[kwlug-disc] Printer Question.

[Paul Nijjar]

On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 03:04:02PM -0400, Bob Jonkman wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> 
> So, likely it IS just a counter, but intentionally set up to make you
> buy new supplies. I see there are lots of places selling circumvention
> chips[1] and software[2].
> 
> <politics> Now that Bill C-11 is about to become law, it will be an
> offence to circumvent these Technological Protection Measures to
> repair your printer... </politics>

I know that this sounds like a naive question, but what aspect of the
printer counter circumvention actually falls under Bill C-11? I am not
sure I am seeing copyright at all here. 

Here's the definition of TPM from the Bill: 

---
	
“technological protection measure” means any effective technology,
device or component that, in the ordinary course of its operation,

		
(a) controls access to a work, to a perform- er’s performance fixed in
a sound recording or to a sound recording and whose use is authorized
by the copyright owner; or

		
(b) restricts the doing — with respect to a work, to a performer’s
performance fixed in a sound recording or to a sound recording — of
any act referred to in section 3, 15 or 18 and any act for which
remuneration is payable under section 19.
---

The counters are not trying to prevent you from copying the printer or
even the toner cartridge. Is the argument that this is somehow an
access control? 

This question is genuine, not facetious. If this is an actual
consequence of the bill, that would be pretty interesting and
important. But I have never heard it before.

- Paul