Re: [dvd-discuss] Postage Meters and the "Right to Tinker"

[Dan Steinberg <synthesis(at)videotron.ca>]

ummmmm sorry but I would have to strongly disagree with that one.
by your reasoning...those dollar bills in your wallet are not valuable 
in and of themselves. they too are merely tokens that prove...etc. etc. 
I can think of a few places where you can even pay for things...by 
enclosing postage....some bills and some services...
So I see very little difference between fake postage stamps and fake 
money.  just slightly different specific laws in most countries.
It doesnt work in my head....am I all alone on this one?


Sham Gardner wrote:

>On Thu, Jan 09, 2003 at 10:25:13AM -0700, John Zulauf wrote:
>  
>
>>How does "charging" the postal meter differ from "authorizing" the
>>installer to install TurboTax.  Aside from an authorization the postal
>>meter is also "all there".  The ink is installed, the print programs
>>installed, the print head functional, etc.
>>    
>>
>
>The difference as I see it is that the postage stamps are not valuable in
>and of themselves. They are merely tokens that "prove" to the postal service
>that you have paid for its services. Passing off fake tokens as genuine,
>even if they were generated by a machine whose original purpose was
>to produce real tokens is, IMO fraud.
>
>In the case of TurboTax, you are not using the data they sent you to obtain
>services they would otherwise charge for. You are using information they
>have already sent you, *without* extracting any additional goods or services
>from them.
>
>  
>

-- 
Dan Steinberg

SYNTHESIS:Law & Technology
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