November 2001 - cypherpunks-legacy

Sony uses DMCA to harass Aibo user group http://www.aibohack.com
by Khoder bin Hakkin 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

http://latimes.com/business/la-000086726nov01.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Db… Sony Dogs Aibo Enthusiast's Site Courts: The company uses a controversial law to stop owners from altering the robotic pet. Some consumers balk. By DAVE WILSON and ALEX PHAM, TIMES STAFF WRITERS Sony Corp. is using a controversial U.S. law aimed at protecting intellectual property to pull the plug on a Web site that helps owners of Aibo, Sony's popular and pricey robotic pet, teach their electronic dogs new tricks. Aibo owners are outraged, and hundreds have vowed to stop buying Sony products altogether until the company backs off. Sony has sold more than 100,000 Aibos worldwide since 1999, at prices ranging from $800 to $3,000. The dogs have spawned a community of enthusiasts who fuss over the mechanical marvels as if they were real canines. Last week, Sony executives sent a letter to the operator of a Web site, http://www.aibohack.com, alleging that much of the site's contents-programs and software tools that can modify the Aibo's behavior--was created and distributed in ways that violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The 1998 law was designed to combat the duplication of digitized materials, which can be easily distributed instantaneously worldwide on the Internet. Violators can face monetary damages and even prison time, depending on the nature of the violation. In a prepared statement, Sony officials said they asked only for removal of material it considered illegal and encouraged the distribution of Aibo-related materials that they did not believe infringed the company's rights. Sony sells a number of software kits, usually for about $150, that allow Aibo users to modify the dog's behavior. The software tools removed from the Web site are easier to use and more powerful, according to users--and are available for free. "We do not support the development of software that is created by manipulating existing Sony Aibo-ware code, copying it and/or distributing it via the Internet," the company said. "This is a clear case of copyright infringement, something that most Aibo owners can appreciate and respectfully understand." Critics of the DMCA say the law upsets the delicate balance between the rights of copyright holders to protect their intellectual property and the rights of everyone else to use such items to develop their own works. That has sparked increasing concern in Congress as scientists, librarians, researchers and consumer groups have voiced opposition to the law. "On the surface, Sony appears to be using portions of the DMCA in an attempt to keep people from putting the company's product to new and interesting uses," said Cindy Cohn, legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil rights group. "This is exactly the sort of thing we've been concerned about." Cohn said that if Congress does not act, the courts will eventually have to repair the situation. "Sooner or later, this is going to come to a head," she said. "This is a critical societal problem. If we can no longer stand on the shoulders of giants, take a cool thing somebody has made and make it a little bit cooler, progress is stunted, perhaps irreparably." Bob Harting, a Santa Monica potter, has programmed his three Aibos--Sparky, Agent Aibo and Aibojangles--to perform a syncopated dance routine to Madonna's "Vogue." "It's just impossible to do this sort of thing with the Sony tools," he said, as the dogs danced to the music in his living room. "I have bought every accessory made for the Aibo, and nearly every bit of equipment in my apartment--television, VCRs, computers--is from Sony," Harting said. "But I'm not comfortable giving them more money until this is resolved." The man behind Aibohack.com, who goes by the screen name Aibopet and asked to not be identified, removed the contested material from the site, leaving it largely empty except for links to other sites that have organized protests against Sony. He said he incorporates Sony's code into his programs but that no one is harmed. His programs give Aibo owners the ability to manipulate their robot dogs, but only if the user has a legitimate copy of Sony's software. He said that Sony benefits from his work because it generates consumer enthusiasm for Aibo. Although he's upset about being forced to take his tools off the Internet, he said he has no plans to litigate the matter. Before Aibohack.com went down, it saw 400 to 600 visitors a day, many of whom downloaded Aibopet's tools. One of the programs, AiboScope, wirelessly transmits images from the robot's camera to a computer. Another, Disco Aibo, programs Aibo to dance when it hears a specific song. The most recent program is Brainbo, which combines voice-recognition software with a library of answers to various questions. Users can ask the robot a question, and it will pull from the database to lip sync an answer. Aibopet said he has posted more than 1,500 comments, tips and answers to Aibosite.com in the last two years. "I guess you could call it a hobby, but it has gotten a little out of control at times. I just enjoy programming," Aibopet said. "Looking at the last two years, I probably spent more time doing unpaid technical support for Sony than I have playing with my dog. But it's been rewarding. I've met people throughout the world." Experts say Sony risks angering Aibo enthusiasts to the point that they might hurt sales of Aibo and related merchandise but could boost sales of its own software tools. It's a big risk said David A. Aaker, vice chairman of Prophet, a brand strategy consulting firm. Other companies that have faced similar situations have made the opposite choice. Lego Co., a Danish company that makes the classic plastic interlocking children's toy, introduced a computer-controlled set in 1998. MindStorms, as the kit is called, offers users the ability to add motors and an onboard computer to control the creation's behavior. Almost as soon as the toy was introduced, enthusiasts rewrote the software to allow for more complex operation. After much consideration, Lego decided to endorse such hacking, provided that nobody turns their software into a commercial product and that Lego trademarks aren't used. "The decision wasn't easy to make," said Lego spokesman Michael McNally. "We were obviously concerned that if this got out of hand, we could lose control of what we hold as our own. But we decided that if we made this easier for them, they'd be less inclined to change it and dilute it. In a way, we're protecting our own interests." McNally said the decision has helped build the Lego community, but he concedes that Lego's decision was largely made to boost sales. "We're like any other company," he said. "This was about taking the brand forward, creating a larger fan base; and what company wouldn't want to do that? It contributes to the bottom line."

