R v (1) GRAHAM WESTGARTH SMITH (2) MIKE JAYSON (2002)

[Charles Lindsey]

	On Thu, 25 Apr 2002 00:19:06 +0100
	Roger Hayter <roger@hayter.org> said...

> I know its off topic but:  the decision to twist rational thought to 
> treat downloading an image file as the same thing as making a photograph 
> (whether by cameral or photoshop) was a response to moral panic by the 
> judges at a time when the penalties for *possession* were perceived by 
> the tabloids to be too low.

No, I think it is perfectly reasonable.

If you have the negative of a photograph, you can use the proper tools
(photographic paper, developer, fixer) to produce a copy on paper that
you can view.

If you have a binary representation of a photograph, you can use the
proper tools (Jpeg decoder, windows display software) to produce a copy
on a computer screen that you can view.

Perfectly comparable processes.

Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
Tel: +44 161 436 6131 Fax: +44 161 436 6133   Web: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~chl
Email: chl@clw.cs.man.ac.uk      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 AB A5