I’ve just released ∞² 1.2*. This release houses the following big changes:
Most of you probably wouldn’t have heard of the “Stop Online Privacy Act”. Well, I think it is imperative that you do now. Quoting Joey Sneddon of OMG! Ubuntu!:
The ‘Stop Online Piracy Act’ (SOPA) bill, combined with PROTECT IP Act, seeks to give the US Justice Department the power to force Internet Providers into blocking access to any website that is suspected of hosting or linking to copyrighted material.
So far, it sounds good, right? Your favourite artists and actors get more money (on whether they should, is another matter) and more recognition for their great work. I totally agree with blocking sites that let people steal music and films, however, linking would make life so much difficult for every website owner that lets people comment on their content. Anyway, it’s about to get much worse:
Provision for ‘going after’ ‘disputed sites’ hosting companies; search engines that link to them; payment services that support them, and other ancillary services will also be granted through the act.
This is analogous to taking legal action against anyone who ever spoke to a thief. Technology is evolving every day. Hosting companies offer hundreds, if not thousands of people every week do something for the web. Search engines make our homework so much easier. Payment services are banks accessible to everyone. I really do not see a reason for any of those services to be affected by what their users are doing with them. Surely, they must see that it is more logical to use the resources to shut down ten offending web pages and remove ten thousand pieces of offending content rather than shut down one website, remove a thousand pieces of offending content and also mess with companies like OVH, Google and PayPal?
Some might say that the aforementioned companies are helping the crime. Fair enough, but unlike the pirates themselves, the companies are offering services which are perfectly fine in the eye of the law. They are just being utilized in an incorrect manner, through no fault of their own.
Also, protecting legitimate companies is not the only issue here. If this bill is passed, then this will be the end of the World Wide Web as we know it. Free speech will no longer be known. Do you really want to live in a world where you’ve got no right to say and share whatever you want? It would be incredibly medieval, wouldn’t it?
Hopefully, we can prevent this. First of all, I recommend you read the full article on OMG! Ubuntu! that inspired me to write this blog post. It includes full information on how the “Stop Online Piracy Act” works and when, if ever, should it be executed. Next, you can sign the “Save The Internet“ petition created by the online campaign group Avaaz. Please do sign it and spread it. The petition will be delivered to the key members of the American Congress before the vote.
It seems that I have a disorder which forces me to post everything two three weeks late, but anyway, here we go:
Mrs Debbat standing outside (together with pretty much everyone) not knowing what to say in the aforementioned situation.
Aawh, hell! This post is probably missing a million things but Germany was such good times <3
Photo credit: Apple.com
@GLaDOS_2:
#SteveJobs: I’m making a note here. Huge Success.
That’s all I have to say. Steve Jobs, you changed the world. We love you.
I never had a post that was this late. It’s been like 23 days since Summer School finished. That’s like 552 hours or 33120 minutes or 1987200 seconds since it happened. I actually calculated all that myself, that’s how bored I am. Gosh, my life is exciting. Calculatin’ shizz at 22:17 GMT on a Sunday night, listening to free (but amazing) music off Jamendo. So, I’ll write in bullet points again cause I need to write a couple more blog posts to clear the queue of posts waiting to be written.
by @jackelsworth10 
And I could go on forever! Such hilarious times!