US Copyright Office Grants DMCA Exemption For Ice Cream Machines (extremetech.com) 26
The Librarian of Congress has granted a DMCA exemption allowing independent repair of soft-serve machines, addressing the persistent issue of restricted repairs on McDonald's frequently malfunctioning machines. ExtremeTech reports: Section 1201 of the DMCA makes it illegal to bypass a digital lock protecting copyrighted work. That can be the DRM on a video file you download from iTunes, the carrier locks that prevent you from using a phone on other networks, or even the software running a McDonald's soft serve machine that refuses to accept third-party repairs. By locking down a product with DRM, companies can dictate when and how items are repaired under threat of legal consequences. This is an ongoing issue for people who want to fix all those busted ice cream machines.
Earlier this year, iFixit and Public Knowledge submitted their request for an exemption that would have covered a wide swath of industrial equipment. The request included everything from building management software to the aforementioned ice cream machines. Unfortunately, the Copyright Office was unconvinced on some of these points. However, the Librarian of Congress must be just as sick as the rest of us to hear the ice cream machine is broken. The office granted an exception for "retail-level food preparation equipment."
That means restaurant owners and independent repair professionals will be able to bypass the software locks that keep kitchen machinery offline until the "right" repair services get involved. This should lower prices and speed up repairs in such situations. Public Knowledge and iFixit express disappointment that the wider expansion was not granted, but they're still celebrating with some delicious puns (and probably ice cream). "There's nothing vanilla about this victory; an exemption for retail-level commercial food preparation equipment will spark a flurry of third-party repair activity and enable businesses to better serve their customers," said Meredith Rose, Senior Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge.
Earlier this year, iFixit and Public Knowledge submitted their request for an exemption that would have covered a wide swath of industrial equipment. The request included everything from building management software to the aforementioned ice cream machines. Unfortunately, the Copyright Office was unconvinced on some of these points. However, the Librarian of Congress must be just as sick as the rest of us to hear the ice cream machine is broken. The office granted an exception for "retail-level food preparation equipment."
That means restaurant owners and independent repair professionals will be able to bypass the software locks that keep kitchen machinery offline until the "right" repair services get involved. This should lower prices and speed up repairs in such situations. Public Knowledge and iFixit express disappointment that the wider expansion was not granted, but they're still celebrating with some delicious puns (and probably ice cream). "There's nothing vanilla about this victory; an exemption for retail-level commercial food preparation equipment will spark a flurry of third-party repair activity and enable businesses to better serve their customers," said Meredith Rose, Senior Policy Counsel at Public Knowledge.
A start... (Score:1)
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Right? This goes right against the right-to-repair laws that are being passed in the country. Eventually the SCOTUS will have to step in to resolve conflicts between state right-to-repair laws and the Section 1201 of DMCA.
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Uh, you do know Scalia died 7 years ago, right? And as far as I can find neither has an "Olympic-sized swimming pools"...
But at least you got an opportunity to use some fun language...
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At least the low-user-id paradigm is holding up. Praise God.
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No ruling yet because it's not Deere season.
Re: A start... (Score:1)
Oh Deere what a pun!
Good, but it won't actually fix anything (Score:3)
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A can completely relate to this. Forget about getting an ice cream cone from McDonald's after 8:00 PM. Never been able to do it, and that is the ONLY thing I'd go to a McDonald's for.
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It's a hamburger restaurant, not an ice cream shop. People need to just take their business elsewhere.
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"There's nothing vanilla about this victory" (Score:2)
Gaaah! Awful.
Re: "There's nothing vanilla about this victory" (Score:1)
I'm glad that the didn't serve up and more of these puns.
McDonald's in the news (Score:3)
What the hell is going on?
Did Kamala work at McDonalds growing up?
Trump did 15 minutes at a McDonalds Fry station and drive-thru window.
Dozens of people are getting sick from tainted/questionable meat.
And now we're talking about carving out an exception to the DCMA for Ice Cream machines in McDonalds?
What's going on with McDonalds?
Re: (Score:2)
Welcome to the USA, home of the lowest common denominator.
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I mean seriously, you buy one of these machines, your not even allowed to replace the electronics. Just saying "Ok lets just bypass all the electronics and jus
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Did Kamala work at McDonalds growing up?
Kamala Harris has said she worked at McDonalds in college. This has not been confirmed or denied by McDonald's.
Trump did 15 minutes at a McDonalds Fry station and drive-thru window.
And Trump in his pettiness is going for his "Nuh-uh. Liar!" moment by saying he "worked" at a McDonald's longer than she has. Mind you, Trump to this day refuses to admit Obama was born in the US. Also he refuses he was wrong about the Central Park Five [wikipedia.org] even after New York City vacated their convictions and settled lawsuits. Trump always tries to reverse Uno every time someone points out another o
The contract is what matters... (Score:2)
I don't know what the contract between McDonalds and its franchisees says but I wouldn't be surprised if it said something to the effect of "you have to buy this specific machine and you have to get it repaired by Taylor and if you don't do that you will loose your franchise". Assuming it does, what the DMCA or copyright law says doesn't matter.
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I don't know what the contract between McDonalds and its franchisees says but I wouldn't be surprised if it said something to the effect of "you have to buy this specific machine and you have to get it repaired by Taylor and if you don't do that you will loose your franchise".
It does, in fact, say exactly that. That information - and a whole lot more - shows up in this interesting video on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrDEtSlqJC4
It's a half-hour of actual, honest-to-goodness investigative journalism. I watched it in its entirety once, and will be happy to watch it again - it's that good.
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And Taylor either cannot reliably repair these machines, does not have the staff to respond in a timely manner, or is conspiring with McCopCo to ruin the ice cream product marketing.
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Oh for fuck's sake (Score:2)
Literally the previous /. headline:
Goes to show who has lobbying money and who doesn't.
Rob
OK, here goes... (Score:2)
1) Farmer growing corn, wheat, et cetera, has John Deere equipment.
2) Farmer sets up a small stand at the foot of their driveway "selling food directly to the public".
3) Farmer can NOW claim that the JD tractor, combine, harvester, etc are all used to make food, some of which is sold directly through retail. Now the DMCA no longer applies to JD equipment as the exemption applies.
mcdonald's franchise rules will not allow them to (Score:2)
mcdonald's franchise rules will not allow them to be fixed by 3rd party repair.