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

[Andrew Kohlsmith (mailing lists account)]

On Sunday, June 06, 2010 01:09:00 pm Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> Analogy time: learning how to do lock picking is (as far as I know) not a
> crime.

No, but I'm pretty sure that being in possession of lock picking tools without 
being licensed *is* a crime, at least in BC and Alberta. Picks for automotive 
locks are a different beast, and *do* require a license in all provinces, IIRC.

> The same should apply to DVDs, DRM, ...etc. Merely breaking a lock should
> not be a crime. Breaking it to resell such stuff should be.

That's what I said earlier... if I bought the media (digital or physical) I 
should be able to do whatever the hell I want to do with it, so long as I am 
not distributing it. We have copyright laws to smack me with if I distribute. 
But in my own home, I should be able to play the media using whatever I want, 
without restriction. Fair use and personal consumption and all that jazz.

-A.