BSA Asks Kids to Name Copyright Weasel 828
theodp writes "According to CNET News, this fall, 4th-graders will not only be treated to comic books and lesson plans from the Business Software Alliance and Weekly Reader, but also invited to name the BSA's mascot, a copyright-crusading ferret who teaches tech-savvy kids about the importance of protecting and respecting copyrighted works such as software, music, games and movies. More details in the BSA press release."
Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously, though, I'm not sure where the joke ends and the reality begins. They're going to have an animal mascot to teach kids about their (the BSA's) view of copyright? It works for breakfast cereal ("They're gRRRRRRReat!") so I guess it will work for getting kids to rat out their friends for mod-chipping an x-box.
However, they seem to be forgetting something from their school years - NOBODY likes a snitch. Most of the kids who have x-boxes or similar consoles at home are keenly aware of how the price of a game compares to their weekly allowance, and their reaction to seeing a chipped console would most likely be "cool, where can I get one, too?"
-paul
Re:Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Funny)
Don't Copy That Floppy (Score:5, Interesting)
16 mb "Don't Copy That Floppy [ninjaculture.com]"
Posts like this. (Score:5, Funny)
I think we all know what kind of effect that posts like this have on people's bandwidth issues. If you have any compassion or empathy for your fellow man, and the target of your post is the MPAA, RIAA, SCO, or the BSA PLEASE try to get these things to the front page. When the BSA servers start a fire that burns down their empire... and a daycare next door, but don't sweat the small stuff... you will know you made a difference. Don't you owe it to yourself?
Terrific... (Score:4, Funny)
Re: sig (Score:5, Funny)
I agree entirely, let's start with suing P. Diddy for ripping off everyone else's music.
Re:Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Funny)
LK
Re:Lemmiwinks! (Score:5, Funny)
One day, when a customer asked for a pack of smokes, she was asked to get the other (nearly identical) pack, that was behind the one she'd gotten initially.
Why? It said "Smoking damages fertility" and she didn't want any more children. My friend was so taken aback by this that he didn't really say anything to her, he just sold her the pack.
Weasel must DIE! (Score:3, Insightful)
Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Insightful)
Is the war on drugs being won? Or is it just the case that the politicians know it's a waste of time but fear a backlash right now? Give it 30 years, the War on Drugs will be thought of as a really bad idea like prohibition.
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Insightful)
Except that if you say it outloud, you'll be arrested for being a terrorist.
LK
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Insightful)
People have been getting high for much longer than there have been terrorists.
One of the wisest things Bush ever said was "The day you stop doing drugs, is the day you join the War against Terror."
They day we legalize marijuana is the day that all of the illicit profit disappears.
To favor drug prohibition is to support terrorism.
LK
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Funny)
Was that when Bush joined the war against terror? When he stopped hoovering coke, I mean.
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:4, Interesting)
Seems to me that teaching this in the schools gives the kids something to rebel against later.
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Funny)
N.B. a cop told me that one
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Abraham Lincoln said... (Score:5, Insightful)
The last thing I want is my child's views to be formed based on someones money motivated opinion. What is next? Are my children going to be "Treated" to school bags with the drug company logos on them? I beleive that it is not far off, if it is not happening already.
I do not encourage pirating software or infringing on copyrights, however, I do encourage schools to do what they are meant to do--Teach! This teaching involves basic things like math, english, history, science and so on, save the copyright law for college when he/she can make the choice.
I think they should take their ridiculous capaign and keep it the hell away from my kids! Please, leave the morality issues to me. It's one thing that I constantly receive propaganda from this sanctimonious orginization, please, stay away from my children.
Brainwashing! (Score:3, Insightful)
Darl (Score:5, Funny)
Ferret Face! (Score:4, Funny)
I got the perfect name (Score:5, Funny)
At least... (Score:5, Insightful)
At least they choose the right animal. Has anyone heard when SCO will be letting us name their skunk mascot?
Re:At least... (Score:3, Funny)
I thought SCO's mascot was Stinky the Dung Beetle?
