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A Tech Lover's Call to Arms

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:28 PM
from the apathy-is-the-true-enemy dept.
Technology
PrinceofThieves writes "CNET technology columnist Don Reisinger has issued a call to arms for all journalists and tech junkies to join him in his crusade against the forces that attempt to ruin the sanctity of tech. 'Now, a new group of people has emerged to confront the tech lovers all over the world and stop them from being able to do what they want with the technology they own. And while many have tried to confront them on an individual basis, it has not worked. And it's for that reason that we must all come together and fight the ridiculous impositions brought upon us.'"
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  • What kind of idiot actually thinks there is some sort of "sanctity" to tech, or anything tech-related?

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by ColdWetDog (752185) *

      What kind of idiot actually thinks there is some sort of "sanctity" to tech, or anything tech-related?

      Somebody who really needs to get a grip on what's important in life. Poor fellow: "Everyday when I wake up, I'm constantly reminded by how limited we are in our rights with technology." (Proceeds to rant about RIAA and friends).

      OK, all you slashdotters who continually post the same whining about teh evils of said RIAA and the importance of being able to freely copy anything you can get your hands o

      • Re:Sanctity of Tech? (Score:5, Insightful)

        by StreetStealth (980200) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:57PM (#23125464) Journal
        You know what? "Sanctity" may be an overdramatic word for it, but if you don't get what it's ostensibly supposed to mean here, I don't think you really appreciate the spirit of the tinkerer.

        Yes. Saving human life in Darfur is more important. Political expression in Tibet is more important. Economic recovery in the USA is more important.

        But here we are at Slashdot, where the subject is our own lives. To probe, inspect, disassemble, analyze, and modify the technology we use is what we do. We are curious, we are inventive, and we are resourceful.

        There are many who openly wish we were none of those and seek to prevent us from doing these things. They fear what they do not understand, even as their bogeymen are less often nefarious and duplicitous, and more often simply curious, inventive, and resourceful.

        This message, that tinkering is not to be feared and that understanding is key, is important. It's not on the front page of the papers. It's not life or death. But it is its own little message of freedom. And that's something worth taking a stand for.
        • What it amounts to is that people who think for themselves are no longer wanted in society.
          When did this happen?
          What should we do about it?
          Who is John Galt?
        • Fair point, but I'd argue what the parent is suggesting is that perspective is the key.

          As in, with regards to all the true things that are important in a person's life and what should be worried about, technology should pale in comparison to, in the case of most men, finding a nice girl, raising a family, spending time with your kids, etc. THOSE aspects of life are what count to most people - the pleasures in life that are respected far more than one's crusade to protect the "sanctity" of technology.

          • Re:Sanctity of Tech? (Score:5, Insightful)

            by EvilNTUser (573674) on Saturday April 19 2008, @02:01AM (#23125800)
            Are you saying that you spend so much time worrying about your family that you don't have time for anything else? Your argument is meaningless, and only serves to diminish the importance of technology rather than elevate the importance of "true things".

            But let's look at this from the perspective of children, sure. Do you want them to grow up into a world in which the vendors control everything they can do with their devices? A world in which learning is impossible unless you're the best cracker who ever lived, and the economy is in the gutter because industries aren't adapting to new technologies? No, you probably don't.

            And what if we replace the word technology with the word freedom? Are you going to continue being so cavalier about fighting one losing battle after another, small as they may seem?

            As aimless as that article may seem to us who already know about all the abuse, maybe it'll actually reach someone who doesn't read slashdot.

        • Re:Sanctity of Tech? (Score:5, Insightful)

          by Mistshadow2k4 (748958) on Saturday April 19 2008, @02:17AM (#23125836) Journal

          I agree with you, but I think there's a flaw in your argument. Sure, life in Darfur is way more important, but it has been the allowing of people like the RIAA run rampant in one area that has set the example for others. If you can, say, screw over everyone because you're a record company, why can't I as something else do the same? Why can't I, as a doctor, screw people over, since I see lawyers getting away with it all the time? I don't know who said "rot from the core spreads outward" but he missed the mark; rot doesn't have to be at the core to spread.

          Or maybe this only makes sense with a lot of beer.


        • Revolutionary software and hardware designs will bring you a revolution of options.

          If you want a call to arms, the best ideas would be new legalese licensing schemes to protect privacy rights, and the rights of the tinkerer.

