[free-sklyarov] Feature "rights"

[John Dempsey]

>	That is:  if you take away the fair use infringements, what's
>	in there that plain old ordinary copyright law wouldn't handle
>	just fine?

If you crack the nut of encryption, and publish your cracker, especially for
profit, you'd go to jail.
Perhaps this is necessary for the same reasoning that we have it now: One
broken copy is enough to smash all protection.

I'm not saying that's the best idea, and it still chills intellectual
freedom.
But if you crack the encryption to implement fair use features, but do not
leave the encryption removed, you should be safe.

While I'm at it I'd say distributing the actual cracker would be unlawful,
but documenting the technology should not be a crime.
That would reduce the chill to intellectual discourse.


"But I wonder about the legislative approach.  The fact is that the
entertainment industry gives lots of money to congresspeople. I am
pessimistic about any fair compromise making it past them."

As true as this could be, it remains our only hope.
I have wondered for some time whether anyone has drafted a "reasonable
DMCA".
I suggest it's necessary.

John