Re:At least... (Score:5, Funny)
I guess their work on Lenny the Lamprey fell through?
odd choice (Score:5, Insightful)
The ferret, by the way, does seem to be an odd mascot choice for an organization devoted to strict legal adherence, given that the weasel-like mammals are outlawed in California and several other states.
Anyway, were I in 4th grade, I'd submit "nibbler."
You know. In honor of the old copy/backup programs often called "nibblers" frmo the C64/Apple2 days. Since they nibbled the disk bit-by-bit to make exact copies. And like ferrets.
Get it?
Re:odd choice (Score:5, Funny)
Snitchy (Score:5, Funny)
Transcript of meeting at BSA... (Score:5, Funny)
BSA guy #2: So he's proactive, huh?
BSA guy #1: Oh, God, yes. We're talking about a totally outrageous paradigm.
BSA guy #3: Excuse me, but "proactive" and "paradigm"? Aren't these just buzzwords that dumb people use to sound important? Not that I'm accusing you of anything like that. [pause] I'm fired, aren't I?
BSA guy #4: Oh, yes.
Apologies to The Simpsons...
Who's copyright? (Score:4, Insightful)
Lets hope it backfires (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps with a bit of luck this attempt at brainwashing will totally backfire.
Home schooling becomes more appealing each day.
Re:Lets hope it backfires (Score:3, Insightful)
If every person who illegally downloaded an MP3, movie, or piece of software instead wrote a letter to their congressman on their beliefs about copyright, then I could guarantee that the law would be changed. But breaking a law is not an acceptable way of changing a law.
I like how the Slashdot summary says "weasel" while the actual
Re:Lets hope it backfires (Score:3, Informative)
Brainwashing (Score:5, Insightful)
Such as trying to convince children that its a criminal act to download ANY music file.
Problem is that its a CIVIL issue, ( at least for now, unless Hollings gets his way.. then it will be criminal ) and 2ndly its not illegal to download *copyrighted*material. Its illegal to download material that isn't permitted for distribution in that manner..
Its also legally debatable that its even illegal to download restricted data.. Remember fair use, libraries, copying excerpts.. etc.
Its also NOT the job of some industry to come and teach students. Even if I were to accept the concept of what they were trying to portray, its the SCHOOLS job to teach facts, not some company. ( and its parents job to teach morality ).
Re:Brainwashing (Score:3, Insightful)
Simplfying the matter that much overlooks the fact that the concept called "public domain" is not only for content that was copyrighted at one time but is no more, but also for content in which there still legally exists a copyright but the owner has publically declared that they will not enforce their copyright, since a binding promise not to use ones rights renders
Remember Rosa Parks? (Score:5, Insightful)
This set in wheels in motion to have those segragation laws declared unconstitutional in the USA.
It is your moral duty to refuse to obey laws that you know are simply wrong and immoral. It's called "civil disobedience" and has has a pretty decent track history of causing positive change without too much bloodshed.
PS: Note that I'm not specifically saying that this mp3 downloading ruckus falls in that category. I'm just saying that your affirmation that all laws need to be obeyed is just not right.
Re:Lets hope it backfires (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Lets hope it backfires (Score:3, Informative)
Oh please (Score:4, Insightful)
Just because something is illegal (or unlawful, as is the case in CIVIL matters like these) does not make it wrong, and while there is definitely good reason to ensure that musicians continue to receive compensation, this issue is NOT as cut and dry as the Morality Police would have us belief. Taken to the extreme, beliefs like yours would outlaw all libraries because they take away money from authors and publishers.
WTF? (Score:5, Funny)
BSA REP: "We will give you enough money to buy 10 more computers if you let us brainwash the kids"
Director of school: "I'm not sure thats a good idea, have you ever read 1984?"
BSA REP: "Of course I have, I'll make it 11 computers and I won't let RIAA charge you for illegal music downloads"
Director of school: "But i havn't downloaded any illegal music"
BSA REP: "Thats what they all say!"
Nice animal to pick! (Score:5, Funny)
Attack the Young (Score:4, Insightful)
I suppose they'll be joining the ranks of MTV, musicians, and video games in the world of raising YOUR children.
Parents -- please take responsibility for your children. Please?
