Fellow Poser users;
For the last time, I HIGHLY recommend that you educate yourselves about the folowing issues: the recent DMCA legislation, the current UTICA legislation, Microsoft's change of EULA terms that come with Win 2000 SP3 and Win XP SP1 (it's interesting that Poser 5 requires these OS's), and finally Win XP's digital content manager which updates itself whether you want it to or not(it can NOT be turned off).

After you have done this, the future of software usage (as well as audio CD's, MP3's, etc.) is clear (you're going to be screwed).

CL is a business. They can do whatever they want with their product.

As a consumer, I can do whatever I want too. I will not buy their product (nor Win XP). That is the single best way to let CL know they've made a mistake.

Could you provide a short synopsis on those legislations? Or maybe a link to a short synopsis? Thanks.

Absolutely! I am more than 1/2 glad I can't update to Poser5, it makes my decision to stay away from such corporate rape much easier to handle :). Sadly, its the wave of the future though. Privacy is an idea past it's time. None of these issues can ever protect software, and the programmers know this. It's all about control of the user. Poser users aren't buying Poser 5, regardless of what they might think before they part with a few hundred bucks. They get a VERY limited lease, and worse, it's on CL's good graces from square one. Wait till a new reg costs 20 bucks and lasts 30 days. Bill Gates TOLD the world about this two years ago, and ever since then has continued to push his agenda forward. CL has gladly jumped on board, and why not? It's steady income and doesn't require the company to EVER update or renew. The same POS will be served out forever. The issues are beyond me, though. I can't act alone, except to protect my home system as best I can, and join the growing underground movement of security minded folks. The vast majority don't know or understand what is happening, even though its been fully reported in every venue imaginable. The bottom line is that until a community acts as a group this wave is going to wash everything away. Privacy matters to me, not because I have anything to hide, but because I should have to PROVE that. No XP, no Poser5, no program EVER that spies on me, or isn't completely mine. When I buy somthing it's mine to do with as I please (including reselling, throwing away or burning). Too bad so many ppl are so willing to toss away their privacy and consumer rights just to have the latest version. I still, gladly, haven't figured out how to use the full power of P4, so it will be many years before I can even begin to think of myself as needing more. Hopefully, by then some new program will be available that caters to the growing number of end users who cherish ownership and privacy.

Absolutely! I am more than 1/2 glad I can't update to Poser5, it makes my decision to stay away from such corporate rape much easier to handle :). Sadly, its the wave of the future though. Privacy is an idea past it's time. None of these issues can ever protect software, and the programmers know this. It's all about control of the user. Poser users aren't buying Poser 5, regardless of what they might think before they part with a few hundred bucks. They get a VERY limited lease, and worse, it's on CL's good graces from square one. Wait till a new reg costs 20 bucks and lasts 30 days. Bill Gates TOLD the world about this two years ago, and ever since then has continued to push his agenda forward. CL has gladly jumped on board, and why not? It's steady income and doesn't require the company to EVER update or renew. The same POS will be served out forever. The issues are beyond me, though. I can't act alone, except to protect my home system as best I can, and join the growing underground movement of security minded folks. The vast majority don't know or understand what is happening, even though its been fully reported in every venue imaginable. The bottom line is that until a community acts as a group this wave is going to wash everything away. Privacy matters to me, not because I have anything to hide, but because I should have to PROVE that. No XP, no Poser5, no program EVER that spies on me, or isn't completely mine. When I buy somthing it's mine to do with as I please (including reselling, throwing away or burning). Too bad so many ppl are so willing to toss away their privacy and consumer rights just to have the latest version. I still, gladly, haven't figured out how to use the full power of P4, so it will be many years before I can even begin to think of myself as needing more. Hopefully, by then some new program will be available that caters to the growing number of end users who cherish ownership and privacy.

Synopsis? Well, in a nutshell...

Basically, Windows new digital content manager silently controls what programs and files you can use on your computer (thanks to DMCA, UTICA, and powerful music and Hollywood lobbies).

UTICA, if enacted universally, allows software companies a LEGAL backdoor into your computer so they can modify their software however they want to (include turning it off whenever they please).

There is also several major projects underway that will scan all computers on the Internet looking for illegal software. And from what I've read, they will have the power to hack your computer to look for this software.

So, I recommend a bare-bones computer hook-up to the Internet (with a good firewall). Keep all of your programs on a separate computer that NEVER hooks up to the Internet.

I also suggest you purchase a full version copy of Win98SE while you can. That way, if you buy a new computer, you can wipe Win XP from the hard drive.

Actually, a better bet would be to get an OEM copy of both 98-SE and Win2k Pro; that way you keep the backwards compatibility, and still have the NT kernel for all those proggies that supposedly are coming. XP sales have been nowhere near what they assumed, and the number of clueful users who are getting new computers and deleting and reinstalling a previous Windows build is growing. As are the number of corporate clients who are quietly buying copies of 98 and Win2k outright and letting MS swing. Nothing out there -needs- XP, and very little -needs- w2k. The only Windows that has the content manager is XP. No XP, no new Media Player, no content manager. And keep in mind that =BOTH= DMCA and Fritz Holling's latest brainfart (which isn't even out of committee, yet), have never been tested in federal court. ACLU is just waiting for the chance. DMCA stamps on the fair usage codicile that has been implicit in copyright law, and repeatedly supported by the Supreme Court, since it was conceived. And the Hollings Hanger, assuming it actually gets out of committee and actually gets voted into law, would (a)be a direct violation of that federal law that makes it a federal crime to hack into =any= network, no matter who you are, without a court order. (b) More importantly, it would get into the constitutional matter of Innocent until Proven Guiltly -in a court of law-. And that completely ignores the fact that the MPAA and the RIAA couldn't come up with enough hackers to even begin the attemtpt; particularly considering the number of people who would take exception and return the favor with interest (how many times has the RIAA site been hacked since they threatened to find a hacker to use against people?). The only reason this nonsense has lasted as long as it has is that no one has been mad enough to take it to court. Yet. (And have you ever wondered -why- a Senator from South Carolina, which has no real media ties, is leading the fight for California based organizations? CA's reps wouldn't touch it.)