David Boles wrote:
But I can get the codecs for free, jut not their copyrighted versions.
The question is, can the holder of the patent on an algorithm who has
already been paid for a license to use on the device I have prevent me
from using a different version of that same algorithm?
snip<
There *are* no "not their copyrighted versions". There are stolen copies
of copyrighted versions. That is what you are gleefully calling the 'free
version'.
Probably not. Copyright does not cover separate implementations - in the
same way that your PC bios is not a stolen copy of the original IBM
version. In some places reverse engineering is explicitly permitted
when developing alternative implementations - in others, specific rules
must be followed to separate anyone who has seen the original copy from
those creating the new one so that no actual copying can occur. But
patents are the real issue here - they cover the functionality
regardless of the implementation.
Ok Les. Yes you can 'get them for free'. Sure you can. You can accept
stolen goods anytime you chose. You can use them in a, at best, dark grey
situation. And no they will probably not come after you like the RIAA
people have gone after so many of the music thieves on services like
Napster or the movie companies have gone after the people stealing movies
with Bittorrent. They, the people, called it 'sharing' and the courts have
called it stealing.
I'm not interested in stealing - I just believe it is wrong to have to
pay for something more than once.
Have you every really thought about just *where* the third party sites are
located? Not in the US where they could get busted for sure.
Not all countries share the US favoritism towards monopolistic
businesses. That doesn't mean their laws are better or worse, just
different.
But I don't really care what you chose to do. I watch my movies from
'Pay-For-View' cable, subscription movie services like HBO, broadcast
channels, from a DVD player and rented DVDs, or the TIVO attached to the
TV hanging on the family room wall. Not on a tiny computer monitor.
Haven't you heard of this new thing called convergence? You can get an
Apple TV device and play content from your computer onto your big
screen. (Or about a million other ways...)
> My
music? It is played on a stereo located in the same room. Not on a
computer with tiny speakers. Some from radio and some from CDs that I have
bought.
You aren't one of the 100 million ipod owners? No optical SPDIF between
your computer and stereo? Or airport express to do the audio portion of
what apple TV does over wireless or wired networking?
I don't need to steal to entertain myself or to 'beat the system'.
Paying for the right to use something isn't stealing. Accepting money
for a licence fee and not providing the right to use it seems wrong, though.
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