          New software designs which promote tinkering and interaction, such as free software. Use your creativity to promote your liberty.

    • Maybe he meant "sanctimonious."

      I read the summary twice and still had no idea what he was talking about.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by radagenais (1261374)
      It is not the tech that we should sanctify, but the freedom of thoughts and actions that seek to satisfy curiousity and a thirst for knowledge.

      And the freedom to do anything you please with something you rightfully own - most especially an object.

      But so long as the burden is on Them to have to sue Us one by one to exercise their so-called "rights" and "licenses", I really don't see a real threat to these freedoms - at worst a nuisance. Possession is nine-tenth's the law, after all.

  • Interesting but no direction (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Coldeagle (624205) * on Friday April 18 2008, @10:36PM (#23125134)
    He makes some good points, but he doesn't really say much other than take up arms. Unfortunately the very people he's making reference to don't read CNET or any other technology slanted publication. I would almost say boycotting is the best way. Organize a boycott of companies that don't meet with our ideals. I already do this with Microsoft, AT&T, and Time Warner cable. I will not give my money to this companies because I staunchly disagree with their business practices.

    What does everyone else think?

    • Re:Interesting but no direction (Score:5, Interesting)

      by rtb61 (674572) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:12PM (#23125276) Homepage
      Being a little politically pro-active might also be called for. So not just a boycott but, actually making those offensive practices illegal and, punishable by long term imprisonment.

      The internet provides the means by which the majority can regain control over politics and laws. The internet redefines how the public mind scape is formed and shaped. The mass media, greed is every thing message is dying, along with celebrity worship and the mindless messages that celebrities sell.

      So a campaign of re-regulation, a campaign of corporate executive culpability and liability, a campaign of not only protecting what we have but also taking back what has already by stolen via corporate corruption of the political system.

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by Coldeagle (624205) *
        I would love to see that eventually, but what's the first step? If there's a major boycott going on, the media will start to pay attention. If that happens, maybe people will pay attention the message that our legal system is fraked up and needs a boost. FCC, Patents and copyrights, etc. We also need to start hitting the freaking polls people, and I don't mean the ones /.
          • Generally I go with politely informing the miss-informed during those all to frequent 'free' service and support sessions, all done in a friendly manner to ensure word of mouth to spread in forums and social networks that I have no real desire to visit. Best to leave the trolling to the marketdroids.
      • The problem is not a lack of regulation; it is that there is already excessive regulation--of end users. The means for organizations like the ones mentioned are based in existing law. The solution is not to make MORE laws, but to repair or preferably repeal the "broken" laws.

        What is it that they say about insanity? Doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result... something to that tune. We do not gain freedoms from more laws. Fouling up the code further for people on down the line

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by CodeBuster (516420)

        actually making those offensive practices illegal and, punishable by long term imprisonment.

        Be careful what you wish for. There are far too many ill conceived laws on our books already and they do plenty more harm than good. There is no inherent right not to be offended. If we start passing laws against practices which some people find offensive then it will be the first step towards the end of freedom. This is what separates us in the civilized Western world from those in the east who live under religious law defining what is and is not offensive both in practice and speech with punishments suc

        • Generally the application of communism has been nothing more than another version of totalitarianism, so no I never have been nor wish to be a communist. I am quite comfortable with being a social democrat, you know, you just might possibly have heard of it, a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

          Why would wanting to ensure legal accountability for corporate executive officers be considered communism. Taking legal and moral responsibility for your actions might be considered a long

  • You'll keep hearing it (Score:5, Insightful)

    by TubeSteak (669689) on Friday April 18 2008, @10:48PM (#23125176) Journal

    How many times must we hear that video games cause violence before we stand up together and stop the spewing of inaccurate ideas? How many times must we listen to the RIAA tell us that college students are the root of all evil as it pertains to piracy before we tell the organization that it's wrong? How many times must we listen to public interest groups allow families to get off the hook instead of blaming them when "security concerns" are revealed to the public before we tell them the truth? How many times must we listen to people who have no knowledge of the technology industry restate the misguided ramblings of lawmakers before we vote for change?
    You will keep hearing all these things until your Think Tank writes papers & model legislation stating otherwise.

    You will keep hearing all these things until your "experts" go on TV and intelligently explain your position to a media interested in death, sex, and scandal.

