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Comment: Re:Pirate multicart (Score 1) 308

by fang2415 (#24507895) Attached to: $12 MIT Computer Based On NES, Not Apple II

That's one of the most intriguing solutions for sorting out copyright law I think I've ever heard.

Ordinary copyright holders automatically keep rights for the valuable life of most works; if they still want to withold it from society for a period after that, they have to pay. Large evil corporations can keep the rest of the world from benefitting from its old works as long as they want, but has to pay back the commons for the privilege.

What's more, if you calibrate the extension fees to be competetive with the cost of lobbying Congress every time the copyright period threatens to move past the creation of Mickey, you might present Disney et al with an economic incentive to support the change...?

I'm not enough of a public policy geek to see how all the details would sort out, but that is one interesting idea. If I had mod points, you'd get 'em.

Printer

Inkless printers to be built into digital cameras

Submitted by
MattSparkes
MattSparkes writes "A revolutionary way to print pictures without ink has been invented by a US company called Zink Imaging. The company, a spin-off of Polaroid, says it will use the technology to make hand-held printers that can be integrated into mobile phones and digital cameras. "The key to creating the devices is doing away with ink, using a new type of digital printing that changes colour of paper when heat is applied.""
Music

AllOfMP3 payments cut off

Submitted by
cerberusss
cerberusss writes "As of February 2007, the popular Russian music download site AllOfMP3 seems to be cut off from user payments. Whereas previously it was possible to buy gift certificates at XRost and then using these at AllOfMP3, the XRost payment provider displays the following message upon logging in:

As part of our ongoing effort to improve the payment platform, we will be performing a scheduled server maintenance. The payment option at our site will be restored in 48 hours.
However, the 48 hours have passed since long and it's not known when payments will be possible again. Did the RIAA finally get what they wanted?"
Privacy

Judge Restricts New York Police Surveillance

Submitted by
berberine
berberine writes "In a rebuke of a surveillance practice greatly expanded by the New York Police Department after the Sept. 11 attacks, a federal judge ruled today that the police must stop the routine videotaping of people at public gatherings unless there was an indication that unlawful activity may occur. Nearly four years ago, at the request of New York City, the same judge, Charles S. Haight Jr., had given the police greater authority to investigate political, social and religious groups."
Microsoft

Novell vows to fight Windows Vista

Submitted by daria42
daria42 writes "In this video interview, Novell CEO Ron Hovsepian vows to fight Windows Vista with Suse Linux, despite Novell and Microsoft's recent pact to bring their software closer together. ""We're going to attack [Microsoft] vigorously and go after their footprint as much as we can," Hovsepian said. The CEO also clears up some myths about the Novell/MS deal. "We did not sign a patent cross-licence agreement with Microsoft," he says. "So are we really clear? Microsoft can sue us and we can sue Microsoft tomorrow.""
Supercomputing

First quantum computer demoed, plays sudoku

Submitted by
prostoalex
prostoalex writes "Canadian company D-Wave Systems is getting some technology press buzz after successfully demonstrating their quantum computer that the company plans to rent out. Scientific American has more of technical description of how the quantum computer works as well as possible areas of application: "The quantum computer was given three problems to solve: searching for molecular structures that match a target molecule, creating a complicated seating plan, and filling in Sudoku puzzles." There are also some videos from the demo."

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