FC: Digital copyright law on trial in New York (hearing Thurs)

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

**********

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,33716,00.html

                       Digital Copyright Law on Trial
                       by Declan McCullagh (declan () wired com)

                       3:00 a.m. 18.Jan.2000 PST
                       Most people might be just a trifle
                       intimidated if sued by the world's biggest
                       film studios and accused of endangering
                       "the future of American movies."

                       Not Emmanuel Goldstein.

                       The online firebrand and publisher of the
                       venerable 2600 hacker quarterly says he
                       isn't fazed by his new defendant status.

                       "It's not about piracy," he says. It's
                       about the right to modify software.

                       Instead of being in court in New York for
                       a hearing Thursday, he'll be on his way to
                       California to celebrate Kevin Mitnick's
                       release from prison.

                       But Goldstein might still have something
                       to worry about.

                       It isn't just that one of the largest,
                       oldest, and meanest law firms in town,
                       Proskauer Rose, is representing the eight
                       studios who claim he illegally distributed a
                       useful, albeit controversial, DVD-copying
                       program.

                       Goldstein's real problem is that the suits
                       may have a very good case against him
                       and the other two defendants. A related
                       lawsuit is taking place in a California
                       superior court where a hearing is
                       scheduled on Tuesday.

                       [...]


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