- From: Curtis Rey [mailto:crrey@charter.net] Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 10:28 AM To: jfweber@eternal.net; mailing@suse.de; list@suse.de; suse-linux-e@suse.com Subject: Re: [SLE] The No DMCA license restricts US viewers of this site All this hipocracy reminds me of a law passed in California more than a decade ago. The law was sponsered by the automobile insurance companies and when passed madated that every driver in California carry a proof of insurance card to be presented on demand by law enforcement. My father was a police officer for over 30 years in San Diego and when asked about the subject stated that the law was a scam to force people to buy car insurance and boost profits for them (thouugh it's wise to carry it not eveyone can afford it). He said that the unofficial stance was to not enforce it. I was pulled over shortly after this went into law and was asked to present my insurance card along with my license and registration. I didn't have one and was given the opportunity to acquire it and present it in court to have the case dismissed - I did and it was. Shortly after that I was pulled over again (yes, I liked to use the skinny pedel to the left alot). and this time the officer did not ask for my proof of insurance (remember 1 in 6 in the US live in Calif = a lot of people). Seems that the amount of non-compliant people was so large that the courts were getting bogged down handling case involving people appearing of secondary violation related to traffic citations. Even the judges were getting fed up with trying cases related to insurance issues. The law enforcement agencies also voiced their displeasure regarding being quasi insurance compliance agents. Well, after a few the law in it's present state was repealled and having to provide proof of insurance was not mandatory, though getting into an accident without insurance took on a new face. So, civil disobedeince and the ability to comply had a dramatic effect on standing legislation and existing statutes. Regarding the DMCA and deCSS, and all those present and forecoming bills in the house and senate are more a real threat to professionals and providers (aka Napster, Kazaa, etc....). Otherwise the courts (both juvinial and adult) will become bogged down with cases involving people busted for little more that listening to music or watching a movie. This is bad press for the entertainment and computer industries in the long run. And the potential backlash for them IMHO is substantial. Those fools in the entertainment industry and at M$ are too arrogant for their own good as far as I'm concerned. Ya, good ahead and bust my mom or daughter for watching Steel Magnolias or listening to Brittney Spears on their PC. Right...! There's positive industry promotive behavior for the RIAA and Jack Valente. I don't have the slightest problem with artists and agents getting paid for their work, I have been a guitar player of professional ability for 29 years (I'm 42 and started playing at 13). I know all to well about not getting paided for my efforts. However, that particular argument is a smoke screen. It's about locking down and locking out markets. Let's face it, most of the leaked before releases stuff from Hollywood comes from privy industry insiders., They can't figure out a new market strategy so they want to use the law and a heavy hand to force people to stick with it's present form rather than adapt. I'm not really worried about Joe and Jane Q. Public but more over about the state of research and development that will suffer from these laws. This of course only effects those in the U.S. and frankly it will go the way of other RIAA copy protection schemes. And as far as hardware and copy protection. I can't see Seagate, IBM, or any other OEM selling this crap overseas to Europe, Asia, South America, etc.. If they try I see overseas OEM making big headway into thier own and other non-U.S. markets in a very big way. Once again not smart. Just MHO, Curtis. On Wednesday 23 October 2002 03:20, jfweber@eternal.net wrote:

** This email message from michael norman on Tue, 22 Oct 2002 21:27:53 +0000 Will be delivered via Owl Services Dept

**My question : how much of this lunacy will affect us outside of US ? ** **Mike

well, not at all, unless you make the mistake of coming here AND trying to publish somehting that has been declared"off limits" Looks like we are turning into GB and perhaps a little china thrown in <SIGH>

IT really is time for the US citizenry to make certain their representatives in congress know they ae seriously displeased and wont vote for them ever again for anything ... At least join the EFF .. they are fghting this stuff tooth and nail , but need help , in the form of members who will write elected officials , and perhaps every now and then throw a few dollars their way .. ( they don't do the usual begging serenade each time you access the web site .. )

Right now, it's our only hope as they are at least semi orgaised , speak for a pretty goonly number of people , AND have their own lawyer staff ( hence the need for cash every now and again.. even lawyers gotta eat <g>)

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