Halt, or the Computer Gets It

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

--- begin forwarded text
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 17:13:08 +1000
From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane () theage fairfax com au>


Hi Dave

It sounds like a line out of a Mel Brooks' comedy, but US Senator Orrin
Hatch is seriously suggesting that copyright holders should be able to
remotely destroy the computers of people they suspect of illicitly trading
intellectual property. I used to think the guy didn't have a sense of humour
until I read these remarks of Hatch's during testimony to the US Senate
Judiciary Committee, of which he is chairman, reported by AP's Ted Bridis:

"If we can find some way to do this without destroying their machines, we'd
be interested in hearing about that," Hatch said. "If that's the only way,
then I'm all for destroying their machines. If you have a few hundred
thousand of those, I think people would realize the seriousness of their
actions," he said.

"There's no excuse for anyone violating copyright laws," Hatch said.

Here's what's wrong with the idea -- it would be open season on peoples'
computers.

http://bilskirnir.blogspot.com

-
Nathan Cochrane
Deputy IT Editor
:Next:
The Age and Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.next.theage.com.au



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