The Day The Music Died: Windows Media and DRM SampleMinded writes "The Guardian reports on an early glimpse of what a DRM controlled future looks like. Imagine backing up your files, reformatting your hard drive, then copying the files back over only to find your music no longer works. It happened to this guy. Now That's what I call Xperience!" [Slashdot.org]

Instead of lobbying Congress, the EFF needs to be buying advertisements on network television (a-la those The Truth anti-tobacco ads).  The goal would be to communicate the consequences ubiquitous DRM will have on all our lives.  I'm convinced Americans won't pay for DRM provided we're given a chance to say no.

How to fund these ads?  I don't know.  Perhaps it could be funded out of one of the Microsoft anti-trust settlements.  Unfortunately, the more aggressive and effective the ads are, the greater the risk of gettin' sued by a Microsoft or Intel or RIAA/MPAA.

1:23:46 PM   

[Steve Wozniak] said something smart. If the govt wanted to stop spam, they could. He's probably right. Government of the people, by the people and for the people, has perished from the earth. Now the govt is for Hillary Rosen and Jack Valenti. Taxation without representation. [Scripting News]

Amend that to read, "...has perished from the USA."

I realize that some of what I write in this weblog sounds like a conspiracy theory.  But I don't believe in conspiracies.  I believe in individuals and corporations acting in their own interests ... often times acting out of ignorance.

A month ago Dave was advocating the use of traditional means (lobbying, campaign contributions, grass-roots voter mobilization) to influence our legislators.  I can't say whether he's abandoned that position, but the post above seems to indicate a move towards my view:  In this country, representative democracy is broken.  It doesn't work.  Anyone working within the current framework has been co-opted by it, and is doomed to failure.

9:15:45 AM