Hartmut Pilch on: Thompson: "Europe Must Take Back the Web"

[Seth Johnson <seth.johnson@RealMeasures.dyndns.org>]

PILCH Hartmut wrote:
> 
> Thompson is apparently receiving warm support from a
> lot of disgruntled US citizens.  But that only clouds
> the real issues.  I can't see any serious argument
> for or against the analysis which he is presenting.
> 
> Which is why I am wondering:  what is making people
> attach such a weight to this rant?

Hartmut:

I think it's mostly that it's a very broad analysis,
incisive and sweeping though wrong to the core -- plus the
fact that it's keyed into the context created by the recent
unveiling of TCPA and Palladium.  i.e., he hits on a lot of
issues regarding which many people are feeling discouraged
right now, while basically pitching a line that people can
regard as "pragmatic."  He plays into what TCPA and
Palladium are really angling for: "universal content
control" and "democratizing" it so people support that kind
of social order in the name of so-called "moral rights." 
Thompson's analysis actually seems to be an attempt to get
people who might be feeling discouraged, to actually give up
and try something "more practical."

The weird thing is about it is (and even after hearing from
Mr. Thompson, I personally still reserve judgement), it's
perfectly in keeping with what Microsoft and Intel are
trying to encourage with TCPA and Palladium -- so I'm not
going to discount the consideration that Mr. Thompson may be
acting on their behalf (even if unknowingly).  You outline
part of what he has to say as follows:

> E.g. he says we must give up the concept of
> "cyberspace" and establish trusted national networks
> by a kind of "people's TCPA", so that networks serve
> and reflect the interest of people and cultures
> rather than those of US corporations.  He also
> thinks that in Europe we have more confidence than
> in the US of being able to impose meaningful
> legislation on the net(s).  Also, he seems to be
> very fond of TCPA and camouflages this fondness as
> fatalism:  resistance is futile, trusted computing
> is part of the tide of the time, it will happen,
> either with our political participation or without
> it.

This is *exactly* the TCPA/Palladium game plan.

Below is my original take on it -- plus a reply from Mr.
Thompson (!).

Seth

----

-------- Original Message --------
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 12:34:39 -0400
From: Seth Johnson <seth.johnson@realmeasures.dyndns.org>
To: "Matthew T. Russotto" <mrussotto@speakeasy.net>
CC: dmca_discuss@lists.microshaft.org


> On Sunday, August 11, 2002, at 06:56  AM, Jei wrote:
> 
> > http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/26612.html
> >
> > Damn the Constitution: Europe must take back the Web
> >
> > By Bill Thompson
> > Posted: 09/08/2002 at 14:01 GMT

"Matthew T. Russotto" wrote:
> 
> Oh yes, definite troll material here.  The torrent of
> angry e-mails _The Register_ normally receives must have
> slowed somewhat, so they decided to boost it back up
> with a bit of good old fashioned Yankee-baiting.


I've got the penchant to entertain even more sinister
suspicions.  It's *such* a complete overview of the current
set of political parameters, with such a sad, perverse,
corrosive and yet incisive skew.

Knowhamean?

Seth

----

And Mr. Thompson's comments:


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Your comments on my register article
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 20:03:23 +0100
From: "Bill Thompson" <bill@andfinally.com>
To: <seth.johnson@realmeasures.dyndns.org>

"*such* a complete overview of the current set of political
parameters, with such a sad, perverse, corrosive and yet
incisive skew."

I feel flattered - perverse yet incisive. That's me :-)

More seriously, it was definitely a way of venting my spleen
in public and trying to provoke some discussion/argument
about what I think are very serious issues about the future
of the net. I tried to hit as many points as possible just
to make sure there was something in there for everyone to
disagree with, and so the scope was clear: this is not just
about US hegemony but about what we do with the Internet.

So this is just the start.  But I assure you there's no
other group or organisation behind it - just an irritated
hack.

best
Bill


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