Mod chips outlawed in Australia (again)

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 14:21:18 +1000
> From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane () theage fairfax com au>
> Subject: Mod chips outlawed in Australia (again)
> To: "Dave Farber (E-mail)" <dave () farber net>
>
>
> Hi Dave
>
> A Queensland small business has suspended sales of its Linux kits for the
> Microsoft Xbox gaming console following the Federal Court's upholding of an
> appeal by Japanese electronics giant Sony to outlaw "mod chips".
>
> Industry watchdog the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which
> gave evidence supporting the sale of mod chips at the earlier trial of
> Sydney man Eddy Stevens, slammed the decision saying consumers would lose as
> their rights to buy software of their choice was eroded.
>
> The founder of Queensland mod chip maker Aussiechip, Grant Sparks, said the
> decision gave carte blanche to foreign companies to flout Australia's
> consumer protection laws.
>
> "Corporations will now be able to misuse this protection in order to protect
> trade practices that are not covered under the (Copyright) Act," Sparks
> said.
>
> "When you buy your next personal computer, do you want Microsoft to be able
> to enforce that you can only purchase and run software programs that they
> approve of? If you circumvent this system so that you can install Netscape
> instead of Internet Explorer, should the Australian police arrest you as a
> criminal and put you in jail for this crime?"
>
> MORE (inc links to Copyright Digital Agenda legislation):
> http://bilskirnir.blogspot.com/2003_08_01_bilskirnir_archive.html#1060056594
> 73982229
>
> -
> Nathan Cochrane
> Deputy IT Editor
> :Next:
> The Age and Sydney Morning Herald
> http://www.next.theage.com.au
>
>
>
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