[mythtv-users] Congress to Make Commercial Skipping Illegal <- eff

[Bill Chmura]

As a card carrying member of the EFF I feel compelled to suggest anyone really 
concerned with these sorts of issues make a contribution to the EFF.  For 
those who don't know who the EFF is, they basically have lawyers and such 
that fight this sort of thing and worse when it comes to technology.

In 2002 they were tackling these issues with some replayTV cases in court.  I 
think they won, hence legislation two years later.

http://www.eff.org has more on what they are doing... or for more background 
go there and do a search on "commercial skip"

As an alternative (if you don't want to shell out the coin yourself, or cant) 
I've had people make donations in my name instead of gifts (avoids those 
gifts that you don't really like but feel compelled to keep for years).

Does this legislation surprise me?  Not at all.  Does it suck and is wrong?  
Sure...  What if everyone had commercial skip then?  Would any programming be 
left or would we be stuck with a couple of pay channels?  Without advertising 
there is not point to normal tv right?  Just wondering as I have pondered 
this in the past.  






On Tuesday 16 November 2004 09:53 am, George Galt wrote:
> All:
>
> The House has passed HR 2391, which is being considered by the Senate
> today (11/16).  Successful passage by the Senate will put this bill on
> the President's desk late this year or early next.
>
> This bill makes it a violation of the Copyright Act to skip
> commercials using a technological means (hardware or software) -- and
> it makes it a violation to make the computer program that allows
> people to skip commercials.  You can get information on the bill here:
> http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:h.r.02391:
>
> and you can read the Wired story on the bill here:
>
> http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,65704,00.html
>
> My suggestion is call your Senators and Representatives and let them
> know that it is ridiculous to make it illegal for you to skip
> commercials (assuming you agree that it is).
>
> You can reach your Senators and Representatives through the Capitol
> switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 225-3121.  Or you can email
> them by going to their web sites, which you can find through
> www.senate.gov or www.house.gov.
>
> George

-- 
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Bill Chmura - www.fistfullofcode.com & www.explosivo.com
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