Security & Theft Does this sound right?

[NewfieDan]

This could open all sorts of doors for both sides! If the manufacturers succeed in their bid, what happens during a recall situation? Since they own the equipment, in my experience, this makes them solely responsible.

To use the GM ignition problem as an example: since GM owns the software and electronics, then they are by default responsible. If a loved one were to be seriously hurt then GM would be the ones accountable. Having documentation from DMCA supporting this would be extremely valuable in a court situation.

Where does this end? At what point does the ownership by the manufacturer end? Brakes comes to mind. With ABS sensors, does replacing OEM brakes with ceramics alter the vehicle enough to violate these proposals? There are numerous systems on any vehicle where the line between electronics and mechanicals gets blurred.

 

[Industrial Toys]

How much control do you have over your computer and the software running on it?

Kind of in the same vein, but I see customers removing perfectly good wired business phone systems, that they owned lock, stock and barrel, and replacing it with some IP garbage system that seem to lack consistant call quality, don't do much (that anybody needs) that the old system didn't do, and yet they have to pay annual software license fees for each phone! How stupid is that?