----------------------------Original message----------------------------
It nice to see that Virginia has the dubious
distrinction of being the first state to approve
legislation that will shrink wrap copyright and
change the spirit of copyright recognizing the
inventiveness not the information--
A Marylandian
>>> Roger Lawson <[log in to unmask]>
02/16/00 07:36pm >>>
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
Dear Colleagues,
The February 16, 2000 edition of the
Washington Post reported that the
Virginia House of Delegates and Senate gave
final approval to the
Uniform Computer Information Transactions
Act (UCITA) on February 15.
This makes Virginia the first state to approve
the revised code for
Internet contracts. ARLIS/NA has joined fellow
members of the Digital
Future Coalition in expressing opposition to
UCITA, which in its present
form is considered by consumer advocates to
be unfairly biased toward
the high-technology industry. From the Post
article:
"The measure would make legally binding the
restrictions that companies
place on how their software can be used. It
would permit companies to
send binding legal notices by email about
such restrictions, without any
proof that the email had reached its intended
recipient. Consumer
advocates complain that could bind
customers to licensing agreements
that they didn't see until they had purchased a
product. The measures
would also let companies reach into a
customer's computer and disable a
product if the purchaser had fallen behind on
payments."
Virginia Gov. James Gilmore has already
indicated that he will sign the
measure.
Intensive lobbying by high-technology firms in
the metropolitan
Washington DC area ensured that UCITA
received swift consideration in
Virginia; action in Maryland is expected
shortly.
ARLIS/NA is a member of 4CITE ("For a
Competitive Information and
Technology Economy"), a broad-based
coalition of users and developers
of computer and information technology
formed to to support the growth
of fair and competitive markets in technology
licensing and commerce.
The group has expressed its opposition to
UCITA. ARLIS/NA members
are encouraged to write or call their state
legislators to express
opposition to this act. More information,
including a full list of 4CITE
members, and links to email for state
legislators, is available at
www.4CITE.org.
Roger Lawson
Chair, ARLIS/NA Public Policy Committee
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__________________________________________________________________
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http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner at: [log in to unmask]