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Bahamas biz registry suffers for lack of anonymity
by Khoder bin Hakkin 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

Anonymity Lifted, Fewer Companies Registering in the Bahamas By Samantha JosephAssociated Press Writer Published: Nov 1, 2001 NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) - The number of international companies registering in the Bahamas dropped steeply following tightened regulations that ended anonymous ownership, the attorney general says. Only 4,148 international business companies registered to do business between January and September of this year, Attorney General Carl Bethel said Wednesday. Some 14,500 registered in the same period last year. Earlier this year, the Bahamas was removed from the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force's blacklist of countries deemed uncooperative in fighting money laundering. To get off the blacklist and avoid any sanctions, the Bahamas passed nine laws to strengthen regulations in the offshore sector. One of the new measures eliminated anonymous ownership of international business companies, so-called shell companies, by requiring the names of two directors and the office address on the registration. Any loss in business, however, was worth it to improve the reputation of the Bahamas as an international financial center, Bethel said. "There has been some falloff in this area," he said. "But we think, on balance, the financial services sector is better off." Still, there are some 45,000 international business companies that renewed their licenses this year, Bethel said. If the registrations had been at the same level as last year, the Bahamas would have brought in another $1.5 million in incorporation fees. Bethel said the drop would not have a dramatic effect on the country's overall revenues, because offshore banking and investment services are a more economically vital sector. http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAY95MWITC.html

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A New Look for PersonalityZone(tm) - October 2001
by news＠mailings.advisorteam.com 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

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Read about what motivates each of the four temperaments in their occupations. http://mailings.advisorteam.com/redir3/SLA_OMCAB!http://www.advisorteam.com… ****************************************************************** SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: PersonalityZone(TM) by AdvisorTeam is a FREE newsletter for AdvisorTeam members, and anyone else who wants to understand themselves better. Sent monthly, PersonalityZone gives you new insight into your yourself, and provides ways to meaningfully use that knowledge in your daily life. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends or family, and encourage them to take the first step towards a better understanding of themselves by taking the Keirsey Test! You received this message because you are a registered member of AdvisorTeam. To alter your delivery settings, http://mailings.advisorteam.com/redir3/SLA_OMCAB!http://www.advisorteam.com…. To forward this newsletter to a friend, please http://mailings.advisorteam.com/forward3/SLA_OMCAB!f7a4d6226eae6cc8. If you would like to be removed from future newsletter mailings, please http://mailings.advisorteam.com/remove3/SLA_OMCAB!f7a4d6226eae6cc8. To sign up for other free special offers from AdvisorTeam, please http://mailings.advisorteam.com/redir3/SLA_OMCAB!http://www.advisorteam.com…. Copyright 2001 AdvisorTeam.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. </PRE>

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A:\adult subjects2.txt OY
by bandcampbiacjes＠msn.com 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

http://www.teen-pie.com/index.html?hendrix Hey Baby Come bang me and my teen Bandcamp friends, Click on this link so I can feel you inside me http://www.teen-pie.com/index.html?hendrix WARNING: This site contains sexually explicit materials. You must be 18 or older to proceed. To be taken off this list res pond with "get me off"

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DMCA UCITA, where's the beef? (off topic)
by cubic-dog 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

Aside from Dimitry, Has any "person" been successfully prosecuted under the DMCA? or under UCITA? or any other of these anti-piracy laws in the US? Operation Sundevil took place a relatively long time ago. We all hear dire warnings relative to software piracy and rumors of the Secret Service showing up and shutting a company down for bootleg M$ Office products and such things. But has anything like this actually happened? Yes, I hear folks go on and on about Steve Jackson Games, but I haven't seen anyone really concern themselves too much about the millions of bootlegs of M$ and Adon'tBee products in use in corporate america. Where lies the truth? anyone?

