Teen Programmers Unite  
 

 

Return to forum top

Cyber freedom is threatened!

Posted by ItinitI [send private reply] at April 05, 2003, 07:54:17 PM

Apparently there is an alliance called TCPA... they're threatening cyber freedom, especially in the US. They're basicaly trying to make there own standard for computers. In the US there is a bill, CBDPTA [Formarly SSSCA], this bill would force compliance to the TCPA's "standards" and it would be illegal to sell/buy non-compliant computers with resulting punishment of up to $500,000 fines, and 5 years jail time. For hardware of software to be "compliant" they would have to have a costly certification, this would virtually kill open source.
This is not good.
Read more at: http://www.againsttcpa.com/

P.S. Yeah...this is advertising, but I think it's stuff that should be brought to attention.

Posted by mop [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 12:17:35 AM

They will never be able to follow through with standardizing computer components. If I have a telephone line going into my house, it doesn't give anyone the right to take away what I do with it on my end, and enough "normal joe end user"s know that to not allow it to happen.

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 05:57:08 AM

I presume this is just a US law?

Posted by RedX [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 08:17:08 AM

Burning down freedom in order to save freedom.
Doesn't this smell like incompetent politicians fearing for their jobs?

Posted by ItinitI [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 09:02:30 AM

"I presume this is just a US law?"

Yes, the bill is in the US...however if the bill is passed it would affect other countries [Ones who use US hardware and software].

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 09:15:24 AM

I don't see how they could say all hardware must be x compliant otherwise you face a huge fine. That certainly seems anti-competitive and anti-developmental.

Posted by taubz [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 11:02:29 AM

Yeah, and several states have passed laws making NAT, SSL, and probably AOL illegal... don't put it past lawmakers to do something stupid.

- taubz

Posted by gian [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 04:15:01 PM

I thought there was some law in the US against new legislation which would infringe upon the ability for legitimate businesses to operate? Surely this law would stop any company which did not implement trusted computing currently from doing business?

Posted by taubz [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 05:29:59 PM

I don't know of any such law....

Posted by Mike_L [send private reply] at April 06, 2003, 06:07:21 PM

I don't think anything like this will happen. If it does, them I'm moving to Canada. And if all US-designed chips have the crap in them, then I'll have to use Chinese-made computers then. =)

Posted by stilldo [send private reply] at April 07, 2003, 12:33:38 AM

if they try to enforce that, then nobody will bother becoming compliant due to the cost, resist, the government cant do anything, and *poof*, no more law.

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at April 07, 2003, 10:53:38 AM

I think you miss out on the point that 200 of the computer giant firms are behind this. And notice the non compliance fine. Which is why I think it will never happen. I can't think of a parallel non compliance thing in another industry.

Posted by stilldo [send private reply] at April 08, 2003, 01:06:21 AM

...are the giants windows-based?

that would explain a lot, as it would give mircosoft a real bonus, knocking apple and the rest out of the game.

they can afford to be behind it, too, as they set the trends.

Posted by mop [send private reply] at April 08, 2003, 01:09:20 AM

what do you mean windows based? This is mostely hardware.

Posted by stilldo [send private reply] at April 08, 2003, 01:17:45 AM

i know, but a lot of hardware is built for windows these days (like those dell computers with "made for windows xp" stickers)

windows, as in, windows oriented. built for windows. and so on.

guess i'm no good at communicating...

:\

Posted by ItinitI [send private reply] at April 08, 2003, 10:02:30 AM

Yeah, MS, Compaq, HP, IBM, Intel are the original starters of htis group. I was suprised to see AMD on the list too. Even Via [Cyrix3] is on there...

Posted by regretfuldaydreamer [send private reply] at April 08, 2003, 11:38:43 AM

The problem is if you don't join this group, you're not gonna have any control over future product specifications etc.

Posted by stilldo [send private reply] at April 09, 2003, 12:35:45 AM

apple is going down

*sniff*

i have a mac, my brother has a mac, so does *his* brother...

i was brought up on a mac classic II...

*sniff*

Posted by ItinitI [send private reply] at April 09, 2003, 10:15:58 AM

Only IF the bill passes.
I'm somewhat working on tactics to counter it...

Posted by mop [send private reply] at April 09, 2003, 10:32:34 AM

The made for windows stickers don't mean that the hardware only runs with windows, they are just there to remind you that microsoft has a strangling monopoly.

You must be logged in to post messages and see which you have already read.

Log on
Username:
Password:
Save for later automatic logon

Register as a new user
 
Copyright TPU 2002. See the Credits and About TPU for more information.