I read the title and collapsed with laughter. Didn't even bother to read the article. Just too funny.

Ok, but what about software written outside of the US? Will that software be banned in the US? Will users that install the software be arrested? This isn't some physical entity that the US lawmakers can truly have control over. I understand that they have to show due-diligence...but this is a bit absurd.

"Ok, but what about software written outside of the US? "

Exactly, unenforceable, unworkable, stupid, pandering.

It can't work. They know it. It's just pandering to the "special-interests"...which is funny, because I could have sworn Obama said something about getting rid of them... ;)

Hence the laughter. I'm sorry but the US (and its lawmakers) continues in the delusion that it's the center of the universe and that the Internet (not to mention the planet) is its own private playpen. Thankfully, and flying in the face of that arrogance, it's not.

There are MANY laws passed in the US that would never see the light of day in other more enlightened countries (DMCA comes immediately to mind) and regulation of a global medium something I would have fall into that country's clutches, not even in my wildest nightmares. I'd sooner have Charlie Manson as a male nurse.

Then we have the whole overwhelmingly stunning brilliance of the concept which is right up there with "let's build a wall on the Mexican and Canadian borders so we can control what gets in and out". Oh yeah, real bright furry creatures in Congress.

Dude...

I am *part* of the US.

Not all of us are in denial of our personal responsibilities or our "place" in the world. ;)

I know that. I watched your Presidential choice of late. A *lot* of us up here applauded (wildly, I might add) and opined that a new hope had dawned for a return to sanity. Then I see stuff like this and the old feelings of outrage return (and I know this isn't the only country that feels them).

Yes, I do know that you're not all alike. I have more than a few friends south of the border (our border, that is) and they wouldn't be friends if they fitted the description of what was the norm for the last two administrations (small "a" quite intentional).

As to your country's place in the world, it's pretty clear where that should be:

Right alongside the rest of us, trying to dispel fear and make it a better (and these days more healthy) place *without intruding where you don't belong*.

That's where you proudly were 40 years ago when I was a kid and I hope that with this Administration you'll be there again.

It's a fine line.

Quite frankly, I didn't vote. It's like choosing between Dumb and Dumber(er). Both had good ideas on a few core issues... and one was definitely more refined/polished than the other, but neither were "good" choices. Both are just political pawns.

Frankly, until we have another Teddy Roosevelt who is willing to 'stick it' to the greedy organizations, those that abuse healthcare, and illegal immigration, I think organizations with $ will be our true policy-makers.

Relying on voluntary self-regulation is the most stupid idea I ever heard.
Have we ever seen such a system work in the real world.
Imagine the police handling murders like this?
"We just wait until the person who committed crimes punish themselves."

Open your eyes people.
It won't work in the digital world and won't work anywhere else.

Also most of those files are shared by accident and the owners of the documents probably never heard of it.
It also happens with saved MSN conversations on hard disks,
with people's pictures on USB-sticks.
You can't make people not making mistakes or blame them for stupidity.

The congress should make a more generalized version.
These aren't problems confined to the P2P world.
Any program should be provided with a reasonable and effective means to disable or remove from a computer. The OS, operating system, also.
But where do you draw the line between getting sued/billed because the programmer hasn't figured it out and people who make very determinant programs.
You can't blame someone for making a mistake or being not smart enough,
education about mistakes is more important here than just making some laws about some things gone wrong.

A lot of problems with computers are because people expect to things to be context sensitive and solve everything. I'm speaking about more than just P2P. The P2P issues has now brought these things to the surface. Computers don't think, they calculate people need to be informed of that fact.

A computer drivers license is a exaggerated.
Information and education steps in here, where and when there is giving lesson in ICT/computer.
Let the people learn what a bit and byte is, what a computer is, what problems they can have (very general), what problems are inevitable.
That you have to be careful when sharing,
that not sharing doesn't mean your asocial (This is the reason you find all those personal documents) and other such misconceptions.
Instead of Only teaching how to make text and stuff in MS Office.
It's useful but there should be a more general approach in computer lessons.

Everyone makes mistakes, here it are the users.
Does it mean that people who make software have to be able to jump a certain barrier?
No, just educate your public better!

"Relying on voluntary self-regulation is the most stupid idea I ever heard.
Have we ever seen such a system work in the real world. "

Have you ever seen a society where the alternative has worked? (Hint: It's called a dictatorship or Totalitarianism, usually run by religious fanatics).

...of course then you have to go and compare this to murder...

*laughing*

You heard it here, folks; P2P=Murder!

Dumbest comparison ever...Why is it that folks who can't actually back their BS up have to stretch everything to the absurd extreme? Ohyeah... Emotional response. Obviously everyone knows murder is *very* bad, so if they can get us to think of the two crimes on the same level, we'll react just as strongly....with emotion instead of logic and reason.

Nice try, but we're not quite that stupid.

I sleep better knowing my taxpayer dollars are going towards such potentially cosmos-shattering matters.

Smoking may cause serious health problems.
P2P may cause media industry associations to go after you with lawsuits for 1000s of time the value of your copyright infringement because the current legal system lets them.

So the government should warn us that copyright law and their legal system is horribly out of date instead of fixing it?

*laughing*

Of all the stupid...

FFs, people...take responsibility for your own damned actions and stop asking the government to do it for you. This is ridiculous. This is *not* the mandate of the US government. This is not their job.

Christ... I'm with bourgeoisdude on this one. There are far bigger fish to fry.

Is it possible to force the government to put an end to *all* pandering bills until the current mess is sorted out? We *really* need to get something like that enacted. *That* would actually be useful.

Dangit, Congress...just because self-regulation doesn't work doesn't mean government regulation will. I'm tired of the US government treating us like we're a bunch of kids who don't know how to live on our own. We don't NEED government to hold our hands on such issues. Quit wasting our money on crap like this, especially when there are so many other things you SHOULD be worried about that you aren't worried enough about.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. - Mark Twain

All Congresses and Parliaments have a kindly feeling for idiots, and a compassion for them, on account of personal experience and heredity. - Mark Twain

I'm sorry, Limewire actually has all of this. It warns you that you're sharing files and only shares the new folder it creates by default. Clearly this doesn't work as we have seen over the last week or so. Teach the muppets who can't use computers properly, or bloody well bring in a training course *before* they're allowed near the computer which they *must* pass.

Waste of time and money.