[free-sklyarov] Is the Open Source movement at risk from the DM CA?

proclus at iname.com proclus at iname.com
Wed Jul 25 19:08:25 PDT 2001


On 25 Jul, Jon O . wrote:
> 
> Ok, so we need to get the Open Source people a FAQ or 
> quick sheet on this so they help...
> 
> I'd never read this. Crazy...

It's really simple and quite germaine.  Software houses like Adobe and
M$ could protect their file formats with anti-circumvention measures as
in DVD's and eBooks, so that it would be illegal to reverse engineer
them.  Coupled with an on-line authentication system like Passport,
free software could be entirely marginalized.  In such an eventuality,
you can kiss fair use goodbye.  Then, there's UTICA...

Regards,
proclus
http://www.gnu-darwin.org/

> 
> 
> On 25-Jul-2001, J.E. Cripps wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> > Is the Open Source movement at risk from the DMCA?
>> 
>> > Microsoft Word contains a proprietary file format. Open
>> > Source developers often work to reverse engineer this
>> > format in order to create compatible products. Star
>> > Office is a Word alternative and can read these word
>> > documents. Is it only a matter of time before MS says
>> > you are circumventing a protection?
>> 
>> > Anyone care to comment?
>> 
>> 
>> "A subtle danger is that the DMCA gives companies effective permanent
>> patents on file formats. What if the next MS Word format were to claim
>> DMCA protection because it could be used to "Protect Copyright"?  All MS
>> have to do is add a "Do not copy" flag to a Word document and we could
>> say goodbye to Star Office etc. I wonder if the DMCA could be applied
>> to something like an authentication protocol - MS Passport for example?"
>> --Richard Corfield, on c.o.l.a., c. July 21, 2001
> 
> _______________________________________________
> free-sklyarov mailing list
> free-sklyarov at zork.net
> http://zork.net/mailman/listinfo/free-sklyarov

-- 
Visit proclus realm! http://www.proclus-realm.com/
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.1
GMU/S d+@ s: a+ C++++ UBOULI++++$ P+ L+++(++++) E--- W++ N- !o K- w--- !O
M++@ V-- PS+++ PE Y+ PGP-- t+++(+) 5+++ X+ R tv-(--)@ b !DI D- G e++++
h--- r+++ y++++
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------







More information about the Free-sklyarov mailing list