Subject: Re: SSSCA will make open source illegal in the US
From: nathan r. hruby (nhruby@arches.uga.edu)
Date: Tue Mar 05 2002 - 20:25:28 MST
On Tue, 5 Mar 2002, Ralph Wiggums wrote:
This email is a but of hyperbole if not outright FUD: Currently exsisting
technology and devices will be grandfathered in by default. The bill as
is stands now, if passed, will propose a future date for enforcement of
SSSCA regulations and aproved methodology on anything that falls under
its definition of "digital interactive technology or services." This time
will also probably be used to create a medium size agency for development
of approved methods and enforcement regulations. I really don't like the
SSSCA, but I prefer to fight my battles with the correct information in
hand.
> The SSSCA, among other things, will make the following illegal:
> * Assembling a home-built PC.
No, you'll be able to do that, but the parts you but will need to have the
SSSCA approval on it. As will the software you run on that hardware.
> * Using a non-secure computer (ie, a computer built before the would-be
> implementation of the SSSCA) on a network.
No, but you will not be able to replace that computer after the SSSCA date
with a non-SSSCA machine.
> * Widespread development of open-sourced (non-copyrighted and "digitally
> unsigned? software.
OpenSource and Free softweare is typically copyrighted to the original
author(s) of the software. The GPL, in fact, uses copyright law in its
own favor to achive this, as it is a licenese granting you use of a
copywrighted work under certian conditions: namely that it reamin free.
IT will stifle the development of allowing people to have the source, as
having the source is a means of circumventing SSSCA, which would be a
no-no.
Not sure what the "digitally unsigned" thing is. I'm all for crypto
signatures on everything so this doesn't bother me. I wish pgp/gpg were
better integraated into more email clients.
> * Use of open-sourced software (essentially the entire software platform for
> the UNIX and Linux operating systems, on which Computer Science research
> relies).
Not by name, but by action.. explained in the last post and above.
> * University and corporate research on systems, debugging, security, and
> watermarking.
No, it'll probably be allowed, but under goverment supervision and care.
> * All VCRs, DVDs, and pretty much every current digital hardware will be
> banned and considered illegal
>
No they won't. Future hardware devices will however prevent you from
unauthorized use of copyrighted materials.
> Please sign the petition and write your congressman and senator
> http://www.petitiononline.com/SSSCA/petition.html
>
The wording of this petition makes most things associated with a computer
goverment policeware, ACPI, for instance.
-n
-- ...... nathan hruby - nhruby@arches.uga.edu computer support specialist department of drama and theatre http://www.drama.uga.edu/ ......
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