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Re: Just the usual rant: Debian VS legal problems (MPlayer, xine, libavcodec)



Russell Coker <russell@coker.com.au> wrote:
> There are a good number of Australians who are interested in such things.  
> Maybe we should setup a "SPI Australia" organization to be involved in non-US 
> Debian work.

You won't be entirely free of trouble. We have our very own version of
the DMCA:

http://www.2600.com/news/view/article/34

We also have restrictions on exports of cryptography, without clearly
defined conditions on obtaining an export license:

http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Crypto/crypto2.html

In addition, Australia is a signatory to many international treaties,
including the Berne convention and other copyright treaties and the
Wassenaar Arrangement.

[ And our Prime Minister is a US toady, and US trade "agreements" place
Australia at a distinct disadvantage, so our policies and laws approach
those of the US over time anyway. Expect the situation to get worse, not
better. ]
-- 
Sam "Eddie" Couter  |  mailto:sam@couter.dropbear.id.au
Debian Developer    |  mailto:eddie@debian.org
                    |  jabber:sam@teknohaus.dyndns.org
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