[MEncoder-users] Free of patents codec

[Reimar Döffinger]

Hi,
On Mon, Aug 22, 2005 at 04:47:58PM +0100, Raphael wrote:
> And yes.. you are right... sadly a lot of the law has that affect on 
> people these days. If are in the UK see the fear the words "Data 
> protection Act" and "Health and Safety" engenders in people. Then ask 
> them if they know anyone (or anyone who knows anyone) who has ever been 
> sued or sent to jail for breaking these terrifying laws.

It does not matter whether they affect anyone or not. The point of laws
is having rules, so that you can estimate what the risk of doing a
certain thing is (the german word is "Rechtssicherheit"), otherwise we
wouldn't need any laws and could just say "let the judges decide
whatever they think is right".
With software patents and laws like the DMCA that security has left most
of the computer areas. Sure, lost security does not mean anyone is
actually in danger, but I prefer to have security!
Although on a bit a different topic, at least for those "anti terror laws"
I can directly point to a certain person in London who was affected by
them. Maybe sometimes it is a good idea not to way until someone gets
hurt.
I guess they should have called them "police terror laws" after
all, at least people would have had realistic expectations about them.

Greetings,
Reimar Döffinger