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Alex Jones

I lead teams at the intersection of strategy and design. Autodidact. Polymath. Barbecue acolyte. I start fires (the good kind).

law

Hatch’s Hit List: 14 – 19

While I don’t have time to comment on these at the moment, I hope that I wil lbe able to offer up my thoughts on future list items, now that I am caught up. I may also swing back and comment upon select Hit List entries if time allows.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #14 – Deepnet Explorer

    If enough browsers had built-in P2P, then many websites would be able to effectively offload much of their bandwidth needs. Rather than linking to the file with HTTP, they would link to the file with a bandwidth-sharing P2P protocol. Which protocol? Wouldn’t really matter, actually. Heck, maybe the link would be to a hash that the browser would use to launch a search for the appropriate file via several protocols. Makes a lot of sense for certain types of legitimate distribution actually.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #15 – Ringtone Remixers

    Custom ringtones are very handy for distinguishing your phone (and yourself) from the crowd, as this (SSEYO Ringtone Remixer with DJ Spuddy) ringtone remixing website notes:

    Anyone can create a ringtone remix of a popular track with just a few mouse clicks! Select the ringtone you want, make and preview your remix, and then send your handywork to your mobile phone. Easy, and cool.

    Well, that sounds like a derivative work to me. The intent is also extremely clear from the reference to a “popular” track. Clearly, a codeword for a copyrighted track.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #16 – The New York Times

    Yesterday, the New York Times published an article in their Circuits section that painted a romantic picture of copyright infringers who violate the public perfomance right for films (Now Playing, a Digital Brigadoon). The article was about “guerilla drive-in” theater, in which copyright pirates go to public spaces (sometimes trespassing) and project films so that anyone can watch them. Rather than condemning the copyright thieves for what they were, the article seemed favorably inclined to what they were doing. It called them “hipsters” and “impresarios” and “movie buffs” when, in fact, they are the enemy of legitimate film.

    The article touted the fact that the scoundrels used many devices that should be on Hatch’s Hit List, including one that has already been covered: Hatch’s Hit List #3 – AM/FM Transmitters. The article is practically a “how-to” for piracy.

    A reasonable person would realize that reporting about these events will induce some people to participate or even start their own.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #17 – Cellphones with Hard Drives

    As hard drives (and digital storage in general) get smaller and cheaper (for example, Toshiba Whips Out Tiny Hard Drive, Smacks Apple​), undoubtedly we are going to see cellphone storage increase tremendously. Let’s see, a communication device with tons of digital storage? Sounds exactly like something the INDUCE Act would ban. Putting communication and storage together is just asking for trouble if the INDUCE Act passes.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #18 – Universal Turing Machine

    Turing machines seem pretty simple, so I can’t imagine why someone would need a “universal” one. Why not just build more of the single-purpose Turing machines? The only possible use I can see for a “universal” Turing machine is to copy what another copyrighted Turing machine does. If you give people a Universal Turing Machine, they will inevitably be induced to infringe copyrights with it. Any “reasonable person” can see that UTMs are, in reality, the most perfect copyright infringement devices ever invented.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #19 – Battle Torrent

Battle Torrent might be a great idea for letting people publish bulky files and engage in free expression, but that is precisely why the INDUCE Act will have to outlaw it.

Hatch’s Hit List: 9 – 13

Again, I do not have the time to provide commentary on Ernest Miller’s latest additions to Hatch’s Hit List, but I want to ensure you are aware of them:

  • Hatch’s Hit List #9 – Darknets

    For a number of reasons, some people don’t want to share certain files with the world. They would prefer to have private networks that restrict membership and are cryptographically obscured against prying eyes. For example, some may wish to share home videos solely with family and friends. Or perhaps the darknet can be used for ad hoc business collaboration. There are many, many legitimate uses (otherwise known as “substantial non-infringing” uses) for such darknets. Of course, there are just as many illegitimate uses, such as copyright infringement.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #10 – 3D Scanners

    Of course, that is the problem with new technology, people don’t see how, in a few years, they might come to be seen as irreplaceable: how did we ever live without it? Not every technology ends up being useful, of course, but plenty of them went through a stage where their ultimate promise wasn’t quite clear…

    Sounds pretty good to me. Lots of people are doing animation at home, as well as creating models for 3D game mods. Some of them would likely love to use a consumer 3D scanner to make creating such models easily (think about what you could add to “The Sims”!). And, of course, if you have a 3D Printer as well, watch out – the potential uses are unlimited (Hatch’s Hit List #2 – 3D Printers)!