Quisling (Score:5, Insightful)
How about "Captain Copyright" (Score:5, Insightful)
See how the dauntless Captain Copyright sells out its friend to the BSA for talking about copying software.
Laught when Captain Copyright battles with the fearsom Product Pirates (and see how they get locked up for 30 years for running an illegal copy of Windows XP).
Be fascinated how Captian Copyright bribes and lobbies the Congress to introduce capital punishment for product theft.
Whoa (Score:3, Funny)
Just say no... (Score:4, Insightful)
If this program has any success like the Just Say No program did in the 1980s, then we should be seeing an entire generation of copyright violators in, oh, 20-30 years.
Raw raw brainwashing backfires.
Copyright Weasel Names (Score:3, Funny)
How long until they turn in parents? (Score:3, Insightful)
Gotta love my tax dollars supporting this tripe.
A weasel, indeed (Score:5, Insightful)
Heck, just the fact that they've picked a weasel is funny enough for me. Could they possibly have picked a WORSE animal mascot? Maybe the cockroach...
p
May I Make a Suggestion, Please? (Score:5, Funny)
How fitting (Score:5, Funny)
It's kinda symbolic (Score:3, Funny)
BSA: A maniacally-grinning weasel.
I wanna see all the logos that will be sure to come up involving Python and everybody's least-favorite weasel.
Could it be.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Could it be.... (Score:3, Funny)
Sorry, forgot to close the UBB tag.
I hope some smartass kid suggests (Score:3, Funny)
Rock on!
Write in Sterling Ball (Score:4, Interesting)
Anyone know where the url is so we can vote?
GNU Wildebeest (Score:3, Funny)
I guess we have to lauch a counter movement, and tellthem to share and share alike. We'll then see which culture benefits better and improves faster.
Anyone remember the anti-piracy rap video? (Score:4, Interesting)
Someone's got it on the web somewhere. Quite possibly the funniest thing you have ever seen for propaganda.
Nothing else suits this thing better... (Score:3, Funny)
After all, god knows the BSA's going to try to jam it up our asses anyways.
I give it a month before a Chinese factory... (Score:5, Funny)
Now THAT would be hilarious.
And on a more important note, a Ferret, what the hell? A friend of mine has two of these fuzzy things and one thing the BSA and Ferrets have in common is both want to get into your pants.
Digging deeper, we find... (Score:5, Insightful)
A Cyber-Ethics Champion Code [playitcybersafe.com] with items such as
Why? First of all, use of the mark is now optional [copyright.gov], at least in the U.S. Second, the mark itself doesn't explain to the child (or anyone else) whether or not a program may be copied (e.g., GPL'd software is copyrighted). The license does. Which leads us to...
So the assumption is that a child young enough to be attracted to the weasel-ferret-whatever mascot will read and understand the license agreements included with his or her software? Perhaps the BSA wants to donate to some sort of fund for early legal education?
I guess the problem I have with all this is, there's currently a lot of controversy surrounding free software, copyright, patents, and other "intellectual property" issues, and if we're not prepared to educate our children about the issues, we shouldn't allow the "voice of the world's commercial software industry" to do it for us, any more than we allow McDonald's to educate our children about nutrition. Oh, wait... [mcdonalds.com]
All too easy (Score:3, Insightful)
Mickey Mouse.
154 comments and still no... (Score:5, Funny)
"Weaseling out of things is important to learn! It's what separates us from the animals! 'Cept the weasel." --Homer
So glad I'm a beta! (Score:3, Funny)
Berman The Ermine (Score:5, Funny)
The species change would not only make it a better rhyming name, but one would have to do it because ferrets are still illegal in California. (and Hawaii, and the 5 boroughs of New York City, NY)
My Problem Here (Score:4, Insightful)
It's the responsibility of eduacators to bring this topic up in the classroom. Explain what a copyright is and explain some of the history of it. It's up to the kids to decide if it's the right thing not some corporate sponsored entity telling our kids that copyrights are fine. All it does is breed a group of kids that will not challenge the system and sit around all day thinking certain laws are okay when in fact they may not be so perfect.
God Bless America *insert sarcasm here* (Score:3, Insightful)
Sorry, I just get upset with the priorities of this country sometimes.
