Ten Reasons Why responds to my post about HB 1020.  He has good points, but the practicality of the law (which by the way exposes not only publishers, but professors to civil liability) is my concern.

For example: What about out of print texts that are provided by copying?

What about small presses with titles still in use (100 per year) by classes of obscure topics?

What format shall we prepare these files?

And, since ADA laws already protect the "print access disabled" does a state law add any value?  Would a publisher find a "business decision" to avoid sales in that state agreeable?  And, when would a publisher know they are selling to a state student (Amazon, other web sites don't discriminate) -- is that publisher then liable?

There are more -- I look forward to the discussion.

7:36:58 AM    

Being a political hack, I am excited about this...

Wired News: Web Antidote for Political Apathy [Daypop Top 40]

In October, the BBC plans to flick the switch on an ambitious website designed to help Britons organize and run grassroots political campaigns. The site, dubbed iCan, is designed to help citizens investigate issues that concern them, find others who share those concerns and provide advice and tools for organizing and engaging in the political process.

Cool, huh?

7:29:18 AM    

The arms race has begun.

Yesterday, I posted a link to a story saying the entertainment industry was developing crawlers that can do malicious things to computers they thought were violating copyrights.  Today, there is software to counter the threat.

Program Lets P2P Users Roam Free. Users of file-trading services on peer-to-peer networks have another weapon in their cat-and-mouse contest with the music industry. New software helps shield them from prying eyes online. By Brad King. [Wired News]

7:27:07 AM