[CS-FSLUG] NI: Is open DRM possible, or even desirable?

[Don Parris]

On 8/28/05, Fred A. Miller <fmiller at lightlink.com> wrote:
> On Sunday 28 August 2005 4:16 am, Ciaran Hamilton wrote:
> > Fred,
> >
> > I assume you meant to post a link to this?
> >
> > http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=418
> >
> > It's a pretty interesting link, for sure.
> 
> Yes.....I did....sorry about that. ;)
> 
> Fred
> 
> --

I haven't had time to check this out yet, but am aware of the fact
that Sun has some kind of plan for this.  This sounds scary.  Is it
not the antithesis
of what most of us seek?  We should all just say "no" to any kind of
DRM.  Choose an appropriate license, and make fair use an integral
part of your material.

Again, I strongly encourage folks interested in this issue to check
out the book, "Free Culture" by Lawrence Lessig.  In it, he points out
the fact that Adobe had to backtrack on part it's current DRM
implementation due to the confusion caused when parents wanted to read
material from the ebook reader "out loud" to their children.  The
rights on some of the e-books specifically stated that was not
permitted.  Fortunately, that only referred to the audio capabilities
of the book - not the idea of a person reading audibly to their
children (or other audience).  Adobe changed the wording.

Still, if I have the right to read the book, but I'm blind, thus
needing the audio capability of the e-book reader, I won't be able to
listen to that book under the terms of its license.  It is the height
of folly to disallow it.  Furthermore, even though a blind person
should have the legal right to enable the audio capabilities of the
material in question, under the law (and/or license terms), they would
be criminalized for doing so.

I oppose DRM in any shape, form or fashion.

Don
-- 
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
"Hey man, whatever pickles your list!"