I think the real problem is that the actual statutory language enacted by Congress in the case of the DMCA is inherently contradictory, and it is therefore impossible to know what the act means in practice without a great deal of litigation. This is a grossly irresponsible surrender of lesiglative duty, much like a football referee trying to make everyone happy by telling both sides that they have won and then encouraging the fans to resolve the matter with fistfights.
-- Mike On 2000-05-22 at 01:02 -0500, sam th wrote: > Normally, this would not be enforcable under copyright law. However, the > DMCA allows manufacturers to prevent people from bypassing technological > measures that prevent fair use of the materiel. Thus, fair use is legal, > but technically impossible. The DMCA does not abolish fair use, however > it allows copyright holders (in these cases, usually not the artists) to > make the sort of access that would make fair use possible criminal.