OT: An Interesting Read About Bit-Torrents

[Nodachi]

AgentZero is absolutely right about installing the same software on two different computers, it is illegal unless the license allows for it. This also applies to music cds, you can rip the cd to mp3s (legal for now) to play on a portable mp3 player but you can't use both the mp3s and the cd at the same time.

My problem is that the RIAA and the MPAA are trying to eliminate "Fair Use" from copyright law. "Fair Use" allows you to make a backup or to even transfer from one type of media to another provided, as above, you do not make use of more than one at a time. The DMCA does allow for "Fair Use" but also says that if the media is encrypted it is illegal to break that encryption. The MPAA is heavily pushing that point. According to them you may not make a back-up copy of a dvd because it is encrypted material. If the RIAA has its way they will do the same to music cds making it (in their veiw) illegal to rip those mp3s for your portable player.

The law has become so convoluted and contradictory that people don't know what they can and can not do with their legally purchased media. Does anyone out there have wireless speakers hooked up to their entertainment system? If you do you could actually be charged for committing a crime, rebroadcasting of copyrighted material. If you play your music too loud and your neighbors complain you could be charged under the same law for public performance of copyrighted material. These sound silly and are extreme examples but they are true none the less.

I've wandered away from the oringinal topic here but it upsets me to see my rights eroding away before my eyes.

[geoschmo]

Nodachi said:
I've wandered away from the oringinal topic here but it upsets me to see my rights eroding away before my eyes.

Actually, you are right on track with where I hijacked the original topic to.

Basically your comment here is the crux of my question. And I intentionally say question here instead of argument. I'm not trying to convince anyone of a particular position, because I don't know what I beleive on the whole topic. This is one area I flip-flop on a lot.

What I am asking is, do you have a right that you are losing here? Is making of backup copies, or transfering your content from one media to another neccesarily a right you have? Or is it permission you have been given through the license agreement. Permission can be taken away quite legitimatly. Rights can be suppresed of course. You can be prevented from exercising them through some illigitimate means. But they are still your rights. That's what I mean when I ask if this is an inalienable right.