Date: 04/22/2003 09:23 AM
From: Charles Wilkins WW II Vet ([email protected])
Subject: Intel Coder Not Going Anywhere
The US Patriotic Act is the most destructive act to the U.S. Constitution that was ever enacted ("Intel Coder Not Going Anywhere," April 8, 2003). Why congress passed the US Patriotic Act is beyond my comprehension as it takes away basic liberties. Denying access to a lawyer and brainwashing a U.S. citizen for three months was a mockery of the justice and our constitution.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." – Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
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Date: 04/22/2003 12:30 PM
From: Mary Goodwin ([email protected])
Subject: RIAA Sues College File Traders
The RIAA is fast becoming a laughingstock ("RIAA Sues College File Traders," April 3, 2003). If they are concerned about poor college kids swapping music, perhaps I am guilty as well. I, and all of my friends, passed records around because we couldn't all afford to buy them; one bought and shared. That way we all got a chance to enjoy the popular music. Perhaps we each should have paid the RIAA for the privilege of listening to 45s that the other person bought! If the music companies want respect and to sell music, they need to call this group off.
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Date: 04/22/2003 04:05 PM
From: Larry Wright ([email protected])
Subject: DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin
The assertion that "Illegal copying and Web-based free swapping of digital music has wreaked havoc on the record industry. Global music sales in 2002 fell 7.2 percent from 2001 to $32.2 billion" should not be presented as a proven fact ("DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin," April 22, 2003).
It is just as likely, if not more likely, that the record industries' own actions, such as continuing to raise prices while shipping fewer new releases, can be blamed for their sales numbers. Also worth mentioning as a contributing factor is the trend in recent years to release only those recordings that match the ever-narrowing tastes of the radio market and the small handful of companies who now control the airwaves.
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Date: 04/22/2003 07:48 PM MST
From: Tom Lenz ([email protected])
Subject: Online Biz Is Booming in Estonia
I lived in Estonia for the last nine years and saw a lot of the changes this article talks about take place ("Online Biz Is Booming in Estonia," April 23, 2003). In Estonia I enjoyed a DSL connection for the last couple of years. The Internet service was quite reliable. I sure miss the Internet banking. To pay someone, you just get their account number and use that to deposit to their bank. They get it more or less right away. None of this "enter payee" mess we have in the States.
The Estonian's connection to the outside world though was more than the "Western magazine smuggled across the border...." It was Finnish TV. TheEstonians understand Finnish and they are close enough to Finland to get TV reception.
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Date: 04/22/2003 06:28 PM MST
From: Randy Zagar ([email protected])
Subject: DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin
Frackman's comment "The law has never provided you have the right to get two-for-one" is extremely revealing ("DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin," April 22, 2003). Although the principle is better recognized with computer software, the RIAA and MPAA have repeatedly made statements that we don't own the copies of whatever music or movies we buy. They've always said that the purchase gives us a "license to view."
If I have a legitimate "license to view" for Snow White, then it shouldn't matter if I'm using the original DVD or merely a copy. Also, I should still have a legitimate "license to view" even if the original is destroyed. Why should I have to buy a second license? I've already paid for one, right? If the original media got destroyed in a fire, I should only have to pay a marginal fee for duplicate media not the full retail price for a second license.
Besides, copyright infringement isn't about making copies. It's about distributing copies to (lots) of people who didn't buy it. Many, many people used Napster in illegal ways, but the act of copying a CD to your iPod is not (or shouldn't be) illegal. DVD XCopy should not be illegal.
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Date: 04/23/2003 04:17 AM
Frank jemiolo ([email protected])
Subject: Baby DMCAs Punish Copy Crimes
The time has come for all consumers to give the recording industry pirates a taste of their own medicine ("Baby DMCAs Punish Copy Crimes," April 23, 2003). We have the Internet. Let's use it. Pick a week or a month and everyone stop buying or renting CDs and videos. Send them a message they will understand ... directly to their pocket books.
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Date: 04/23/2003 07:40 AM
From: Dave ([email protected])
Subject: DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin
There is NO PROOF that music file-sharing has injured the music industry ("DVD Copying Court Battle to Begin," April 22, 2003). I would suggest that the poor quality of cookie-cutter musical recording artists may be the blame.
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