[Fsfe-ie] Re: Enforcement Directive "Intellectual Property"

[Ian Clarke]

On 14 Jul 2005, at 14:39, - M e l - wrote:
> I get these in digest form, so I've read a lot of discussions about  
> this all
> at once.  Some thoughts...  At the risk of being flamed, I'm  
> throwing these
> out "as is" because without properly briefing myself, I probably  
> think now what
> the "great unwashed" are going to think on hearing about this  
> initially.
>
> * First off, we all want to see the back of counterfeit or  
> dangerous products.

Indeed, particularly that counterfeit version of Unix by that Finnish  
counterfeiter.

> * Secondly, if subversive or criminal groups are profiting from  
> this, they need
> to be deterred.

I think it is very likely that both subversive and criminal groups  
use the aforementioned counterfeit Unix.

But seriously, rather than try to pander to the prejudices of the  
"intellectual property" maximilists, I think we should be pointing  
out the ridiculousness of affording stronger protections to so-called  
"intellectual property" than we do to human life in many cases (where  
you have more to worry about if you "steal" someone's IP than if you  
mug them in the street).

We shouldn't allow them to pretend that the targets of this Directive  
will only be shady organised criminal gangs and terrorists, when the  
reality is that these laws will likely be targeted towards ordinary  
children and innovators, as is already the case with today's IP laws.

Ian.