OpenDVD.org
DVD & DeCSS
5/2/2000; 4:01:19 PM Jan 24, 2000: For direct-from-the-source updates on the DVD trial(s) going on, go to OpenDVD.org.

Free Thinkers in the Digital Age Personal Commentary5/2/2000; 4:00:10 PM Jan 24, 2000: I know at first blush this article seems crazy, but think about it for a moment. There are two reasons it seems wacko: First, it talks about the future of cognition and how it will change the world, and second, it advocates complete freedom of cognition.Only the "complete freedom" is a candidate for "wacko-ness". After the Internet enables every possible non-mind-to-mind communication mode, the only place left to go is into the mind itself. The abuses possible in that form of communication boggle the mind. Wondering about cognition and the effects of new modes of communication that result are right in line with what this site is concerned with.The article shows the completion of the pattern I see: With each new generation of technology, from writing to print to the Internet to direct mental communication, the issues get correspondingly more complex, and the potential damage done by abuse gets higher and higher. Internet abuse "merely" means that your rights are infringed... in that era, it could mean your mind being trapped or re-written.It's too early to worry much about. Our job today is to solve the problems posed by the Internet, and there isn't much evidence that we as a species are capable of even that.

"The interface between bodies, brains, and technology is an area of daunting theoretical and practical possibilities," said Sententia, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Utopian literature and theory.

Killer Patents
Patents
5/2/2000; 3:57:57 PM Jan 24, 2000: "Fink believes that patents are useless as an offensive weapon, when consumers find out what they lose, they'll penalize any vendor that uses them." I wish I could be that optimistic... that statement tends to assume an informed customer... a novelty on today's internet.

More bad news for DVD defendents
DVD & DeCSS
5/2/2000; 3:53:04 PM Jan 24, 2000: The 21 defendants have to take the code in contention down from their sites. Meanwhile, the rest of us aren't under the order. Of course, I don't have a copy...

Heather On Mitnick's Punishment
Personal Commentary
5/2/2000; 3:51:47 PM Jan 24, 2000: Kevin Mitnick is banned from using computers for three years. I think my fiance (who's not even a computer person) summed it up the best: "You know, murderers get to hang out with people."

Upstart Says Hello to AOL's ICQ
Website Annotation
5/2/2000; 3:51:10 PM Jan 24, 2000: Odigo has been extended to work with ICQ's network. Odigo has earned a "Boundary Breaker" entry, which is pending my completion of my discussion of web pages, and my use of the software. Stay tuned!

RIAA Sues MP3.com
Music & MP3
5/2/2000; 3:47:44 PM Jan 23, 2000: "He [Bob Cohn] said all Internet companies are on the side of the RIAA, including the Digital Media Association, which includes AOL, Real Networks, and Liquid Audio." I hate to say it, but I'm on RIAA's side too. (Ouch... that hurt me to say.)

Pseudonymity Now Privacy from Companies5/2/2000; 3:45:05 PM Jan 21, 2000: '"From an economics point of view, your data is becoming a commodity," said Hill, president of Zero-Knowledge Systems. "All of this is leading the charge for people to say 'I don't want to give up my data.'"' Here's one 'right' that won't be won in the courts... people need to more-or-less decide together that when a company abuses their personal information, not to shop with that company or give it any money. That's all it would take, universal cooperation in the consumer's best interest.In other words... don't hold your breath.I don't go in much for this style of idealism either, and I run a website dedicated to the cause :-). It almost seems hypocritical to expect the general public boycott anybody because of info-abuse.I do however boycott Real Networks, not only because of the information they spam the user with, not only because of the recent privacy problems, and not only because streaming video stinks, but also because of the way they try to take over my computer when I install their product. The fastest way for a peice of software to get uninstalled from my computer is to install a task-bar icon that is useless, difficult to remove, unasked for, and consumes memory, just so the useless Real Player can load in .5 seconds instead of 2. My computer, not Real's!

Wiretapping Unwarrented?
Surveillance and Privacy from Government
5/2/2000; 3:42:57 PM Jan 21, 2000: "'The FBI is seeking surveillance capabilities that far exceed the powers law enforcement has had in the past and is entitled to under the law,' said EPIC General Counsel David Sobel."