In message , at 12:59:44 on Tue, 26 Oct
2004, Richard remarked:
So you like crooks being able to tip off their comrades? Very good.

If they're a crook, they're going to tip off their comrades regardless.

So cancel the law banning armed robbery, as people do it anyway.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:59:44 on Tue, 26 Oct
2004, Richard remarked:

So you like crooks being able to tip off their comrades? Very good.


If they're a crook, they're going to tip off their comrades regardless.


So cancel the law banning armed robbery, as people do it anyway.

Oh, look, apples and oranges and straw men. "If you're doing nothing
wrong..." can't be far off.

(Parts of) RIPA are overly restrictive. The effect on criminals will
be minimal; the effect on the general public will be widespread repression.

A more accurate statement/analogy would be,

"As people committ armed robbery despite there being a law against it,
we're going to ban everyone from entering post offices and banks."

p.s. laws don't get cancelled, they get repealed.

In message , at 13:47:37 on Tue, 26 Oct
2004, Richard remarked:
(Parts of) RIPA are overly restrictive. The effect on criminals will
be minimal; the effect on the general public will be widespread
repression.

I don't think most of the General Public's communications (even if
encrypted) are of enough interest that the recipients will have the GAK
powers applied.
--
Roland Perry

(Parts of) RIPA are overly restrictive. The effect on criminals will
be minimal; the effect on the general public will be widespread
repression.

I don't think most of the General Public's communications (even if
encrypted) are of enough interest that the recipients will have the GAK
powers applied.

headbutts brick wall You've somewhat missed the point. Although Roland
is being slightly hysterical, the effect of parts of RIPA _could_ be
widespread repression, which is why we should deny that opportunity to this
future governments. Slippery slope and thin end of the wedge may be
cliches, but they are almost always valid.

In message , at
13:49:34 on Tue, 26 Oct 2004, Mark Thompson
remarked:
(Parts of) RIPA are overly restrictive. The effect on criminals will
be minimal; the effect on the general public will be widespread
repression.

I don't think most of the General Public's communications (even if
encrypted) are of enough interest that the recipients will have the GAK
powers applied.

headbutts brick wall You've somewhat missed the point. Although Roland
is being slightly hysterical, the effect of parts of RIPA _could_ be
widespread repression, which is why we should deny that opportunity to this
future governments. Slippery slope and thin end of the wedge may be
cliches, but they are almost always valid.

Any law can be misused - why pick on RIPA especially? And while the GAK
part hasn't even got a draft Code of Practice, speculation is moot.
--
Roland Perry

Any law can be misused - why pick on RIPA especially? And while the
GAK part hasn't even got a draft Code of Practice, speculation is
moot.

Because fining pavement cyclists just isn't in the same league. Also, does
a code of practice stop it being misused, or merely enable people to feel
justifiably upset when it's disregarded in their case?

In message , at
16:14:54 on Tue, 26 Oct 2004, Mark Thompson
remarked:
Any law can be misused - why pick on RIPA especially? And while the
GAK part hasn't even got a draft Code of Practice, speculation is
moot.

Because fining pavement cyclists just isn't in the same league. Also, does
a code of practice stop it being misused, or merely enable people to feel
justifiably upset when it's disregarded in their case?

As with all things, the existence of a rule gives society a benchmark to
judge transgressors against.
--
Roland Perry

On 26 Oct 2004 16:14:54 GMT someone who may be Mark Thompson
wrote this:-

Also, does a code of practice stop it being misused,

Of course not. Especially when "supervision" will consist of a Mr
Hutton who says, "well done chaps, keep up the good work", no matter
what has happened.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.