http://www.ipos.gov.sg/topNav/leg/pub/pas/Public+Consultation+Exercise+on+Draft+Copyright.htm
On Tue, Apr 22, 2008 at 11:45 AM, Kelvin Quee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, > > While reading Harish's blog, I came across this post - > http://harishpillay.livejournal.com/97808.html > > "Looking at the Singapore context, our laws do not support not deny > support of software patents. But from all my queries with the IPOS, it seems > that software patents crept into Singapore via the Singapore-US Free Trade > Agreement signed a few years ago. I am hoping that the new law minister will > see it as a valuable time spent to look at software patents and consider > legislation barring it officially in Singapore." > > Which brings back a lot of memories. I just bought a Nintendo Wii awhile > ago and I was trying to get it "modded" (modified with a chip so that I can > play backup games). > > I asked around on the Internet and was immediately slammed, banned, kicked > out and blacklisted from forums and mailing lists. Their reason was that I > was breaking a law and console-modding is illegal. > > What nonsense! I went to look up the legislations (Copyright Act). There's > nothing of that sort. Someone pointed out the SG-US FTA and indeed there is > a certain line that prohibits "circumvention of a technological protection > measure". It turned out to be true. > > There was a case awhile ago about the police raiding shops in Sim Lim > Square for providing "mod chips". I do not know what charges were brought > against them, though I've the sense that most of it may simply be FUD. An > FTA is not the law, right? (Correct me please) > > See the level of ignorance here - > http://forums.gameaxis.com/showthread.php?t=1464718&page=5 > > My point is that there's alot of fear about the unknown in Singapore and > people trade their ignorance of the law for fear. Fear restricts creativity > and innovation. > > What has this got to do with Open Source? > > I haven't taken a look at how the FTA "enables" software patent in > Singapore, but I think we need to startup an interest in understanding the > legislation among the Open Source Community in Singapore. > > Some sort of Activism for Awareness. Not (yet) rallying in front of the > Parliament, but stepping forward and talking to the people and the media > about The Truth. People here think that what's not explicitly allowed IS > illegal. That's pure FUD and local interest groups take advantage of that. > > (This is purely my opinion. I am not a lawyer and I'm putting this forward > to discuss. Let's learn.) > > > Kelvin Quee > > > > Harish Pillay wrote: > > >From slashdot and outrageously funny, > http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=529728&cid=23149738 > > "If you can change a vote of "no with comments [slashdot.org]" to "yes" I > don't see why you couldn't change "fails with 122,000 errors" to "passes." I > mean, when your standard passes through sheer lobbying and politics with > little technical analysis, it's going to take a lot to surprise me with how > epically it fails." > > Harish - say something! > > > What CAN I say? Write to the ISO. Write to CEO IDA. Write to the ITSC > Council. Complain to the Minister. Write to the PM. Blog about it (or > comment > on my blog http://harishpillay.livejournal.com/#entry_101072). > > Harish > > _______________________________________________ > Slugnet mailing [EMAIL > PROTECTED]://wiki.lugs.org.sg/LugsMailingListFaqhttp://www.lugs.org.sg/mailman/listinfo/slugnet > > > -- > Kelvin Quee > +65 9177 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Bridging People with Ideashttp://InteresThink.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Slugnet mailing list > [email protected] > http://wiki.lugs.org.sg/LugsMailingListFaq > http://www.lugs.org.sg/mailman/listinfo/slugnet > >
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