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Ask Jamie Love, Consumer Technology Activist
Posted by
Roblimo
on Wed Sep 05, 2001 12:00 PM
from the fighting-for-the-underdog dept.
from the fighting-for-the-underdog dept.
Jamie Love is head of the Ralph Nader-founded Consumer Project on Technology [CPT], one of the first groups to advocate Linux use in government and corporate settings. CPT also works to loosen or remove patent restrictions that raise the end user cost of technologies ranging from computer software to AIDS medication, and against intellectual property laws and treaties that could hamper new technology development. Jamie is one of the most respected technology lobbyists in Washington, even though his entire annual budget probably wouldn't buy a month's worth of lunches for Microsoft's PR firm. What's it like in the lobbying trenches? What can you do to help? Jamie's the one to ask. One question per post, please. 10 of the highest-moderated ones will go to Jamie by email, and we'll run his answers as soon as he gets them back to us.
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Ask Jamie Love, Consumer Technology Activist
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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Politician's Reaction (Score:5, Interesting)
Consequences for Patent Breakers? (Score:5, Interesting)
How to communicate issues? (Score:5, Interesting)
Obviously, the big ticket item is getting the citizenry involved in making changes at a legislative level regarding the liberties that have been traded in the interest of corporate domination. The problem, however, is finding a way to communicate that without spending three days pointing out cases of encroaching corporate control.
Do you have any tips/suggestions on how an average technology enthusiast such as myself can best go about conveying to the every-day public the sense of urgency surrounding technology issues and the reason such issues should be addressed?
Knowledeable Washingtonians? (Score:3, Interesting)
If not, what are you doing and what do you see can be done to change this?
Technological ability (Score:3, Interesting)
Patent Issues (Score:5, Interesting)
Free Speech (Score:5, Insightful)
Changing copyright times (Score:3, Interesting)
Microsoft Trial (Score:3, Interesting)
Neverending Copyright (Score:5, Interesting)
Restriction of license agreements and uses (Score:3, Interesting)
What about requiring a publisher that uses content control/copy-protection to provide free replacement/backup media at no charge? This is if they prevent one from making a backup and their is loss.
Patents and the cost of development...? (Score:5, Interesting)
Surely, the cost of life-saving medications should not be prohibitive. And dozens of ridiculous patent disputes cannot be good for any industry. But without some means of recouping the often crippling cost of development (for example, 1000s of drugs begin the development process and only a handful make it to the consumer) what incentive is there to investigate new ideas?
What will happen to the fields of medicine and information technology if the market for invention dries up?
Global (Score:4, Interesting)
The public cost of copyright (Score:5, Interesting)
If this is the case, how can we change the climate in Washington to make our representatives accountable for diminishing the public domain and enlarging copyright?
Fair Use (Score:4, Interesting)
Patent law opinion (Score:3, Interesting)
Do you think it would be more fair (for consumers and developers) to restructure patents so that only IP related to an existing product can be patented?
What's your job really like? (Score:5, Interesting)
Can you describe what a typical day is for you - for example, do you see Congressmen, how do you influence their voting (finiacal or otherwise), and what do you do when you are NOT on Capitol Hill?
Unified efforts in advocacy. (Score:3, Interesting)
Hi, Jamie. Hopefully I'm asking something that is up your alley and isn't too terribly off-topic
Do you see the possibility of a large, unified force in technology activism in the current lobbyist environment?
I have noted that, for the most part, those attempting to promote innovation and free exchange of ideas throughout all research and industry seem to have their own agenda. They often have many of the same viewpoints and would pull together if they would allow some of their views to take a backseat to a concerted, unified effort.
There are a lot of people that have been able to organize themselves into groups, but still grasp divisive issues as defining who they are. Instead they should 'gang up' and try seeing how their numbers can make an impact
A good example of this divisiveness is Slashdot. Most of the people that browse and are coherently active on this site believe that greater competition in the marketplace is a very good thing. Yet they continue to split themselves up into 'factions' (i.e. Mac, Linux, Unix, BSD, etc.) without seeing that any choice but the one that they oppose (Microsoft, for instance) should be a step in the right direction.
Rock
Why do you use Microsoft Windows (Score:5, Interesting)
If you are so anti-corporation, and so anti-Microsoft, to the point of publically criticizing them and thier practices, why does the Consumer Project on Technology, and specifically you, Mr. Love, choose to use Microsoft Windows on your office and home machines?
An informed Anonymous Coward
Consumers (Score:4, Interesting)
Consumers do not (generally) have these resources availible. They can't buy marketing campaigns, they don't have dedicated lawyers, and they don't have large sums of money to spend on convincing people that their way is the right way. If twenty major corporations want something, they can usually get it. However, twenty consumers would have no effect whatsoever. My question is, what is the most effective way that consumers can voice their opinion in a way that they will be listened to? Obviously, if more people protested the laws, policies and other things that did not benefit the consumer, things might be changed. However, I think that most people (including myself) feel overwhelmed by the fact that their one voice makes little difference.
Intellectual property changes (Score:4, Interesting)
Outside the US of A (Score:5, Interesting)
Consumerism == Big Government == Opression (Score:4, Insightful)
A simple scenario, in order to protect consumers, you may choose to make all cars come with airbags, and have the safety of a Camry. A) What if I'm poor, and cannot afford a Camry, but I can afford a Geo. Am I SOL, or does the goverment buy me a Camry (Socialism)? B) I'm not afraid of death and I like 1960's sports cars, with horrific safety ratings (Corvairs, e.g.). Will I be able to obtain one (keeping in mind that if I die, my family would retain the right to sue the manufacturer under many protectionist schemes)?
(One can easily draw up a similar scenario with cigarettes to see how I made up these examples).
how can I help? (Score:3, Redundant)
and where do we start? How can we get involved?
I mean beyond just writing letters to our congresscritters.
tune
Effective technology lobbying and activism for DMC (Score:5, Informative)
The problem is, we're technology people, not activists, and we don't know how to lobby effectively. What's your advice? How can we get the attention of our senators? How can we attract media attention (in a respectful way, that is)? Are there other activities we should be undertaking that would be more effective than what we're doing?
consumers and quality (Score:5, Insightful)
Tim
Targeting Bible Belt Republicans (Score:4, Interesting)
Disclaimer: the above is not necessarily my opinion, but it might be an effective angle. Unless those so-called "Christians" actually value money more than God.