OT?: Legal question about p2p

[Alan Dayley]

Erik Bixby said:
> Does anyone here have any idea what degree of certainty organizations
> such as the RIAA must have in order to subpoena people?  I had an idea
> for a scheme of exchanging files where the peers protect each other from
> knowing for certain whether or not a particular machine actually holds
> any particular file.  (http://www.crabboy.com/secure.txt)
> However, if it is the case that even if there is only a one percent
> chance the RIAA can still subpoena people, the scheme would only serve
> to run up their legal costs.  Not a altogether bad thing.  But, I was
> hoping that there was some sort of legal threshold they had to meet...
>
> Thank you, in advance, for your time.

I don't have an answer to your question, specifically.  However, I do have
an answer.

Don't trade files you don't have permission to copy.  Period.  Every
person that does so helps to give useful technology (p2p and others) a bad
name.  Every person that does so provides fuel for closing down the legal
exchange of ideas instead of opening up.  Every time you do it, one time
or many times, you are taking a legal risk.

IMO it's not worth it for your wallet or for the cause of a more
free-as-in-freedom society.  Go support artists and other creators that
allow you freedom.  (http://magnatune.com, among others)  That is the best
way to hurt the **AAs of the world.

Alan