Idobek 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (112) comment rss

  • On the post: UK Man Arrested And Banned From Airport For Twitter Joke About Blowing Up An Airport

    Idobek ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2010 @ 07:37am

    I refer you to your previous post.

    The police in the UK don't agree with free speech.

  • On the post: Sometimes Protecting Free Speech Means Protecting Speech You Don't Like

    Idobek ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2010 @ 07:35am

    Free speech is a dying concept...

    Step by tiny step most governments of western countries are destroying (or attempting to destroy) the most important concept that made their way of life possible: that of freedom of speech. It is a depressing sight.

    Fortunately, no government understands the internet.

  • On the post: Asking Citizens What They Want Out Of Copyright Law Is Really Just A 'Tactic To Confuse'?

    Idobek ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2010 @ 07:23am

    The EU ignoring public opinion? I'm shocked!

    No, really.

    Honestly, I am.

    Okay, I'm not. Those EU trade negotiators don't give a damn what EU citizens want; they're hardly likely to care about Canadian opinions.

  • On the post: Proposal In Italy Would Require Gov't Authorization To Upload Any Video

    Idobek ( profile ), 19 Jan, 2010 @ 05:56am

    Don't count on opposition

    It is possible that this law is being pushed because of Berlusconi's media interests but don't for a minute think that opposition politicians don't like the idea. Their only objection would arise from Berlusconi's possible benefit, not to the state control and bureaucracy involved.

  • On the post: Google Explains Why Ad Blockers Aren't A Problem

    Idobek ( profile ), 12 Jan, 2010 @ 03:28am

    To block or not to block

    I used to always use adblocker, but I no longer have a problem with most ads. However, some ads are very intrusive: anything with sound; ads that expand when you so much as brush them with your mouse pointer; and, most annoyingly of all, ads that are mis-sized for their allocated space on the page - which then block actual page content.

    FYI: Techdirt's sponsors' sidebar has a (I think) Nokia ad which is a nice example of the latter of these which was plaguing me yesterday.

  • On the post: Copyright Monopolies In The Middle Of Health Care Reform Debate As Well

    Idobek ( profile ), 12 Jan, 2010 @ 03:05am

    Re: National Health Service

    Maybe, maybe not. In the UK they would most likely come under Crown Copyright.

  • On the post: Supreme Court Considers Case Over Using Copyright Law To Block Import Of Gray Market Goods

    Idobek ( profile ), 08 Jan, 2010 @ 05:35am

    Wow

    The part of this story that surprised me most was that a US company sold a product cheaper in the EU than in the US. I don't think I have ever heard of that happening before; it's always the other way around.

  • On the post: The Next Big Battle: Cable TV vs. The Internet

    Idobek ( profile ), 06 Jan, 2010 @ 05:50am

    While I suspect at some point in the next there two will finally be a few good sites to watch all your favourite shows on demand at a price (be it ads, pay per view or subscription) most are happy with. I am absolutely sure there will be very little available outside the US and Canada the TV industry will still be screaming about piracy - despite the fact that there is either a) no other option, b) overly long release windows, or c) riduclously high costs for consumers.

  • On the post: UK Sets Up A Panel To Review Libel Laws

    Idobek ( profile ), 05 Jan, 2010 @ 09:15am

    The problem...

    There is the unfortunate problem of the general election to be held some time before 06 June. Can we really trust this government not to politise this important review and, indeed, not draft any amendments to the law so poorly as to make a mockery of the review?

  • On the post: Increasing Concern Of UK's Draconian Libel Laws And How They're Abused

    Idobek ( profile ), 15 Dec, 2009 @ 04:33am

    The UK's libel laws are one of the many reasons I am becoming increasing ashamed of my country. We used to be a bastion of free speech, no more. What is more the Government and Parliament know it is a problem, and has been for years, and haven't done a thing about it. Those in power have forgotten the importance of free speech: so much so that ours libel laws are evening beginning to threaten medical research and practice, as drug and equipment manufacturers begin to sue over papers in medical journals.

  • On the post: Increasing Concern Of UK's Draconian Libel Laws And How They're Abused

    Idobek ( profile ), 15 Dec, 2009 @ 04:24am

    Re:

    Dara O'Briain works and, I believe lives, in the UK. The fact that his nationality Irish doesn't affect the fact that he is, to all intents and purposes, a 'UK comic'

  • On the post: UK Gov't Now Supporting 3 Strikes: Lobbyists Win Again

    Idobek ( profile ), 26 Aug, 2009 @ 03:13am

    The really annoying thing about all this is that there is often no possible legal download method. With music you usually have plenty of options, with film it's difficult and with TV you're pretty much stuffed.

    Even when something is available the pricing structure is ludicrous: I'm sorry but a file of a TV episode, that I am only ever allowed to download once, and only ever allowed to watch on the computer I downloaded it to, does not have the same per episode value as a DVD.

    I do not own a TV so I would happily pay to download and watch new shows from premium channels. I'd even pay to guarantee that content that is currently freely available stays available until I've have a chance to watch it. Unfortunately our TV companies don't provide anything like a good enough online service (the BBC is streaks ahead but still falls short).

    I'm sure Amazon and iTunes would happily fill the breach but they're often hamstrung by shortsighted US networks who cannot understand that they might need to allow people outside the US and Canada access to new shows. The Murdoch family has beat a bit of sense into them over this, as evidences by the closing gap between broadcast dates across the Atlantic, but having to rely on the Murdochs is hardly ideal.