[kwlug-disc] are you going to be a criminal?

[John Johnson]

At 11:49 2010-06-04, Khalid wrote:
>So, what I do now on VHS will become impossible, and if I try to 
>workaround it, I am a criminal.

I am sure Khalid was stretching a point and, further, I am sure the 
people in this community recognize one significant difference between 
copying VHS (and audio cassette tapes) and copying digital media. 
With the former there is an inherent introduction of error in the 
process and resultant loss of fidelity. With the latter, digital 
media, as we all know, the copy is an exact - error free - image of 
the original. Hence, pirates, the assumed targets of this 
legislation, can make exact - error free copies - of original media.

This distinction is not readily evident when the usual talking heads 
in the media are kicking things around. And I would think that some 
of the suits in Ottawa, similarly, do not realize the difference. I 
would suggest that any lobbying would be careful to avoid the analogy 
or, as best as possible, try to clarify the distinction.

Regards.
John Johnson