Richard Stallman throws a fit trying to "make Canada respect human rights"

[Asher]

This guy's always been a bit of a nut, and he doesn't hold anything back...

http://stallman.org/

Edit: Link now contains a Harry Potter spoiler, so don't click if you care.

Canadians have been ordered not to read books that were sold to them "by mistake" . Read that article, then don't buy any Harry Potter books. Everyone who participated in requesting, issuing, enforcing, or trying to excuse this injunction is the enemy of human rights in Canada, and they all deserve to pay for their part in it. Not buying these books will at least make the publisher pay.

Unlike the publisher, who demands that people not read these books, I simply call on people not to buy them. If you wish to read them, wait, and you will meet someone who did get a copy. Borrow that copy--don't buy one. Even better, read something else--there are plenty of other books just as good, or (dare we suggest) even better.

Making Canada respect human rights will be hard, but a good first step is to identify the officials and legislators who do not support them. Any official who is not outraged by this injunction does not deserve to be in office.

By the way, if anyone contacts me anonymously giving me some of the plot information that these Canadians have been forbidden to read in the books they bought, I will post the information. I am not a Harry Potter fan, and I would not have greatly minded whether I learned the plot of this book tomorrow, Saturday, next year, or never; but when governments spit on human rights, humans must protest. I suggest that anyone wishing to leak this information call me at +1-617-253-8830 from a pay phone.

Go Richard Stallman -- crusader for all things important.

[DRoseDARs]

Wait, huh? What the hell is he talking about?

[Asher]

Stallman is an egomaniac with a cult following. He says things outrageous and off the wall with frightening consistency.

He basically built a cult/religion out of his belief that all software should be free, period.

He's the one in the center:

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by Asher
Stallman is an egomaniac with a cult following. He says things outrageous and off the wall with frightening consistency.

He basically built a cult/religion out of his belief that all software should be free, period.

Uh oh, I see where this is going...

[Verto]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
Wait, huh? What the hell is he talking about?

A store sold the Harry Potter book early; Canadian judge said they can't disclose the plot information before the book is released on its scheduled date. This = OMFG TEH HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED

[DRoseDARs]

Well, technically he's right: The judge is infringing on his right to practice TEH WITCHCRAFT!!1 TOEMFG!!1

[Q Classic]

Stallman's crazy.

Not all people who support FSF are.

[Q Classic]

Though, the FSF movement does have some crazy doozies... like Asher's favorite Chinaman.

Favorite Chinaman on this board not me, anyway.

[aneeshm]

Asher posting a photo completely out of context :
( As a note to those who don't know it , RMS himself runs a religion called "The Church of EMACS" , with its own website , which is a parody of the FSF and its ideals )

RMS' behaviour at this point :
( The state should not interfere in a private transaction of this nature . Rowling sold her copyrights to Scholastic , they sold it to the Canadian publisher , the Canadian publisher sold it ( the book ) to the bookstore , and the bookstpre fessed up by selling it to a customer . The problems that occur due to that are to be sorted out between Scholastic , the Canadian publisher , and the bookstore owner , and not the Courts or the customers . The customers are perfectly within their rights to do with the book as they please ( except , of course , violate its copyright ) . Posting that spoiler was what earned him that )

Lot of other work that RMS has done :

[Zoid]

The injunction is stupid. How the hell are they supposed to check if the buyers read them before they are "allowed" to do it? Only sheep follow stupid laws or crap like this. No one should tell me what I can read, and what I can´t! Stallman has a point in this. But I thought the spoiler was a bit uncalled for

[Asher]

Originally posted by aneeshm
RMS' behaviour at this point :
( The state should not interfere in a private transaction of this nature . Rowling sold her copyrights to Scholastic , they sold it to the Canadian publisher , the Canadian publisher sold it ( the book ) to the bookstore , and the bookstpre fessed up by selling it to a customer . The problems that occur due to that are to be sorted out between Scholastic , the Canadian publisher , and the bookstore owner , and not the Courts or the customers . The customers are perfectly within their rights to do with the book as they please ( except , of course , violate its copyright ) . Posting that spoiler was what earned him that )

Actually, copyright holders (in this case, the publisher/Scholastic) have control over when their works are distributed. It was a copyright violation to sell the books early, as per the intedned shipdate.

As you said, they cannot violate its copyright. The order was to the letter.

[Zoid]

The copyright laws only forbid you to make copies of the book. If you paid for the book you´re entitled to read it. The bookstore ****ed up, it´s not the customers fault...

[Asher]

Originally posted by Dr Zoidberg
The copyright laws only forbid you to make copies of the book. If you paid for the book you´re entitled to read it. The bookstore ****ed up, it´s not the customers fault...

The customers aren't being punished in any way.

And no, copyright laws do not only govern copies...

A copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted by government for a limited time to regulate the use of a particular form, way or manner in which an idea or information is expressed.

[Zoid]

Originally posted by Asher

The customers aren't being punished in any way.

No? The injunction clearly stated that the customers didn´t have the right to read the books they actually paid for. I´d call that a punishment, and an unjustified one at that.

And no, copyright laws do not only govern copies...

A copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted by government for a limited time to regulate the use of a particular form, way or manner in which an idea or information is expressed.

But is still doesn´t make buying the books a breach of the copyright law! And the injunction was directed at the customers, remember?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Dr Zoidberg
No? The injunction clearly stated that the customers didn´t have the right to read the books they actually paid for. I´d call that a punishment, and an unjustified one at that.

They had to wait a few days, legally. They have the same rights as everyone else to the work, which was to read it on or after July 16th. Where is the punishment?

Were they fined? Were the books confiscated without a refund? Were they tarred & feathered?

But is still doesn´t make buying the books a breach of the copyright law! And the injunction was directed at the customers, remember?

Actually, it does. That's what the ruling said.

Part of the terms of the copyright was availability on or after the 16th. Possessing them is just was illegal as possessing pirated movies, even if they didn't pirate them themselves.