Latest Techdirt Comments http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yes, it's trolling and yes, it's ridiculous http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1690 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:38:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1690 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c63 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:37:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c63 Why would the defendant in this case file a copy of a motion (ECF No. 31, Defendant]]> This strategy makes sense http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c60 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:37:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c60
To them, the only real reason you could ever despise their obviously criminal endeavor is because you're a filthy pirate downloading on the sly.

This has a basis in truth: I despise people using existing copyright law, using the courts as a type of extortion scheme, the majority of which are totally innocent people who settle not out of guilt but because it's more convenient than legal fees.

What you have to remember is this: the Prenda people aren't "bad lawyers" or a single aberration. They are able to do what they do as a direct result of outrageously backward copyright law.

What's interesting about the Prenda people's worldview is this: they view themselves as defenders of copyright law. They see themselves the same way that the wild-eyed fanatics at Copyhype do, or other blogs run by people without knowledge of economics or technology...as defenders of the law, unfairly railroaded and persecuted by "scary" tech types.

Have a look in the mirror, trolls, and luddites like Terrence Hart or Devin Hartline. These guys aren't an aberration - they're YOU.]]> Re: Can you remove the drm? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c419 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:33:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c419 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c1074 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:32:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c1074 If that's the case, why can't I go to Flickr, download images, and use them in a TV advertisement?


Because the first factor would have to be considered also:
1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
The purpose in your case would be use the images for your advertisement. The purpose in the Scroll Kit case is to show that their product can produce a Snow Fall-like experience faster and easier than what NYT had to do. It's like creating an advertisement with your product and your competitor's product to show comparisons and contrasts.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c47 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:30:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c47
even though, not thought.]]> Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c396 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:29:45 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c396
You only have to look at Sony's multiple mistakes in DRM on the PS3 to realise this.]]> Re: DRM is about control not Piracy http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c382 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:28:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c382 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yes, it's trolling and yes, it's ridiculous http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1682 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:27:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1682 Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c597 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:26:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c597 ummm where to start? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c2059 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:26:35 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c2059
Also ummm did no one think to train the police that a taser uses electricity and that doesn't mix well with water? And since when has it been trespassing to pick ur kid up from school

I'm not saying the students were rt but I don't believe the police should have been called for h2o.]]> Re: My neighbors are spying on us with wireless rermot http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20030610/0237231.shtml#c28634 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:26:32 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20030610/0237231.shtml#c28634 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c769 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:25:50 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c769 Which is complete bullshit. because while they're not actually indexing the CONTENT of the page, they're indexing the URL.

So in the case of a URL that includes variable parameters labeled with "order" or "customerID" or some-such, that opens up the can of WTF for anyone savvy enough to go snooping.

You're not suggesting this is a security issue, are you? Because if you're relying on robots.txt to secure sensitive information, you're doing it very, very wrong. So what is the problem with this behavior by Google? I'm not saying there isn't one, I'm just not sure I'm even clear on why you would use robots.txt to keep search engines away. If it's to save bandwidth, then this doesn't cause a problem since Google isn't downloading the page.]]> Re: Actually, had to shut down because of piracy! http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c361 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:25:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c361 bought-out by a larger company wanting to compete in that space then subsequently killed.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c347 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:24:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c347 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Yes, it's trolling and yes, it's ridiculous http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1663 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:23:44 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1663 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/09382823173/chicago-school-system-foia-requests-stonewalling-obfuscation-paper-shredding.shtml#c181 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:23:03 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/09382823173/chicago-school-system-foia-requests-stonewalling-obfuscation-paper-shredding.shtml#c181
This is actually still true though. Chicago is a complete shithole when it comes to local politics. Emmanuel is terrible but he's slightly less terrible than the rest of Chicago's long and storied history of terrible politicians.

Slightly.

Interestingly his main opponent when he got elected was apparently going for the "I'm legitimately mentally unbalanced and shout things without thinking about them" Howard Dean-style campaign, so Emmanuel was able to waltz through the election just by wearing snazzy suits and looking bemused all the time.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c33 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:22:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c33
Maybe this monkey thinks that he can take the same approach to litigation?]]> Re: Re: Re: As I've said, police aren't even thugs now, just attack dogs. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/17321623162/released-video-silva-beating-shows-his-last-moments-video-actual-beating-still-missing.shtml#c870 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:22:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/17321623162/released-video-silva-beating-shows-his-last-moments-video-actual-beating-still-missing.shtml#c870 Nine cops and no cop cameras. Incredible.

This is actually quite common. Not very many agencies have car mounted cameras, and even fewer have officer mounted cameras. Cameras are expensive (though not really that bad,) and money has to get spread around to higher priorities. Many cops buy still cameras for investigations, but they don't carry them on them all the time. With camera cell-phones, this is often the best camera they have with them, capable of capturing video and still shots, and they aren't likely going to be using them when they interact with the public.

That is a little less suspect than phones of private citizens being taken and when returned, the video missing. That is extremely suspect, and is unacceptable. Evidence of a crime needs to be properly documented so that the chain-of-evidence is preserved. The people directly involved in the use of force that resulted in a death should not have had anything to do with the collection of the evidence, and the police should have asked for copies of the evidence, not confiscating the phone where the evidence could be destroyed by someone who is unfamiliar with the phone over a 3rd party who knows how to use the phone and doesn't have a vested interest in making the evidence disappear. There are way too many opportunities for corruption here, and the only way to fix it would have been following the rules (which assure integrity of the evidence over convenience.) They should have subpoenaed the evidence, not asked a judge for a search warrant. If they were concerned about tampering the evidence, then they could have sat with the person and assured that the video was recorded to CD properly.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c13 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:20:58 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/02455423183/prenda-lawyer-says-georgia-court-should-ignore-judge-wrights-order-because-look-hackers.shtml#c13
They never fail to deliver!]]>