Presentation Topic: Profit at Lawyerpoint

[Robert Bushman]

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.

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 '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.
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