MS DRM OS

[georgemw at speakeasy.net]

On 19 Dec 2001, at 0:38, Graham Lally wrote:

> Ralph Wallis wrote:

> If the patent hasn't been picked up by the courts yet, then why not? 
> *If* the SSSCA were to come into effect (and I have heard little about 
> it for several months now... biding its time?),

I suspect that someone has pointed out to the sponsors how 
completely insane the SSSCA as drafted is, and they're
trying to figure out if it's possible to redraft the thing in
such a way that it retains its essence yet does not
outlaw electric toasters.  It's not. 

> then surely all other 
> OSes (subject to legal boundaries) would be prevented by the patent from 
> implementing the requirements in the bill?
> 

Nah; it just means that anyone making any electrical or mechanical
device for the next twenty years would have to pay Microsoft 
royalties.

> ...and to appease the pedanty, it's hard to have a /more/ correct 
> analogy when there was no analogy in the first place. 

"Surely "is analogous to" is a reflective relation?

>There, got it out 
> of my system...
> 
> .g
> 
George
> -- 
> "Sometimes I use google instead of pants."