    Who knows what other great uses people may come up with for 3D scanners? Sizing for mail order clothes? It doesn’t really matter, however, because, if the INDUCE Act passes, many of the initial uses are clearly going to involve copyright infringement.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #11 – Virtual Jigsaw Puzzles

    Who hasn’t put together a jigsaw puzzle at one point or another? Of course, physical puzzle pieces have a tendency to get bent through enthusiasm, or even lost. So why not a virtual puzzle on your PC, where pieces can’t get lost? Alright, so maybe it isn’t as fun, but it sure seems popular given the number of virtual puzzle programs out there.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #12 – FreeCache

    Basically, the system reduces bandwidth by caching large files nearer the users. Unlike other caches, the various “FreeCaches” distribute information among themselves. This means that bandwidth required for the original site is minimized. This is an excellent means for those without lots of spare bandwidth to distribute larger files.

    Of course, if the INDUCE Act as currently written becomes law, lawyers are going to start asking some very disturbing questions regarding why the notorious copyright scofflaws at the Internet Archive developed such a system they knew could be easily abused by infringers. Heck, anyone can come along and make infringing material available via FreeCache.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #13 – Disaster Relief Communication Systems

    Well, one of the goals of the project is:

    Using off-the-shelf hardware and software, including some technology developed in Silicon Valley, the team will install the system under deliberately harsh circumstances. It will be designed to help get crucial information where it’s needed, securely and reliably, but not in a way where it’s subject to central control….From the standpoint of tomorrow’s communications, Strong Angel has enormous potential. If it’s possible to create what amounts to a cheap, ad-hoc, reliable and secure information network under difficult circumstances, human freedom itself could get a boost. Such a system could help bring a freer flow of information to places where dictatorships or lack of a standard infrastructure have kept information in the hands of a few.

    Again, sounds good. However, any such system will likely have many copyright infringing possibilities, especially if a cheap and reliable version is made readily available to the public.

Catching up to INDUCE

As I have been slammed with work and personal events, I haven’t kept my site up to date with news of the INDUCE Act. So, here is a quick post of links, likely to be followed by others, to try to atone for my sin:

Hatch's Hit List: 5 – 8

Well, sadly I don’t have the time to comment on Ernest Miller’s latest batch of Hit List items at the moment, but I want to ensure everyone is at least aware of the articles. I will try to add commentary when/if time allows.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #5 – Automatic Online Translators

    Ever do a search on Google and some of the results weren’t in English? Notice that little “Translate this Page” next to the link? Yeah, that’s an inducement. Google is practically begging you to create a derivative work.

  • Hatch’s Hit List #6 – Legos

    Take for example Lego Mosaics, which would be derivative works of the original image. Lego will let you upload a picture file and then, using their Brick-o-Lizer, let you create a custom Lego mosaic from the photo. The next step is for Lego to ship you the custom kit, after you pay them $29.95 (aka commercial viablity).

  • Hatch’s Hit List #7 – VoIP

    Inevitably, some of these developing and interesting uses for VoIP are going to lead to copyright infringement. Why is the attached .wav file necessarily a phone call? VoIP is so cheap in many cases, why not use it as a streaming radio station (which might merely be a form of conference call)? All these interesting and innovative uses will likely make our telephones even more useful than before. However, how much innovation will Hollywood permit in the development of unique VoIP applications if the INDUCE Act passes?

  • Hatch’s Hit List #8 – Worth1000 Photoshop Contests

    Worth1000 is “a daily image manipulation contest site.” Basically, it is a website for competitive photoshopping. Everyday, there are new photoshopping contests such as Unsung Vending Machines 2 and If Dogs Ruled. The contest entries are frequently hilarious and often brilliant work. Additionally, W1K is not only a contest site, but a community where people share their knowledge and love of this new art form. Too bad that the INDUCE Act will make the site lawsuit-bait.