RunningWithBulls.com - The curse of Sanfermin

Via Bedlam, via ./ the news that Spain is “outlawing” P2P filesharing technologies, both from the end user poiint-of-view, but also from the ISP.

The /. post mentions that it is illegal even for “fair use” (whatever that *actually means*), but from the article mentioned, it seems only for “unauthorized downloading”.

Now, this is rubbish. A) it puts massive burdens on the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to create a procedure for sniffing the traffic being sent over their networks, B) it will be near-on impossible to see what is “legal” and what is “illegal” P2P traffic.

Not that I have any sympathy for the ISPs, but in the end of the day, they will just pass on the extra cost for the required hardware to the client.

Internet access in Spain is reasonably priced, but it will be set to hike up in price if this stupid law is implemented.

As someone commented on /., what happens to all the companies who send out updates via P2P protocols? They will not be too happy.

The law also introduces a tax on blank media, according to the article. This ranges from blank DVDs/CDs/USB memory sticks, and mobile phones (yes, mobile phones).

Funnily, the tax does not seem to apply to hard disks.

Anyone knows, the “kids of today” are filesharing to their computers, and then copying the music/files to their MP3 players, video players, etc.

Therefore, totally circumventing the taxed medias.

*Sigh*, another example of Spain’s backwardness in matters technological (not always, but they have a habit of it).

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