The Wonderful DMCA Revisited

I have ranted many times over the stupid piece of legislation known as the DMCA. Go back and search my archives if you want more information on it. I just wanted to post a couple of recent stories relating to the DMCA that I have come across recently. Today, there is this story about Real's fears of legal repercussions for their Harmony technology. If you buy and MP3 from Real and try to transfer it to your iPod, Harmony is what makes it work. That is because Apple has a proprietary DRM technology called (ironically enough) FairPlay. FairPlay is intended to block out competitors and form a monopoly ensure that your MP3s were legally purchased. FairPlay only allows MP3s created with no DRM or MP3s downloaded from iTunes to play on the iPod. Of course, the intent is transparent enough. If FairPlay was actually intended to fight piracy, the iPod would not allow MP3s lacking DRM to play. So FairPlay is anything but.

On a more ridiculous note, FedEx is using the DMCA to sue a guy who made furniture out of their boxes. His website is kind of funny. He has pictures of the furniture he has made. Seriously, now. This is a violation of the DMCA? That piece of legislation is such garbage.