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Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

jailbreakingisnotacrime.org

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Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#11

Post by sehugg »

Copyright "Czar" Victoria Espinel laid out a roadmap that includes:

Authorize DHS (including its component CBP) to share pre-seizure information about, and samples of, products and devices with rightholders to help DHS to determine whether the products are infringing or the devices are circumvention devices

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/03/15/concrete-steps-con...

Basically, giving Hollywood veto rights on anything imported into the country that can be used for jailbreaking. Sounds like we are in danger of losing DMCA jailbreaking protections.

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#12

Post by wavephorm »

Jailbreaking does unlock a lot of functionality that should be in a PC. Being able to SSH into the system and use unix tools opens a lot of possibilities. Just being able to rsync music over wifi to my iPod and scrapping iTunes is worth it.

Apple's underlying Darwin system works great on a mobile device. I don't own an Android, but afaik it's underlying Linux system is not as robust as Darwin. So where else do you go for a Linux/Unix based smartphone/tablet?

Where are the Linux tablets, and where is the support from the Linux community for such hardware?

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#13

Post by stcredzero »

SoftwareMaven wrote: post #3
phzbOx wrote: post #2

In theory, I agree. In practice, I've realized that most of the jailbreaking phones/tablets are used to download illegal applications and/or without paying. I know this is a somewhat contrived statement, but this is from what I've seen in company/university/engineering departments I've worked/studied. Note: I myself had to jailbreak my iphone to install spotify (and asked a friend to pay for it since he's outside of…

Even if 100% of the uses were illegal, this is an issue of principal. When I buy a gadget, I didn't lease it, I bought it. It is mine. As such, I shouldn't have to worry I might go to jail (!!) for modifying my device in a way that doesn't impact anybody else.

this is an issue of principal.

principle

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#14

Post by [deleted] »

phzbOx wrote: post #2

In theory, I agree. In practice, I've realized that most of the jailbreaking phones/tablets are used to download illegal applications and/or without paying. I know this is a somewhat contrived statement, but this is from what I've seen in company/university/engineering departments I've worked/studied. Note: I myself had to jailbreak my iphone to install spotify (and asked a friend to pay for it since he's outside of…

[deleted]

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#15

Post by burgerbrain »

maeon3 wrote: post #10
postfuturist wrote: post #6

This is a basic freedom issue. The freedom to run software I control on devices I own allows me to be free in how I share and protect my own private information. Apple and Microsoft are trending toward making it more difficult and less legal to run alternative operating systems or unapproved 3rd party software on their platforms. It has to be fought tooth and nail. Fight it legally, and fight it with your pocketbook.

Your freedom to own your smart phone will disappear eventually when Hollywood figures out you didn't actually buy your phone, you are paying a monthly service which pays down your phone, an unspecified price. A percentage of which should go straight to Hollywood.

It's a neat theory, except I did buy my phone.

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#16

Post by jdietrich »

This is why geeks should be required to run things past an English major before talking to normal human beings.

If we call a thing "jailbreaking", we're going to be battling negative perceptions forever. We're trying to explain to people who really don't care that they should take time out of their day to help legalize something called "jailbreaking". The RIAA, MPAA and ESA would struggle to dream up a more dubious name if they were embarking on a spin campaign to criminalise it outright.

Why couldn't we have called it "derestricting" or "liberating" or something? Why couldn't we have chosen a positive, all-American sort of name? I know, I know, these are our devices and we're having our freedoms taken from us, so we're totally like POWs, not criminals. We're the good kind of escaped prisoner. Now explain that to my mother in a few short words while Bill O'Reilly accuses you of supporting Al-Qaeda.

For a bunch of geniuses, we do some really dumb things.

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#17

Post by untog »

jdietrich wrote: post #16

This is why geeks should be required to run things past an English major before talking to normal human beings. If we call a thing "jailbreaking", we're going to be battling negative perceptions forever. We're trying to explain to people who really don't care that they should take time out of their day to help legalize something called "jailbreaking". The RIAA, MPAA and ESA would struggle to dream up a more dubious n…

Yep. Same thing with "hacking" and "hackathons". Whenever I tell non-techies I'm going to a hackathon they think I'm going to break into someone's network, or something.

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#18

Post by jerf »

jdietrich wrote: post #16

This is why geeks should be required to run things past an English major before talking to normal human beings. If we call a thing "jailbreaking", we're going to be battling negative perceptions forever. We're trying to explain to people who really don't care that they should take time out of their day to help legalize something called "jailbreaking". The RIAA, MPAA and ESA would struggle to dream up a more dubious n…

I'm not sure it's as bad as you think. The cell phone industry and the carriers are the ones who built the jail, and the inmate is you. It is probably worth making sure that nuance is communicated, but it's a powerful image. If you're not a criminal, why are you in jail?

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#19

Post by nextparadigms »

postfuturist wrote: post #6

This is a basic freedom issue. The freedom to run software I control on devices I own allows me to be free in how I share and protect my own private information. Apple and Microsoft are trending toward making it more difficult and less legal to run alternative operating systems or unapproved 3rd party software on their platforms. It has to be fought tooth and nail. Fight it legally, and fight it with your pocketbook.

This is the war on general computing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqkU1y0AYc

Re: Jailbreaking Is Not A Crime

#20

Post by orangecat »

wavephorm wrote: post #12

Jailbreaking does unlock a lot of functionality that should be in a PC. Being able to SSH into the system and use unix tools opens a lot of possibilities. Just being able to rsync music over wifi to my iPod and scrapping iTunes is worth it. Apple's underlying Darwin system works great on a mobile device. I don't own an Android, but afaik it's underlying Linux system is not as robust as Darwin. So where else do you go…

I don't own an Android, but afaik it's underlying Linux system is not as robust as Darwin.

What are you basing that on? You can easily install Unix tools on Android devices. Here's a complete development environment that doesn't even require rooting: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.spartacusrex.spart...

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