[Nolug] Free software vs. Goliaths -- maybe gave the wrong impression to non-geeks

Hello,

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/329/business/Free_software_vs_Goliaths+.shtml

This is a very interesting article that I am glad has been
written. However, maybe unintentionally, there is a *big* slant
against free-as-in-speech software:

> desperate to prevent us from making perfect - and perfectly
> illegal - digital copies of their products.

Even though further down you mention Jon Johansen and Rep. Boucher,
this sentence at the in paragraph 4 is *very* misleading/one-sided
and is the 1st thing that readers see. Why is it misleading?

By neglecting to mention that *many* people make personal copies
of, for example, CDs that they pay for with their own money, and
think that people who trade copyrighted music/videos on peer-peer
networks are criminals who should be prosecuted.

Why, you ask, would someone someone want to legally rip music and
make multiple copies of it? Well, to put it in his/her portable MP3
player and on his/her PC and listen to the music that way (impossible
to lose/scratch your CDs that way). This also allows both you and
your Significant Other to listen to different songs from the same CD
at the same time. Bottom line: flexibility and freedom.

But you may say, "but 'they' only want to prevent people from
making illegal copies". I disagree. There is no way to discriminate
between personal use and illegal use, once the music has been
ripped off the disc. Thus, they (RIAA/MPAA) would love to make us
buy multiple copied of the same disc.

Sincerely,
Ron

-- 
+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Ron Johnson, Jr.     mailto:ron.l.johnson@cox.net          |
| Jefferson, LA  USA   http://members.cox.net/ron.l.johnson  |
|                                                            |
| "they love our milk and honey, but preach about another    |
|  way of living"                                            |
|    Merle Haggard, "The Fighting Side Of Me"                |
+------------------------------------------------------------+
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