comment on

I believe that people who think that the RIAA and MPAA are the main backers of the SSSCA have completely missed the boat.

Having read it carefully, I think that this is nothing less than Microsoft's plan to get the DoJ off of its back and achieve complete domination through Uncle Sam. You can read my full analysis here

My apologies to those who think that this is offtopic. I do not think it is, and here is why. As that analysis points out, the bill explicitly bans having software that produces content without security protection, and bans software that can retransmit protected software with the protection removed or altered. Well plain text does not have any security protection. Does that make software that produces plain text illegal? If we make plain text illegal as a medium to store information, then what does that do to languages like Perl which are intended to be used largely to manipulate plain text?

I think that a legal threat with such potential repercussions for Perl is on topic for PerlMonks.

And a final note. Those who do not understand the PS should read about Ed Curry. If after a fight with Microsoft they would proceed through tactics like bribing his employers to fire him make it impossible for him to keep a job, then I have no illusions about my ability to do any better if they really cared. Hopefully I said enough for them to care...

PS Please do not comment on this node without having read my analysis, carefully and in full, at least twice. When you see a summary it may look like insanity. However if you read the bill carefully, I think that most will agree that it is a sane reading of an absurdly audacious attempt to abuse the power of government to pass laws.

UPDATE
At least one person didn't think this applied to software. Look again at the definitions section:

(3) INTERACTIVE DIGITAL DEVICE. -- The term "interactive digital device" means any machine, device, product, software, or technology, whether or not included with or as a part of some other machine, device, product, software, or technology, that is designed, marketed or used for the primary purpose of, and that is capable of, storing, retrieving, processing, performing, transmitting, receiving, or copying information in digital form.

Emphasis mine. In other words no matter what the overall purpose of your software might be, the part of it that manipulates data is covered. The use of the word "device" is a red herring which is intended to distract you from what it really says.

In reply to The SSSCA, Microsoft's answer to anti-trust? by tilly

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