Animal Associations... (Score:5, Insightful)
The RIAA wants to say "ferret" because that word is also defined as a verb that means to search for something in a group of others.
The anti-RIAA forces wants to say "weasel" because that word when used as an adjective means a person that is dishonest and/or greedy.
That's a sign of a bad PR person somewhere at the RIAA. No matter how cute the positive association is, you shouldn't put out a PR campaign with a mascot that easy to mock.
Propaganda Everywhere! (Score:5, Insightful)
The point of the game is that you're supposed to use Rat Bastard (As I'm now referring to the Weasel) to kick a ball to destroy Pirates (Represented by a Skull and Crossbones) and Software (Represented by a CD. Note that I said software, not illegal software, just plain software. Interesting...) all while collecting Licenses to protect your city.
Ah, yes, you're asking the same question I was, "Protect it from what?" Quickly, you will learn the answer, to protect your fair city from being "frozen" by software piracy. The game is ridiculouslyhard and as far as I played it, is impossible to win. I can only assume that this is by design to show kids how hard it is to "defend" against the deluge of pirated software.
Man, does anyone else feel like they're in some kind of really weird, fucked up movie with a bad plot everytime they read this absolutly insane software piracy shit? Seriously, it seems like I'm inside of some horrible plot hole whenever I read the BSA is working in conjunction with Weekly Reader (Which I remember from back when I was in school) in order to indoctrinate 4th graders to believe software piracy is some sort of scourge of the Universe. Back when I read Weekly Reader, it had stuff about all kinds of exotic animals, something about space, or just anything else kids thought was really cool. Now it teaches them about Copyright laws?
What the fuck? This country really needs to get its shit back together. I love America, but I fear for our future when corporations can have the power to set ciriculum, especially for such young, impressionable kids like this.
Send letters to weeklyreader... (Score:4, Interesting)
Subject: BAS Alliance?
I recently read how Weekly Reader was going to help educate children and teens about copyright law from CNET, at http://news.com.com/Ferreting+out+copyright+scoff
I remember enjoying Weekly Reader when I was young, going over your website today has made me realize how much has changed over the years.
While I understand this is primarily a business decision, I want to urge you to reconsider distributing their supplement.
As a IT professional I am very familiar with the tactics the BSA and similar 'non-profit' organizations use to intimidate and deceive. While the company I work for is in compliance with current copyright laws, we must spend an inordinate amount of time and resources making certian that we can also prove we are in compliance.
I heartily encourage you to educate your readers on copyright laws, where they came from, what purpose they are meant to serve, and how they have changed and adapted over the decades to meet new challenges. I would strongly urge you against allowing the BSA to perform this education as I can assure you they are interested in how copyright protects copyright owners, and not how copyright also protects individuals and users of copyrighted works.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter!
-Adam
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
You're assuming the "education" provided will not be one-sided and will include fair use.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Informative)
"Fair use according to whom? The law or the Slashbot collective? People around here have a very peculiar concept of what constitutes \"fair use\"."
Exactly. Neither of these groups have the right people to teach children about copyright. The lobbyists are likely to teach them that the GPL is immoral, and the typical user here would make them memorize the collected works of Richard Stallman in English class.
Personally I believe that items of zero marginal cost must be distributed for free to guarantee economic efficiency (incentives to produce can and should be created in other ways). Society should, however, tell children about all sides of issues, but that's not what we're going to get, is it? So schools and corporations should shut up and go back to teaching children how to think, not what to think.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:4, Insightful)
This is important. Because copyright protection is one of the luxuries of living in America. We treat intellectual property in many of the same ways we treat physical property, and as a result, we have had some really great authors, musicians, directors, software companies, inventors, etc. Knock the BSA/MPAA/RIAA for being dicks about it if you want, but all they're doing is what you're supposed to do when somebody infringes on your copyright: find them, and demand restitution.
Care to provide any proof that authors/inventors/musicians are the DIRECT result of increased copyright protections? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't copyrights a rather new idea with respect to MUSIC, BOOKS, and INVENTIONS?