    You will keep hearing all these things until your lobbyist "educates" misguided lawmakers.

    I could keep going in that vein for quite some time, but what it fundamentally boils down to is either changing the structure of the debate or co-opting it for your own message. But honestly, who's going to pay for a 30 second TV ad with a montage of straight-A students saying "I play violent video games and I've never killed anybody"

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Coldeagle (624205) *
      Maybe EA, LucasArts, or TakeTwo would pay for them? Seriously, why aren't the big names in gaming spending any money on commercials about what crap it is that playing violent games makes you violent?

      Seriously! At least Eminem makes a good point about the violence he spouts, it's just MUSIC, if your kids decide to go blow away their class mates, maybe you should look at yourself and not try to blame everyone else for your lack of parenting. My parents raised me to be responsible for my own actions and
      • I just recently watched an episode of "A Bit Of Fry & Laurie" - and I think they had the right idea (and from 1989, ahead of their time!). If simulated violence made people want to act violent in real life, why not include depictions of heroes giving large sums of money to the game makers? That way, if they're wrong about video games causing violence, it won't matter because they'll be rich, rich, rich!

  • A righteous rant, but no focus (Score:5, Insightful)

    by icebike (68054) on Friday April 18 2008, @10:53PM (#23125192)
    Yes, we all have our hit list of hated Luddites and money grubbers, but this article is so much standing on on a soap box in a pouring rain screaming to passers by, (most of whom regard the screamer as a kook).

    There is no rational plan of action, no believable tragedy for attack, and no suggestion for doing anything but throwing open the windows and screaming into the night.

    Until we either change the laws we are pretty much stuck with the current situation of constant turf wars, suits and counter suits until the absurdness of it all starts to sink in.

    There are signs that it IS starting to sink in. But not due to whining of the masses, but rather people suing ISPs, counter-suing the RIAA, etc.

    Real actions. Pony up for the lawyers and go to court. The soapbox gets you nowhere.
    • Actually, I found TFA inspiring. I think we should all galvanize and form some sort of foundation to help protect the electronic frontier. Now if we could only come up with a catchy acronym for it...

      • You've never experienced having to put down a perfectly adequate CPU and mobo because Tux Racer requires a faster GPU have you?

        That's what gives life meaning.

  • Lots of Hot Air (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Comatose51 (687974) on Friday April 18 2008, @10:59PM (#23125222) Homepage
    Seriously man.

    Sanctity of technology? I'm a software engineer. I help created technology but I don't worship it. I love when my code is nice and elegant but I also make trade-offs when needed because what I make has to work in the real world. Sanctity? What is this guy trying to sell? Only fanboys and snake oil salesman talk about technology as some Platonic ideal or traded as an object of worship.

    Where has this guy been? Did he JUST now noticed the RIAA, MPAA, and corrupt lawmakers trying to subvert the spirit of intellectual rights and freedom? This didn't just happen over night. The DMCA was passed when Clinton was president.

    Lastly, at the end of the rant, he has a call to action. What does he want us to do? Give us a plan. A rant without a plan is just a rant. Unite and rise up? Seriously man. We're not some Bolsheviks trying to overthrow the tzar. Get a sense of reality. The entire "article" is a bunch of hyperbole, obvious statements, and a total lack of any actionable items.

    Give me a break. It's an insult to our intelligence.

    • Re:Lots of Hot Air (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Bill, Shooter of Bul (629286) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:15PM (#23125290) Journal
      Yes, its all very stupid. Is RIAA evil? of course. Are file shares of copry written material evil? Of course. Just because there are two sides,doesn't mean any of them are correct. In most wars both sides are wrong.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Heshler (1191623)
      I agree that there was a lack of substance, but that is understandable considering the breadth of the issues. Yes it didn't have a plan; yes it was a rant. However, it was a provocative rant, which was the entire point. Basically saying let's get our act together. Should geeks have more political influence?

  • I must say, (Score:4, Insightful)

    by v(*_*)vvvv (233078) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:00PM (#23125224)
    technology is such an old and abused term I say we stop using it right now. The word is a total buzz kill. Computers and circuitry are already ubiquitous enough that we can just factor this "technology" reference out.

    If in 20 years we still refer to our "toys" as "technology" I would be damned.

