OK, I stole half the subject from the EFF. But I think
they would approve. I think this could be the basis
for a good presentation topic.
Not content with the fact that it's illegal to steal
cell phones, the EU is now considering making it
illegal to modify your cell phone.
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/08/01/1253252
Will this make it easier to find stolen cell phones?
Of course not, people who steal cell phones aren't
going to say, "well, it's illegal to change the ID,
I better not do that."
Will this make it easier for Nokia to induce you to
buy a new phone? Yes - it will be illegal to upgrade
or enhance the software. That is the only real effect
of this law. (You may have noticed a few recent articles
where Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola have complained
about dwindling market growth)
Multinationals have figured out that buying laws can
increase their profits faster than R&D investment.
They are using our police forces and militaries as
next generation marketing devices. The extent to which
legislatural bodies world-wide are bought and paid-for
by multinationals is stunning.
Kevin Connors once said to me, "the greatest barrier to
economic development is corruption." I thought he was
just talking about the third world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
'Microsoft also warned today that the era of "open computing," the
free exchange of digital information that has defined the personal
computer industry, is ending.'
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/25/technology/25NET.html
Will Microsoft permit you to use your mission critical data when
you need it? Linux will, and you have the source to prove it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(text/plain)