As if suing 871 individual CUSTOMERS wasn't enough for "copyright infringment", look at this new chip and software the RIAA, Microsoft, intel, and every other big name computer company wants to put in the new generation of computers....
The following excerpt is from http://www.sharpwit.com/cgi-bin/shar...palladium.html
"TCPA or Trusted Computing Platform Alliance is a "new computer platform" led by Intel (the CPU chip maker) and supported by "Bill" (Of Microsoft fame). TCPA is the chip's architecture and "Palladium" is Microsoft's name for the software which supports TCPA. TCPA will stop operation of any of your unlicensed software by interacting with "Pallium", to determine if your use is legitimate.
The first obvious application of the technology is DRM (digital rights management), so you can't play DVDS or CDS on your home computer without buying or renting them first.
A second application: sensative material published by the Government,large military or industry complexes will be "classified" and only readable by "their own TCPA machines". Documents, emails or applications can no longer be electronically "leaked" to unauthorized persons.
The danger of this new "TCPA" is that all documents on your home computer can be remotely censored to delete pirated music, or documents that a court (or software company) has decided are offensive - for example an article criticizing a political leader, or allowing you to switch software applications from one company to its competitor's product. For example: Microsoft Word could encrypt all your Word documents, using keys that only Microsoft can understand, that disallow any competitors software from using or reading them. Idle speculation? No, not anymore: Microsoft has reached a compromised settlement with the US Government, despite its monopolistic practices, that is favourable to Microsoft but not to its plaintiffs. Why; because Microsoft has lots and lots of money and controls many influential people in government and industry."
If you're as pissed and surprised as I am, there's some more good info at
http://209.157.64.200/focus/news/707684/posts
I have no idea what normal people like you and me can do about this but there has to be something. AR brothers, lets get together and all go kick Bill Gates in the nuts...