🚀 go-pugleaf

boursy@world.std.com (Stephen Boursy) writes:

>In article <310BE334.B5C@passport.ca>, Jason Smith  <pax@passport.ca> wrote:
>>
>>The EFF raised money, lobbied, promoted, and worked damn hard.  They 
>>lost one.  Fine.  You've written one idealistic document and have no 
>>financial evidence of any popular support, Bob.  So, I'd suggest you 
>>shut up about the EFF and get to work.


>	The EFF sold out and has split and is now just a shell of its
>former self.  They became dependent upon large corporations for their
>survival and became part of the DC establishment.

>	Read the article on them in the Feb. issue of Wired Mag.--it
>covers the story very well.

>	I've never cared much for the EFF even way back when they 
>were in my hometown of Cambridge, Ma.  They always represented the
>interests of the business owners (ISPs, etc.) first over the 
>consumers of such.  That's not consumer advocacy at all.

Steve,
     I see a lot of ranting and raving about how the EFF isn't for consumer
advocay, but what I don't see from you and others is any indication that you
know the history of the creation of the EFF or it's original charter.
You have conveniently forgotten who started the thing, too.
     The EFF had as its founding job to support Steve Jackson and his company,
Steve Jackson Games, from the jack-booted thugs of the Secret Service in the
wake of the SS seizure of computers and the loss of a copyrighted publication,
the game _Cyberpunks_.  The contention was that the Secret Service engaged in
harrassment by shutting down a legal operation -- a contention that won the
day in court.
     One of the founders was Mitch Kapor, still Mr. Lotus Development Corp.
in those days.
     You complain that the EFF represents the interest of business owners
first over consumers of such.  To the extent that consumers can be hounded
by the Feds, that's inaccurate.  To the extent that the usual target of Fed
activity is to the guy who owns the hardware, you're right.
     Of course, the fact that EFF was also looking out for the rights of the
BBS operator has passed you, as well.  Again, EFF is more interested in the
targets of oppressive Federal government law enforcement action -- and the
consumers just aren't being arrested and their equipment seized for no good
reason.