I disagree with your statement. In fact, I would change it to the following:
We treat intellectual property in many of the same ways we treat physical property, and as a result, we have unclear laws that fail to recognize that intangible really means just that, a confused populace who often (understandably) can't define what a copyright, trademark, or patent are or even mean, and an organized bourgeois who feel the need to "reeducate" our children on the righteous path of blind consumerism.
Does that mean a curriculum designed by the BSA is a great idea? Well, it's no worse than the oral hygiene curriculum designed by Crest I had in elementary school, a program to which I credit my fantastic smile. 'Course, I use Toms of Maine nowadays...
You're missing the point. NOBODY is in dispute on the issue of ORAL HYGIENE. Comparing it with an issue so complex and debatable as the oxymoron of "intellectual property" is ridiculous.
-Grym
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Interesting)
The BSA's favorite method is sending out threat letters to small-mid sized businesses, and warning about the dire consequences of having pirated software. The place I work got one, and the boss freaked out- especially since 1 Office 2000 CD had been used for all 6 computers in the office. The letter basically said we had 1 month to take care of any abuses, and if they caught us after that with illegal stuff, there would be hell to pay (since we were on notice).
I got some nice OEM copies to make us legit, but they never showed up. I heard a bunch of people throughout our area got these letters (San Diego), and I didn't really hear about anyone getting busted.
Also, do you like the idea of your kids being trained to rat out their peers? Always be a snitch? How far does it go... Should we also have them snitch on Mommy & Daddy?
I got one of those letters (Score:5, Funny)
That being said, this threat is serious to most businesses, and I have to help many customers get into compliance. All the more reason to use open source.
Seconded. And a war story. (Score:5, Funny)
Highlights of the visit were the BSAA dudes (local agents, I think, rather than BSAA proper) trying hard not to ask why nobody was using MS-Office (they eventually broke down and asked, I told them it was because it helped to avoid licence hassles like this one - IRL everyone was ostentatiously using OOo and Mozilla not MSO and MSIE because they'd been told to for that day
IIRC, we'd renamed the XPDE equivalent "Not Bill's Computer". Said dude's look of disbelief upon being appraised of the truth was worth framing; it took the Mandrake Control Centre [mandrakesoft.com] to half-convince him. I don't think he was ever quite sure.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:4, Interesting)
Intellectual property is not the same as physical property (for example, it [theoretically] expires) but let's not descend into the usual word games. Can you recognize, however, that -- though this does not justify infringement -- the copyright system is in fact malfunctioning, especially due to the unreasonably long time that passes before a work enters the public domain? And can we agree that the corporate stakeholders have persuaded the government to abandon the historic "copyright bargain" interpretation? And that late additions such as the Digital Millenium Copyright Act have tilted the playing field away from balanced -- in part by creating "access control rights" that have no grounding in the Constitution and, menacingly, no expiration date?
You don't have to be a eyepatch-wearing download junkie to see that things have gone awry.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:4, Insightful)
No, we SHOULD teach our children in schools that stealing is wrong. But it should be a part of the approved curriculum and school guidelines. It should NOT be through some political group coming in and spewing their own agenda. If you let the BSA in, who else might you have to let in?
School districts and state boards of eduction pay highly trained people to develop curriculum by which the children are taught. Let them do their jobs. If you don't think copyright is being covered, take it up with your school board.
If you don't trust the board and curriculum developers, then you have bigger problems. But letting private political organizations into schools to push their agenda is not the solution.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
I figured you would. If I equated data transfer with some random bad word like, say, murder or lying, I'd also anticipate a correction. So glad you saw it coming in spite of the fact that you never corrected yourself.
I guess there's a funny little group out and about that actually believes what these people say. How can you spot them? Simple: They can only back up their claims using utterly undefined and arbitrary words ('sending data is wrong! Obeying me is right! Dualism is right! Disobeying corporations is wrong!'), equating propaganda with morality ('you haven't paid for that tile so you have no right to stand on it!'), and of course, trying with every last breath to turn listening to music into 'ripping off' the artist who, even if the outlandishly abstract concept of artists 'losing' money to data transfer were true, isn't getting the 8 cents he would have gotten had you bent over and bought the CD.
