Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Kevin - The Alchemist - Sonney <alchemist AT pobox.com>]

OK, Here are some more netslave comments on the ongoing MPAA/2600
trial. Robin Miller (roblimo AT slashdot.org) sent the message Steve's
responding to earlier this morning....

-- 
--------------------------------------------
--      Kevin "The Alchemist" Sonney      --
--  http://www.darkcanvas.com/~alchemist  --
--------------------------------------------
Matrix: "Gun, Death Blossom mode." - Reboot, Ep. 324
  

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 11:13:02 -0400
From: stevegilliard <stevegilliard AT msn.com>
Reply-To: netslaves AT egroups.com
To: netslaves AT egroups.com
Subject: Re: [netslaves] Emmanuel Goldstein will be interrogated by Big
    Brother  at 9:00 am Friday 21 July 2000


Steve Gilliard
----- Original Message -----
From: Robin Miller <roblimo AT slashdot.org>
To: <netslaves AT egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 4:21 AM
Subject: Re: [netslaves] Emmanuel Goldstein will be interrogated by Big
Brother at 9:00 am Friday 21 July 2000


>
> > >For those who can't make the proceedings, would you mind sending in a
> > >report, which I will gladly post to the NetSlaves site?
>
> I've been reading the MPAA/2600 trial transcripts and, frankly, the /.
> discussions on the subject are more intelligent. In fact, the trial
> seems to rehash most of the same points. Everybody involved seems to
> have used /. as their primary information source.
>
> I am beginning to suspect that 2600 was picked as a defendant because
> Corley looked like he would have trouble mounting a defense. Slashdot
> could just as easily have been picked, but I think the MPAA realized
> that we would be a very tough target.

--- Not only that. They knew his reputation was shaky, at least in legal
terms. Hell, the guy was a hacker and that means criminal in those sets.
Plus his Secret Service file is a couple of inches thick. They thought
they'd get him up there and his hacker buddies and he'd fold.

Of course, they forgot he had friends, I bet they shit when Martin Garbus
took the case and the legal bills were covered.

They wanted an easy target. Which is, of course, insane. Because the
2600 crowd scares me and I like those guys.

>
> We received a DMCA request from the MPAA to pull DeCSS-related links at
> one point, but basically told them, "Sorry, but there is no compilable
> code on our site, just text and hyperlinks that are part of news stories
> and covered under our First Amendment rights. We will not pull this
> material, and if you take us to court we will fight you and we will
> win."
>
> This is one of the advantages to having a news source owned by a public
> company with substantial -- and visible -- resources. It makes it harder
> for the nasties to push you around. And believe me, VA would back us
> 100% if it came to that.
>
> - Robin
>
---Also, if they bring Slashdot to trial, which will happen one day, you
guys
have clean records. Also, despite your charming, but grumpy demeanor,
your bio is the exact opposite of Corley and the MPAA would have a
very hard time with you guys in the dock.

Guys like Corley, who is nice, but scary looking, come off as total flakes.
I mean, who understands code but coders. They come off as latter-day hippies
and psuedo criminals.

I mean, you put Hemos and Malda in the dock and they come off
as nice midwestern boys who are wickedly intelligent. Hardly
junior anarchists. They obviously don't have any convictions
for anything serious. And in a suit and tie, the effect would be
pretty bad for a plantiff.

Then you have, what 30 odd years of technical training and experience
and a security clearence somewhere in the mix and you come
off as a responible adult.

So they would have a much harder time making you guys into
a threat or reckless with the truth.  They can vilify Corley
in a way they couldn't do with the Slashdot crew, even without
a major company in the mix.

Also, Corley is an ongoing threat to them because it would be
unlikely that he would stop agitating against the MPAA. /.
is not going to run article after article saying use this code or
taunting Jack Valenti.  Despite appearances, there is an
editorial process and editorial management at Andover
which prevents that sort of thing.

At 2600, they're activists and they live to challenge the
status quo. How long would it be before they start linking
to compressed movies online?  Or put other hacks
which could threaten the industry online?

/. may report or comment on them, but they aren't going
to stir the pot so overtly. Even if it did, the 300 coments would
serve as mitigation.

If the MPAA can take out 2600 in a trial, and leave Corley
scarred by the case, they prevent a lot of problems. If they
get /., they get a settlement and an agreement, if that.

This isn't just about code, but shutting up a critic.


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