From: Tom Gillman <syshtg@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 95 11:39:36 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Grassley's Anti-Ridiculous Act
Message-ID: <199507131839.OAA03488@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



OK...let's see...

"shall be unlawful for any person to damage or threaten to
damage electronically or digitally stored data..."

Does that mean i can't erase my floppies anymore? :)
Or, is it that I can't say, "I'm gonna format you!" and then not do it?

Scratching your CDs would be illegal.

When you get down to it, your brain is an electrochemical computer.
You're no longer allowed to forget anything, either.
"But storage in your brain is not digital!", you say..

Electronically _or_ digitally stored.

Swapfiles are right out.

Writeable memory is out in general.

"unlawful to distribute unlicensed software..."

There goes shareware. Freeware's still okay, I guess.
Do many people treat shareware as anything more than freeware?

The Steve JAckson clause at the end about work materials is
cute, but the law doesn't seem to require giving the data back.

And the clause about being able to enter evidence obtained
electronically via 3rd party is interesting. Means an
administrator can legally store email and turn it over...


This bill is so monumentally stupid I can't believe it.

Tom

-- 
 Tom Gillman, Unix/AIX Systems Weenie  |"For a privacy advocate to determine
 Wells Computer Center-Ga. State Univ. |the best way to do key escrow is like
 (404) 651-4503 syshtg@gsusgi2.gsu.edu |a death penalty opponent choosing
 I'm not allowed to have an opinion.   |between gas or electricity"-D.Banisar
                                    
  key to UNIX: echo '16i[q]sa[ln0=aln100%Pln100/snlbx]sbA0D4D465452snlbxq'|dc