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Legislation and Legislators Archives

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03. 5.2008

File-Sharing, CNET and Slashdot: Getting the Story Wrong—Again (Part 1)

Recently, CNET, Slashdot and the usual suspects have been claiming that the “Bush administration” has vindicated their seemingly religious conviction that so-called “peer-to-peer” file-sharing programs just cannot pose risks distinguishable in kind or degree from other sorts of programs. Once again, they have missed the real story—or stories.

Continue reading File-Sharing, CNET and Slashdot: Getting the Story Wrong—Again (Part 1) . . .

posted by Thomas Sydnor @ 10:00 AM | Free Culture Movement , Internet: P2P, Search Engines... , Legislation and Legislators , Privacy and Security

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10.29.2007

Patent Reform 2007 Commentary

Some recent commentary on the patent reform legislation.

From Matt Buchanan's Promote the Progress; cheaper iPods, fewer cures?

Robert Armitage on how the courts have beaten Congress to the punch.

And a quote from Robert Cresanti, now with Ocean Tomo:

"[Ocean Tomo] will still proceed with the exchange (even if pending Congressional reforms pass), but many patents may be devalued.", he warned. "Our hope is the Senate will come around to the same conclusion we have - that there is no pressing need for reform in light of what the courts and USPTO have done.", he added.

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 8:44 AM | Legislation and Legislators , Patents

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08.15.2007

IP Enforcement--the Hard Part

Legislators are now wrangling with the issue of budget requests for IP enforcement. I've written before about how much of the IP debate today boils down to enforcement--its collapse in the wake of digital worldwide everything. So a legislative focus on enforcement is for once at least addressing the disease rather than symptoms...

But it will be very easy here to start throwing money down a black hole. GAO has criticized the current programs for coordinating IP enforcement--NIPLECC and STOP-- as lacking leadership and meaningful baselines.

Continue reading IP Enforcement--the Hard Part . . .

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 11:58 AM | Enforcement & Remedies , International , Legislation and Legislators

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07.23.2007

Tuesday July 24 Hill Event--Creators & Consumers

A new organization, the Copyright Alliance, is hosting a Hill event tomorrow morning on "Creators and Innovators: Advancing Consumer Interests in the Digital Age." Former IPcentralite Patrick Ross will host. Senator Gordon Smith will remark. Panelists will include Jim Cicconi of AT&T, Chris Amenita of ASCAP, Matt Robinson of Attributor, and Jay Rosenthal of Berlinger, Corcoran & Rowe.

The event will be held in Room SC-6 of the US Capitol Building, from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. The official site with RSVP info etc. is here.

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 9:43 AM | Legislation and Legislators

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06.25.2007

Discovery on the Apportionment Problem

Hance Haney weighs in on current patent reform legislation with his thoughts on the Rooklidge article critiquing current proposals to limit patent damages.

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 12:12 PM | Enforcement & Remedies , Legislation and Legislators , Markets: Business, Investment & Innovation , Patents

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06.18.2007

Chief Judge Michel and Rooklidge Weigh In on Patent Damages Reform

Chief Judge Michel has weighed in on several occasions opposing current legislation reforming patent damages. Most recently, he cites an article by 21st Century Coalition leader William Rooklidge. On the other side Georgetown University Law Professor John R. Thomas has weighed in.

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 10:33 AM | Enforcement & Remedies , Legislation and Legislators , Patents

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06.13.2007

Promote the Progress on Patent Reform in the Senate

J. Matthew Buchanan blogs on recent questions about patent reform raised in the Senate, and questions whether reform needs to be reconsidered in the wake of KSR.

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 12:04 PM | Legislation and Legislators , Patents , Supreme Court

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05.21.2007

The Web Radio Mess

One decree puts smaller web radio ventures out of business. Now another decree would put them back in.

Which one is "right?" The one that gives you market pricing, of course. If in the presence of a market, the little stations would be in business, then that is "right." If not, well, then, consumers and other ventures are better off if the investments in web radio went somewhere else instead. Okay, well, which one is that? Really no way to tell in the absence of a market. Which the legislation in question does absolutely nothing to further. (Arguably, sadly, the formula that would put them out of business is probably on the right track, as the earlier formula is pretty close to free-riding).

Continue reading The Web Radio Mess . . .

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 9:30 AM | Internet: P2P, Search Engines... , Legislation and Legislators , Markets: Business, Investment & Innovation , Prices, Terms, and Licensing , Radio

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05.16.2007

Tech Labor Issues Loom Again, Sadly

Two senators seek to investigate the use of H1B visas for skilled workers. At the level of very basic interest-group

Continue reading Tech Labor Issues Loom Again, Sadly . . .

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 3:26 PM | Big Tent , International , Legislation and Legislators , Markets: Business, Investment & Innovation

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04.27.2007

Congressional High Tech Agendas - Continued

Declan McCullagh of C|Net News examines the agendas recently presented by the two parties.

He finds the omissions interesting:

Net neutrality became one the hottest political flashpoints in the last year. But in what might seem to be an odd omission, both Republicans and Democrats studiously ignored it this week when touting their technology agendas for 2007.
Also absent from the list of congressional priorities were controversial topics like social-network restrictions, Internet surveillance, data retention, spyware, and laws aimed at regulating Google and its competitors when doing business in China.

As to what's included:

Continue reading Congressional High Tech Agendas - Continued . . .

posted by James DeLong @ 11:57 AM | Legislation and Legislators

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04.25.2007

IPI oped... first do no harm to IP

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 11:17 AM | Legislation and Legislators , Patents

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04.19.2007

Patent Reform--Post Grant Review Promising?

posted by Solveig Singleton @ 3:30 PM | Legislation and Legislators , Patents

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