http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130514/10391523084/vp-joe-biden-believes-theres-no-legal-reason-government-cant-slap-sin-tax-violent-media.shtml#c493 Thu, 16 May 2013 06:36:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130514/10391523084/vp-joe-biden-believes-theres-no-legal-reason-government-cant-slap-sin-tax-violent-media.shtml#c493 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/16411122954/fight-over-drm-html5-should-represent-last-stand-drm.shtml#c4 Mon, 6 May 2013 05:57:09 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/16411122954/fight-over-drm-html5-should-represent-last-stand-drm.shtml#c4
However, their stance on DRM is the primary focus of the hate part of the relationship. Their insistence on using DRM, driven mostly by their media partners, has prevented me from being able to watch online any content on my primary PC and my HTPC. The reason is that the DRM they use, Microsoft Silverlight, is not compatible with my operating system, Linux. It never has been and never will.

Lucky for me, some clever users were willing to violate the DMCA and risk fines and jailtime to circumvent the DRM and allow Netflix's Watch Instantly software to run in Linux based PCs. It is absolutely insane that one must risk financial and social ruin to allow people to use services they are already paying for.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130418/19421722759/former-policy-secretary-dhs-uses-boston-bombing-to-point-out-how-eff-aclu-are-wrong-about-surveillance-cispa.shtml#c189 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:28:52 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130418/19421722759/former-policy-secretary-dhs-uses-boston-bombing-to-point-out-how-eff-aclu-are-wrong-about-surveillance-cispa.shtml#c189 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130418/10170622751/cispa-passes-house-as-288-representatives-dont-want-to-protect-your-privacy.shtml#c369 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:38:32 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130418/10170622751/cispa-passes-house-as-288-representatives-dont-want-to-protect-your-privacy.shtml#c369 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130415/14130522712/boston-officials-allegedly-shut-down-mobile-service-boston-to-prevent-remote-detonation.shtml#c143 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:34:05 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130415/14130522712/boston-officials-allegedly-shut-down-mobile-service-boston-to-prevent-remote-detonation.shtml#c143 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c815 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:02:22 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c815 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c441 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:07:42 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c441 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c404 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:05:41 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c404 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c359 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:03:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12122122666/fox-sends-cease-desist-letters-to-firefly-fans-selling-jayne-hats-because-money.shtml#c359
Now, the question then becomes, can you legally recreate and sell the hat without using the term "Jayne"? If people are selling replica's but not referring directly to the show, would Fox be in its right to send a C&D? I wouldn't think so. While the hat had a unique look in the show (did you see any other knitted caps?), it isn't unique in the real world.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c407 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 08:50:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c407 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c367 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 08:48:06 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c367
I set up an HTPC to record shows that come on during hours in which I am away from the TV so that I can watch them at my leisure.

Just last week, the CPU fried and my HTPC is dead.

Is it infringement for me to the go to the pirate bay and download the very episodes I recorded, legally, so that I can still watch them?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c260 Thu, 4 Apr 2013 08:44:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130403/16412622564/copyright-as-censorship-university-threatens-own-faculty-with-copyright-infringement-campus-survey.shtml#c260 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130328/16411922505/successful-self-published-ebook-authors-sells-print-movie-rights-1-million-keeps-digital-rights-to-himself.shtml#c101 Wed, 3 Apr 2013 06:36:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20130328/16411922505/successful-self-published-ebook-authors-sells-print-movie-rights-1-million-keeps-digital-rights-to-himself.shtml#c101
As a self published author, you get 70% of whatever you price your book at. As a traditionally published author with a digital release, I think it is around 12-25% of the profit. That is after the 30% the distribution service (Amazon) takes and whatever other expenses the publisher claims. Often this ends up as less than 10% the list price.

So what do you want, 70% of a $3 book or 10% of a $10 book?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130322/23560222425/copyright-lobby-public-has-no-place-policy-discussions.shtml#c1425 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:47:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130322/23560222425/copyright-lobby-public-has-no-place-policy-discussions.shtml#c1425 Mike clearly wants authors to have no exclusive rights whatsoever.

Interesting, he has never said as much publicly or in private.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130322/23560222425/copyright-lobby-public-has-no-place-policy-discussions.shtml#c785 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:09:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130322/23560222425/copyright-lobby-public-has-no-place-policy-discussions.shtml#c785 I love how you leave off the part of the Copyright Clause that says the way to promote the progress is to grant exclusive rights to authors. No doubt you'd erase that from the Constitution if you could. Best just to pretend it's not there, right?

That is not misleading. Mike was explicitly talking about the purpose of copyright. You are confusing the purpose of copyright with the method. The purpose of copyright is not to grant a monopoly, that is the method.

Since the purpose of copyright is to promote science and useful arts, then we should be framing any and all discussions of the method of copyright in those terms. Is the approach we are currently taking or plan on taking going to promote the science and useful arts? IS there a better way to promote the science and useful arts?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130323/16493322431/sega-offers-half-hearted-non-apology-massive-youtube-takedown-promises-not-to-do-it-again-with-caveats.shtml#c36 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:56:00 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130323/16493322431/sega-offers-half-hearted-non-apology-massive-youtube-takedown-promises-not-to-do-it-again-with-caveats.shtml#c36 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130323/16493322431/sega-offers-half-hearted-non-apology-massive-youtube-takedown-promises-not-to-do-it-again-with-caveats.shtml#c30 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:50:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130323/16493322431/sega-offers-half-hearted-non-apology-massive-youtube-takedown-promises-not-to-do-it-again-with-caveats.shtml#c30 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/03544022376/supreme-court-wont-hear-jammie-thomas-appeal.shtml#c193 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:48:10 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/03544022376/supreme-court-wont-hear-jammie-thomas-appeal.shtml#c193
That is stepping aside from the real issue that these damages will actually erode what respect of copyright the average person holds. When they hear that uploading 24 songs will get you fined hundreds of thousands of dollars, they are just going to laugh and go right on doing what they do everyday with the addition of complaining about how one sided copyright law has become.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/08094922377/supreme-court-gets-it-right-kirtsaeng-you-can-resell-things-you-bought-abroad-without-infringing.shtml#c558 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:59:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/08094922377/supreme-court-gets-it-right-kirtsaeng-you-can-resell-things-you-bought-abroad-without-infringing.shtml#c558
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111117/03284416803/court-tells-omega-copyright-is-not-sword-rejects-attempt-to-control-grey-market-as-copyright-misuse.shtml

Basically, the ruling so far is that Omega was misusing copyright in order to restrict importation of its watches. Which means that Omega is ultimately losing that case.

There is still one more appeal, but with this Supreme Court Ruling in play it is unlikely that Omega will prevail.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/08094922377/supreme-court-gets-it-right-kirtsaeng-you-can-resell-things-you-bought-abroad-without-infringing.shtml#c508 Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:27:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130319/08094922377/supreme-court-gets-it-right-kirtsaeng-you-can-resell-things-you-bought-abroad-without-infringing.shtml#c508