[Discuss] public files vs export control laws

Fri May 10 23:10:47 UTC 2013

There may be a a plus side to this case being about guns.  Had the DoD 
taken down DIY Drones, which they could consider an ITAR controlled 
export, the only political support would be from the relatively small 
group of politicians and NPOs that are aware of, and interested in, 
open-source hardware.  There aren't many pro-drone politicians.

Being that this involves guns too, there are many politicians and NPOs 
that strongly oppose restrictions on guns and will do everything they 
can to make sure Defense Distributed comes out on the winning side of 
the debate.  Regardless of any of our individual views on guns and gun 
control, Cody Wilson may be fighting ITAR restrictions on open-source 
hardware from an angle that is more likely to win.

--- David Carrier

Tom Igoe wrote:
> I have a pretty good understanding of his tactics, I've been through a 
> number of interviews and articles, and seen similar patterns before. I 
> just think they are ill-advised. He's got two controversial topics in 
> his actions:  weapons reform, and intellectual property reform. By 
> doing what he's doing, he's tied the two together in many people's 
> minds.  So now those same people will be less receptive to the idea 
> that intellectual property regulation on its own is worth discussing.
>
> Cody's chosen to take a radical stance. That's fine, but the 
> consequence of that choose is that you alienate more people than you 
> do than by taking a collaborative stance. He's got to live with that 
> consequence, and unfortunately, now so do those of us who share his 
> feelings about intellectual property reform.
>
> t.
>
> On May 10, 2013, at 1:46 PM, Will Canine <willcanine at gmail.com 
> <mailto:willcanine at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>> I think that Wilson's point is that regulation can't stop the 
>> dispersion of disruptive designs via the Internet; he is not really 
>> looking for a waver or exemption or anything like that. His point is 
>> that now it's started, it can't be stopped, regulation be damned.
>>
>> I'm as uninterested in guns as anyone here, but I do think it's worth 
>> looking at what he is doing more closely -- his tactics are worth 
>> learning from at the very least.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On May 10, 2013, at 1:38 PM, Tom Igoe <tom.igoe at gmail.com 
>> <mailto:tom.igoe at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>> I'd have to agree, Malcolm.
>>>
>>> malcolm stanley <a.malcolm.stanley at gmail.com 
>>> <mailto:a.malcolm.stanley at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>     My experience with Export Control for encryption technologies
>>>     used in consumer devices, instantiated as DRM solutions for
>>>     Video on Demand movies, suggests to me that the exception being
>>>     sought is somewhat ... unrealistic.
>>>
>>>     Weaponization of any technology is probably a poor strategy for
>>>     accomplishing the acheivement of a waiver from regulation.
>>>
>>>     _________________________________________
>>>     malcolm stanley
>>>
>>>     google.voice:  215.821.6252
>>>     Cell: 267.251.9479 <------------- new
>>>     email: a.malcolm.stanley at gmail.com
>>>     <mailto:a.malcolm.stanley at gmail.com>
>>>     twitter / linkedin: amstanley
>>>     Read my blog at http://soaringhorse.blogspot.com
>>>     <http://soaringhorse.blogspot.com/>
>>>     _________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>     On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 10:41 AM, Matt Maier
>>>     <blueback09 at gmail.com <mailto:blueback09 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>         This is a dilemma that's been building up for a while now.
>>>         Open source is all about sharing ideas so that anyone who
>>>         wants to build them, or build off of them, can do so. Export
>>>         control is a legal regime that makes sharing of certain
>>>         ideas with non-authorized entities a federal crime.
>>>
>>>         Those of you who were at the hardware documentation jam
>>>         might remember the subject of legal constraints coming up,
>>>         but at the time I didn't have a good example.
>>>
>>>         It would seem that we now have our test case. The State
>>>         Department has ordered Defense Distributed to stop that
>>>         whole "sharing guns" thing while they review whether or not
>>>         making them internationally available violates International
>>>         Traffic in Arms Regulations.
>>>
>>>         http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/05/09/state-department-demands-takedown-of-3d-printable-gun-for-possible-export-control-violation/
>>>
>>>         Cody Wilson, a law student, says that what he's doing falls
>>>         into a protected exception for non-profit public domain
>>>         research. His argument is that the files are "stored in a
>>>         library" in the sense that all libraries have internet
>>>         access and there is a single bookstore in Austin providing
>>>         the published plans.
>>>
>>>         Getting any kind of official exception to export control for
>>>         open source technology development would be a huge win. It
>>>         would pave the way for much more ambitious projects.
>>>
>>>         -Matt
>>>
>>>         _______________________________________________
>>>         discuss mailing list
>>>         discuss at lists.oshwa.org <mailto:discuss at lists.oshwa.org>
>>>         http://lists.oshwa.org/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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