The claims pretty much debunk themselves, not only with the total lack of reason but the obvious fact that nobody ever manages to justify them without turning the dictionary inside-out. You'd think these people would do a better job of convincing you now that the anti-data-exchange movement has been around for some time, but the throw-offs cop-outs are actually getting worse.
A ferret? Wow I'm convinced. I'm so inspired I think I'll sell my soul to the recording industry and sue some random kid right now!
A small fine for stealing a CD, a large lawsuit for downloading one. Let's arrest those kids outside of the bank and ignore the guy robbing it.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Interesting)
It's not a matter of open source, it's a matter of a corporation using the public education system to indoctrinate people. I have similar beefs with Subway, Coca Cola, etc. - all of whom have encroached on my old High School in the name of hooking kids on their brand early. There's a particular marketing term for the practice of impressing a brand on people before they're old enough to make decisions (so they later decide on that brand), but I don't recall it at the moment.
The BSA has a specific agenda that they most certainly will benefit from financially if they can impress it on kids early on and make it stick. If they were only teaching the facts about copyright laws or providing those materials that do so, that's fine. However, this reaks of marketing and promotion, not education. That doesn't belong in a public school. If they think that copyright laws need to receive more focus, they can go to school board meetings like everyone else.
As far as emacs - emacs is the one true editor!!! .... oops... sorry, wrong discussion ;)
I don't think learning about the GNU - if it was relevant to the class - would be bad, but RMS is not the best person to be teaching it. The nice thing is, since it's OSS, you could always take that out. I'm not a particularly big fan of RMS, and I only use the GPL when I have no intention of using the code I write commercially...
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:3, Insightful)
Why are these fucktards allowed anywhere near schools? Why these particular fucktards? Where do you draw the line?
I guess we're lobbying the kids now. This planet is going down the fucking sink. S'what you get when our governments are run by people of below-average intelligence. The people who seek power are the very fuckers wh
OK, I'll answer the question (Score:5, Insightful)
Because pushing an issue on school children, trying to form their opinions at a young age, on behalf of CORPORATIONS, smacks of manipulation and self-rightousness.
Because the BSA [slashdot.org] is a blackmailing, self-interested money hungry group of lawyers which strongarms small businesses into "compliance", trying to bluff business owners into thinking they are guilty until proven innocent.
Because controversial issues that are not directly related to education or universally accepted understandings of right and wrong have no place in the public education system.
I wouldn't have the BSA forcefeeding my kids their garbage anymore than I'd invite PETA in the classroom. Either way, God willing that we can afford it, I'm not sending my kids anywhere near a public classroom if and when the day comes.
Re:OK, I'll answer the question (Score:4, Insightful)
Except that a copyright isn't a totally exclusive right to copy. There are several exceptions, and the rules on where to draw the line are fuzzy and open to interpretation. It's certainly beyond a 4th grade level topic, and subject to controversy, but will undoubtedly be presented to the 4th graders in your oversimplified black-and-white terms anyway.
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:3, Insightful)
This is bad because... ?
I'm all for respecting copyrights but I don't trust the organization that's saying it.
The BSA is, for all practical purposes, a vigilante group. They can behave like one (without actually meeting the legal definition of one, probably) because it's generally cheaper to let them have their way than it is to fight them in court, even if you're innocent. As such, they get to play Secret Police on whoever they feel like.
I'm all for respecting rule of law but I don't think they'
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:3, Interesting)
Maybe learning about copyright law is a good thing, but it should be a part of the developed curriculum and part of what students are held accountable for. What other groups are you willing to let force their way into a
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Funny)
You know it's only a small step from writing a network stack to putting bombs on busses!
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:3, Funny)
That's ok, didn't you hear? It's dying...
-dameron
Re:OK, I'll ask the question (Score:5, Insightful)
it's a shame we don't spend the money in public education on something like this.
Re:Rat Bastard (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Kids are too good at logic for this. (Score:3, Insightful)
Remember the "Red Menace" of the 50's-80's? We've all seen the films they used to show kids in schools, and the information from parents, wasn't far from brainwashing the kids to hate anyone who didn't live under a Democratic Government.
Need a more current example? Just replace communist with "Terrorist"