Re: [dvd-discuss] Text of draft Security Systems Standards and Certification Act

["Jeremy A Erwin" <jerwin(at)gmu.edu>]

On Friday, September 7, 2001, at 11:47 PM, Declan McCullagh wrote:

> On Fri, Sep 07, 2001 at 11:35:47PM -0400, jerwin@gmu.edu wrote:
>>>    Text of Security Systems Standards and Certification Act
>> Also known as the closed source subsidation act of 2001...
>> My reasoning: with low level (kernel...) access, it is possible to
>> extract the "plaintext" of any copyrighted media, thus turning a
>> general purpose PC into a piracy machine... (and violating section 102)
>> of the act).
>
> I don't think that's the most threatening provision of the act.
>
> Sec. 102 (http://www.politechbot.com/docs/hollings.090701.html) only
> applies to "interactive computer service[s]", which doesn't seem to
> cover standard, even networked, PCs, at least by the most
> straightforward reading.

Hmm. I guess that sort of collapses the "damned if you do, damned if you 
don't" aspect.

It would be less than straightforward to apply "any information service, 
system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer 
access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a 
service or system that provides access to the Internet and such systems 
operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions, 
to a linux machine--even though many of us have set up multiuser linux 
servers/workstations


Jeremy