From: Robert Rothenberg <rrothenb@libws4.ic.sunysb.edu>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 95 22:50:06 PST
To: asgaard@sos.sll.se (Mats Bergstrom)
Subject: Re: Another problem w/Data Havens...
In-Reply-To: <Pine.HPP.3.91.950115145754.101B-100000@cor.sos.sll.se>
Message-ID: <9501160649.AA07279@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


A couple of days ago I wrote:

> > such a service could become a magnet for the "elite warez" crowd...
> 
> 
> What's wrong with young, curious eLiTiStS running storing sites for
> mutual benefits ('warez')? Some say copyright is dead. Others have
> taken this to their hearts, especially for private use, and I don't
> blame them. Copyrighted data on a server in a jurisdiction that
> doesn't acknowledege the copyrights - a prime use for Data Havens
> when they come of age.

I'm not saying anything is wrong with it.... just that it is a problem
that can lead the "authorities" to try to shut down the site, esp. when
the pornography bogieman wears out (pun intended ;).  Strangely, even
though it's more socially acceptable for people to use "borrowed" wares
there's poorer arguments for defending it than "pornography"... hardly
any cries of foul happen when a board or site is busted for pirated
software than pornography.

Basically, what I'm saying is that it's an issue that data haven admins
should keep in mind (esp. if there's a fee): perhaps they can most safely
be run in jurisdictions with lax or no copyright laws.

> 
> Mats
> 
Rob