    • Fire and the wheel are still technology. It doesn't matter how old a technology is, it's still technology. Perhaps that puts it in too stark terms for you? People would be pretty outraged if they couldn't light a fire or breathe oxygen without paying licensing fees. But that's the way it's going. So, perhaps the term is unexpectedly apt?

      Personally, I find "tech," "technological" and "IT" to be more offensive and abused than "technology." What do you think it should be called?

  • Question about this "to arms" thing... (Score:5, Funny)

    by russlar (1122455) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:08PM (#23125262)
    Does taking up arms require me to get off my couch? That would really be a deal-breaker.

    And of you want me to go outside at all, forget it.

  • Geek Voting Block (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Heshler (1191623) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:16PM (#23125294)
    I wonder if geeks could form some sort of voting block/interest group. We could stand up to tyranny. Seriously though, I'm not sure the extent to which this is feasible. First of all, people don't generally expect politicians to have a clue about tech. In Canada, it is a non-issue. These kinds of issues can simply be sidestepped by politicians. I guess the question is: how many people (not just /.) would actually change their vote based on a candidate's tech policy? Personally, Obama's tech credentials put him just over McCain (if I could vote there), but ALL OF PARLIMENT/CONGRESS needs to understand these issues in order to enact sound policy and not be easily persuaded by lobbyists. But let's be honest. Many/most of these issues have little tangible effect on typical people. It's hard to persuade people that tech issues are up there with Heath Care and the Economy.

  • Geek Wakeup Call (Score:3, Informative)

    by Doc Ruby (173196) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:28PM (#23125346) Homepage Journal
    Gee, a call to arms at 11:30PM on a lovely Spring Friday night.

    This manifesto is going nowhere. At least not this weekend.

  • It's not that I'm apathetic... (Score:4, Funny)

    by MrKaos (858439) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:47PM (#23125424) Journal
    ...it's that I just don't care.
  • Won't somebody please, think of the authorities? Jackboots aren't free, you know.
  • In real life, all sorts of things are being regulated and prohibited as well. Sometimes, it makes sense (monopolies), sometimes it doesn't (sex, drugs). It's just the way governments and people work.

  • Missed the point (Score:5, Insightful)

    by sjames (1099) on Saturday April 19 2008, @12:45AM (#23125612) Homepage

    There is a problem, but the article managed to barely graze it on it's way to somewhere else (I'm not sure where).

    The part about ripping was there and made sense but that's about it. The real problem is things like media companies driving efforts to force manufacturers to design hardware primarily to make sure it doesn't do what the owner wants.

    In turn, that makes open hardware a real problem to obtain. Not that I think we would otherwise get firmware source with a new DVR, but I'll bet manufacturers would make a lot less effort to hinder hacking if they weren't forced into it.

    There is a nasty trend towards more expensive, lower performance, and less versatile standards just to please a 3rd party (HDMI cables anyone?).

    Part of Vista's problem is that so much of it is designed to prevent the user from (God forbid) copying a movie. Meanwhile, all the electronic "tilt switches" will surely drive up the cost and lower the performance of video cards with no benefit to the buyer whatsoever. An estimated 10% of the nice new CPU you paid for is dedicated to making sure you haven't modified the video card you bought.

    In truth, the lot of it is interferance with ownership.

  • Really old news (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Yvanhoe (564877) on Saturday April 19 2008, @01:13AM (#23125672) Journal
    People had the same idea years ago. They founded the EFF. You can help them finance their crusade, it has been an ongoing effort.
    • I really wish I had some mod points right now. This article sounds like such wishy-washy, unrealistic crap. I can't wait to read his next article: "Hey y'all we should do something about the homeless", or "Kids, stop humping. That's how babies are made"
  • This is one of the reasons I'm voting for Obama in Tuesday's PA primary,
    -He's for net neutrality so that becomes assured for another 4 years at least and would give the internet time to become even more dependent on the concept. There's a certain threshold with internet where network neutrality needs to be maintained for a long enough period to which the public gets educated enough on the concept that they won't accept an un-neutral internet.
    -Advocates copyright reform.
    -Advocates patent reform.

    among other t

  • Why are women forced to pay ridiculous sums... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 19 2008, @03:37AM (#23126108)

    ...of cash for stealing 20 songs?
    Because even seasoned journalists (moreover in rallying cries like this) can be tricked into using and spreading legally inaccurate demonizations like "stealing" and "piracy" that have only been coined to exaggerate IP infringement [oxfordjournals.org] out of proportion?

