The Future End of Classic Computing

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Tue Apr 2 11:51:00 2002

> > >The reason why something is developed is really not that relevant to how
> > >it may ultimately be used
> > So, according to you... if someone can find an illegal use for an
> > otherwise legal item, that item should no longer be available to ANYONE,
> > regardless of if it has legitimate legal uses?

In the Betamax case, the US Supreme court said that if there is ANY
legitimate use of a device, then it is legal, even if most uses are
illegal. (Warner Bros said that the primary purpose of a VCR was to make
illegal copies (off the air) of copyrighted movies; Sony said that MOST
VCR owners connect a camera and make home movies (porno?))
'Course the current supremes, ...

> John Draper was arrested and convicted in Pennsylvania in '77 or '78
> for "possession of a device capable of defrauding the telephone company
> of its rightful tarrifs". I met him on his journey back to the left coast after
> he got out.

John obviously did not have Sony's clout with the court.

Legal principles obviously are not as important to courts as whose ox is
gored.


> Has Rockwell been locked up? Unlikely...
Should they be?
Received on Tue Apr 02 2002 - 11:51:00 BST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:34:28 BST