[Info-vax] VMS License Generator

[George Cornelius]

In article <jg3uko$lbj$1 at reader1.panix.com>, JohnF <john at please.see.sig.for.email.com> writes:
> Right, it's a crime, plain and simple.

In a separate post I argued that there are constitutional
reasons why in the U.S. this may be protected speech and
not a crime.

Just to preempt the endless comments that are likely
to follow stating that I am condoning the publication
of software such as what the OP is offering, I will
mention that there are endless means within established
constitutional boundaries of controlling such acts,
some already in place.

I was about to list two techniques, both of which
decriminalize the original act but make it quite
costly to carry out, but since our lawmakers don't
need any more ideas that can be turned into
hideously convoluted legislation, I'll just mention
the two categories: (1) tax law, and (2) civil
lawsuits initiated by the injured party with some
kind of fast-track process that guarantees a large
return in almost any case that a perpetrator
is foolish enough to allow to go to trial.

Either way, there could be provisions for sharing
what is collected with those who report the
infringement and those who collect the taxes or
legal judgments, and a means of making the supplier
of circumvention software track who receives it, not
to mention making him responsible for any part of
the damages not collected from the perpetrator
himself.

Of course, we'd eventually have Dawg, the Bounty
Hunter, buying up intellectual property and tracking
down infringers/evildoers as his method of making
good on his investment.  I'm sure everyone here
would love to see that.

George