    • Re:Maybe people should stop stealing music? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by What Would NPH Do (1274934) on Friday April 18 2008, @10:45PM (#23125168)

      If the pirates can't buy the CDS to begin with, then they won't be able to copy them over The Internet, will they?
      False. Most of the scene releases of CDs and DVDs are stolen or leaked copies from someone on the inside of the production. You're blacklist idea will do all of jack and shit to stop piracy.

      • Re:Maybe people should stop stealing music? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by NoobHunter (1090113) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:11PM (#23125272)
        To quote a favorite movie of mine..."And Jack Left Town!"

        At the end of the day...what it boils down to is the societal slant to defer consequences and responsibility on others, in this case...the minorities.

        RIAA: Our system is dying, the consequence should be to invent a new system. But we will slough it off and punish the innovators so the old bags of shit still running the cartels can stuff their pockets and keep paying for the whores and crack.

        MPAA: We are similar in situation to the RIAA except we produce MegaTons of shit and expect people to overpay for it. We should screen the shit we decide to produce more but instead, we will punish those we should be embracing so we can also keep paying for our whores and crack.

        Pro-Familly and Anti-VideoGame Violence: Holy shit, where do I begin? We refuse to admit that the reason the youth of today is in a downward spiral of self-destruction is because we pamper our children to the point where they believe they are more righteous than we, the parents and teachers are. We refuse to expose them to the realities of life because it may damage them but when they lack the psychological tools to deal with life once it hits them in the face, we blam everyone except for ourselves because frankly...we are not to blame. Video Games and Movies and Music teach our children to do drugs, shoot guns and kill people. I mean...sure Grand Theft Auto is rated M for Mature and 17+ but I will buy it for him/her anyways. I mean...it's just a video game...but I will blame the development companies when my 12 year old swears like a sailor and tells me to frack off because...well...he saw it in the video game they made....It's not my fault...

        The Gov't (In this, I include the Canadian and US Governments because they are just as bad as the other in this...): All of the above can pad my pocket for millions of dollars so they must know what is right for everyone...right? I mean, what harm can passing a bill that a Lobbyist proposed do? Net Neutrality? The Internets? All those tubes? Sure! Let the ISPs control them freely! After all, China had it right, except for all that killing. We just need to figure out a way to do it without everyone noticing....and anyone that refuses? I hear Guantanamo Bay still has a few empty cells.....
        That Jack Thomson guy seems so nice! He really has the people in mind and he does think of the children!

        I think I covered most of them....putting myself in their frame of mind actually hurt....alot. Where's that bottle of whiskey?

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      by Coldeagle (624205) *
      You shouldn't categorize everyone who doesn't buy CD's as pirates. One of the reasons I don't buy CD's anymore is because I don't want the bother of converting them to MP3 for my iPod. It took me weeks to convert my collection of 400+ CD's so I could listen to them on my iPod. Now I just buy them online. It's much easier and more convenient.

      Another reason I prefer purchasing online is the fact that I don't have to pay for all the songs on an album. I usually don't like between 30-50% of the songs o
      • You don't want to take whatever shit they shovel at you and pay over the odds for the privilege?
        What are you, some kind of islamist hacker terrorist?;)>
    • What a sad, sad story.

    • Re:Maybe people should stop stealing music? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by exley (221867) on Friday April 18 2008, @10:57PM (#23125212) Homepage

      They have fought the War on Drugs with skill, so why not the War on Piracy?
      Okay, we know that parent HAS to be making a (very long-winded, boring) joke just because of that line. Right?

    • Re:Maybe people should stop stealing music? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by evil_aar0n (1001515) on Friday April 18 2008, @11:13PM (#23125278)
      > Why is no one buying CDs? ... I don't know. But there is one, inescapable truth - Internet piracy is mostly to blame.

      You just admitted you don't know, but you're sure it piracy. Does that make sense?

      Maybe they're not coming to your store because they don't like the hypocrisy of some Jesus Freek pulling a Dirty Harry on teenage kids.

      > fought the War on Drugs with skill.

      Either you're Nancy Reagan, still with the blinders on, but after a real heavy binge, or you're a shill for the *AA.

      Regardless, if you can't see that your business is doomed - or you _do_ see that it's doomed, but you persist - then you deserve whatever untoward fate befalls you.

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