13 Sep
2002
13 Sep
'02
6:33 p.m.
At 23:35 09/12/2002 -0400, you wrote:
Illegal to own it? Zog! When are we going to start
hearing that
owning computers with mass storage devices, computers designed to use
mass storage devices, or mass storage devices, are illegal acts? How
soon before the illegal posession of "controlled devices" will be as
serious, or more serious, a crime as the illegal posession of
"controlled substances?"
Honestly, prolly *less* likely, as the Ooh Ess of Aah has been lightening
up on crypto laws, altho Snuffle is still illegal - prolly because it's
better than what the No Such Agency has... ;-)
Dunno Snuffle? Look up "DJB" & "qmail" -- that should give you
more...
Next, it will be illegal (or at least easier
to get caught... it's probably already illegal) to open up one's cable
TV converter box to check for hidden microphones and cameras.
Bzzzt. Wrong answer. At least for now, it's not illegal to open up what you
have (or even what you don't *own*) provided you don't make modifications
to it. You can legally own a Colt AR-15 rifle (read: civilian version of
the M-16 automatic rifle) and *legally* own the full-auto conversion kit...
you are not in violation of any laws until you actually *install* the kit.
(Erm... Scheayah, here in the US... those over the Ponds I can't vouch for...)
Granted, I don't have a crystal ball... this may not hold to the future...
and I'm certainly not saying they're not *actively trying* to amend these
laws... (re: DMCA, and it's ilk...)
How long before we're all going to have to begin
using "internet
appliances" so that we can't do subversive things like keeping backups
of our own data? Will it soon become a federal felony to use
computers that aren't connected to the Internet all of the time so
that they can be spied on at any time?
FidoNet & Usenet... here we come!
Time to design some "unhackable" crypto that runs on a CoCo! (Or at least a
STacy, if you need 16-bit power...)
A buddy of mine *still* runs an active Tandy Model 10x/200 BBS! The
American people have always prevailed, despite the Gubbermint & it's
laws... ;-)
Enough OT ramblings borne of foreign & domestic brews...
Roger "Merch" Merchberger