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FBI MAS
by mattd 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

"There is a room full of frustrated males that don't get enough sex from their ugly wives and expensive mistresses " And I bet a few miss the old boss in drag...but seriously,the above sentence reminds me of my 2600 list here, where Im a well known 'white hat'hacker.I hear some of my friends are scarfing up the names of all known FBIers (like special agent lynne hunt in the register today) This is to protect them from the baddies like the lasker jihad.Keep those names coming.The C/list goes on forever.

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RE: Fw: <nettime> New Scientist: Microwave Crowd Dispersal Tested (ADT)
by Trei, Peter 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

> cpaul[SMTP:inc@fastmedia.net] > > > > On Thursday, November 1, 2001, at 07:12 PM, cpaul wrote: > > > > > aluminum foil? > > > > http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/tech/heatison.jsp > > > > > > Microwave beam weapon to disperse crowds > > > > i've been following the development of this skin heating > device for a while, and am keen to learn if there may be > an effective means to counter its use. > > the new scientist article suggests that the cornea is not > as resilient as skin when it comes to being bombarded with > microwaves, hence i seek opinions on how one might protect > oneself. > > if asking such is inane then i guess i should ask to have > my final request. > Leather or wet clothes may shield most of the body. A wild guess to protect the eyes would be something that puts a transparent conductive material over them - mirror sunglasses, the mylar glasses used for eclipse observations (though you could not see anything else through them :-(), or the conductive, mostly transparent plastic material which is used to package static sensitive electronic components. Another possibility is to make goggles out of metal flyscreen - since the wavelength is 3mm, it's doubtful that they can penetrate. Chain mail would also work for the body. Peter

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New law contains ID-card proposal -- The Washington Times
by Jim Choate 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20011031-576161.htm -- -- ____________________________________________________________________ The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion. Edmund Burke (1784) The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage(a)ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------

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Fw: <nettime> New Scientist: Microwave Crowd Dispersal Tested (ADT)
by cpaul 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

aluminum foil? * * * Begin forwarded message:

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RIAA Wants Background Checks on CD-RW Buyers
by Jei 01 Nov '01

01 Nov '01

http://www.bbspot.com/news/2001/10/riaa.html Technology News Monday October 29 10:52 PM EST RIAA Wants Background Checks on CD-RW Buyers Washington DC - The RIAA is lobbying for vendors of CD-RW drives to conduct background checks and require a 3 day waiting period before the drive can be sold. The extensive background check would include cross referencing credit card numbers with local merchants sales logs looking for purchases of dual-cassette decks between the years of 1980 and 1987. It would also include checking for installation of file sharing software, knowledge of the Internet, and the ability to hum. Any of which would bar the purchaser from receiving his drive. Saaaatan? "A CD-RW can be a dangerous weapon when it falls into the wrong hands," said RIAA President Hilary Rosen, "You wouldn't sell a gun to a convicted felon and you shouldn't sell a CD-RW drive to a Gnutella user. The 3 day waiting period gives us time to verify that no copyrighted material is on the purchasers hard drive and to make sure they have a membership in the Columbia House CD club." Current owners of CD-RW drives would be required to obtain a license for use of the drive or face stiff fines. Licenses could be obtained by enrollment at a local RIAA Education Camp where the horrors of copyright violation would be instilled with the use of electro-shock therapy. "I was alarmed when I heard that children had the ability to burn CDs right on their computers," said Senator Strom Thurmond, "We've tried to educate parents on the dangers of children playing with fire, and now these death merchants sell them that ability in a shiny metal box." Other Senators voiced their concerns about the possible violations of privacy in the proposed legislation, but since it was called the Copyright Patriotism Act they are unable to oppose it. "The RIAA has gone too far this time. There are uses for CD-RW drives that don't violate RIAA copyrights like burning multiple copies of Microsoft Office for friends and neighbors," said Matthew Sodor an opponent of the legislation. Other News:

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