BAD NEWS :( Government amendments reinforce Big Browser

[Charles Lindsey]

=09On Thu, 08 Jun 2000 09:51:18 +0100
=09Nicholas Bohm <nbohm@ernest.net> said...

> >I can follow you up to the point where you say "ie" and no further.  Ple=
ase
> >explain where in the bill the definition of a telecommunications system =
is
> >given in such a way that web servers in general could be said to be
> >apparatus comprised in it.  The two amendments refer to control signals =
for
> >such apparatus, not to control signals for apparatus that is not compris=
ed
> >in a telecommunications system.
>=20
> Section 2(1)
>=20
> =93telecommunication system=94 means any system (including the apparatus
> comprised in it) which exists (whether wholly or partly in the
> United Kingdom or elsewhere) for the purpose of facilitating the
> transmission of communications by any means involving the use of
> electrical or electro-magnetic energy.
>=20
> This seems to me to include web servers, since they are there to transmit
> web pages in response to requests, and that facilitates the transmission =
of
> communications (i.e. the pages sent).

If that includes web wervers, then it also includes the PC on your desk,
since you use it to transmit messages to the likes of us, and you use it
to receive them also. I think I could argue that neither is a part of
the telecommunicatiosn system, but the matter is sufficiently unclear
that it is imperative to clear it up.

Their lordships have been made aware of this - we must just hope they do
not screw it up.

Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing--------------------=
----
Email:     chl@clw.cs.man.ac.uk  Web:   http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl
Voice/Fax: +44 161 437 4506      Snail: 5 Clerewood Ave, CHEADLE, SK8 3JU, =
U.K.
PGP: 2C15F1A9     Fingerprint: 73 6D C2 51 93 A0 01 E7  65 E8 64 7E 14 A4 A=
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