Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Best Laid Plans ...

It was our intent to go completely dark today as part of the Internet protest over SOPA. Due to technical difficulties, this isn't happening. In lieu of a new post today, I'll direct you to THIS PAGE, which contains links explaining this issue.

4 comments:

Mike Wood said...

so by commenting am I outing myself as Pro-SOPA and PIPA?

Speaking of, what I wouldn't give to be able to "SOPA" Prince Williams sisiter in law, PIPA in that showa!

BooksAndPals said...

I'm commenting back Mike, so I don't think commenting implies that. If you're serious (I'm not sure if you're joking) I'm interested in hearing why.

FWIW, I have mixed feelings about a lot to do with copyright law as it has evolved in the US and has thus far failed to evolve to deal with new technologies, however I'm for an author being able to protect their work. But I don't think the proposed laws are the way to do it. TBH, I have a hard time imagining anyone who is not a large media corporation thinking it is.

Mike Wood said...

I was joking (or trying to!) and in all honesty, have not paid any attention to the issue. I DID do a little recon after all this recent attention, and from the little I read, it sounds like I'd be the first "victim" as I flaunt copyright laws all the time, be it posting pics on my blog, setting home videos to music, or photocopying material for my students. I'm able to sleep at night knowing my unauthorized use is not done in order to make money off of someone else, or pass off their work as my own, but at the same time, i know I'm being lazy by not properly citing the owner.

BooksAndPals said...

Mike,

At least some commentators think that, at least under some versions of the law, that the little purloined picture on your blog could result in all of blogspot getting blocked, not just "Blog of Wood."

I say Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, on TV last night. He says that even having a link from Wikipedia to a blacklisted site would put them at risk.

Al