Support the FAIR USE Act! February 28, 2007
Snipped from EFF.org Deep Links, “Reps. Rick Boucher and John Doolittle’s FAIR USE Act [PDF] would remove some of the entertainment industry’s most draconian anti-innovation weapons and chip away at the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s (DMCA) broad restrictions on fair use. Take action now and tell Congress to help restore balance in copyright now.”Free Downloads 9, SXSW 2007 February 21, 2007
The South by Southwest Music Festival is coming (March 9-18) but you don’t have to wait to hear some great music. You can download the festivals first torrent of 2007 Showcasing bands. This ginormous collection has 739 free legal mp3’s all in one 3.1 G download, or download just the ones you want . While you wait for the music to download check out the Film, Music, and Interactive Panels Schedule. The panels are packed with interesting people like Terry McBride from the Nettwerk Music Group, an interview with Rickie Lee Jones, and Gilberto Gill (wikipedia). There’s some fun topics as well, like “Music Litigation Update“, “Why Does Today’s Music Sound Like Sh*t?“, and the obligatory Bruce Sterling Rant.
Free Speech Roundup February 12, 2007
Ars has a good roundup of this weeks free speech issues here. The article covers topics ranging from cockfighting to the Quran to bullies. Its an interesting read to see who’s fighting for our rights and who’s bowing down to the masses.
Big Media Cult Leaders February 9, 2007
If you think the way big media bosses (RIAA / MPAA / TV Studios) treat their customers is fair, think again. This video is scary how well it meshes with the tactics of media (crime) bosses.
READ CAREFULLY, Attack of the EULA February 1, 2007
Apparently some people think they can force you into an agreement that strips you of your rights no matter how idiotic the terms are. Then there are other people like The Small Print Project who “make mincemeat of End User License Agreements”. If these types of “agreements” are truly binding then we are fortunate to have the Reasonable Agreement at our disposal. It goes like this, and yes, it does apply to this post,
READ CAREFULLY. By reading this blog-post, you agree, on behalf of your employer, to release me from all obligations and waivers arising from any and all NON-NEGOTIATED agreements, licenses, terms-of-service, shrinkwrap, clickwrap, browsewrap, confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-compete and acceptable use policies (”BOGUS AGREEMENTS”) that I have entered into with your employer, its partners, licensors, agents and assigns, in perpetuity, without prejudice to my ongoing rights and privileges. You further represent that you have the authority to release me from any BOGUS AGREEMENTS on behalf of your employer.
The idiotic terms mentioned above prohibit hyperlinks to or even mentioning the URL of the site and state that “Visitors have no rights whatsoever in the site content. Use of website content for any reason is unlawful unless it is done with express contract or permission of the website“. I don’t think US Copyright law agrees with that outright lie.
