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LiberalArkie

(15,728 posts) Sun Apr 26, 2015, 12:53 PM Apr 2015

We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/dmca-ownership-john-deere/

IT’S OFFICIAL: JOHN Deere and General Motors want to eviscerate the notion of ownership. Sure, we pay for their vehicles. But we don’t own them. Not according to their corporate lawyers, anyway.

In a particularly spectacular display of corporate delusion, John Deere—the world’s largest agricultural machinery maker —told the Copyright Office that farmers don’t own their tractors. Because computer code snakes through the DNA of modern tractors, farmers receive “an implied license for the life of the vehicle to operate the vehicle.”

It’s John Deere’s tractor, folks. You’re just driving it.

Several manufacturers recently submitted similar comments to the Copyright Office under an inquiry into the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. DMCA is a vast 1998 copyright law that (among other things) governs the blurry line between software and hardware. The Copyright Office, after reading the comments and holding a hearing, will decide in July which high-tech devices we can modify, hack, and repair—and decide whether John Deere’s twisted vision of ownership will become a reality.

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6 replies

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Highlight:

We Can’t Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership (Original Post) LiberalArkie Apr 2015 OP

Another sign corporate interests have run amok. DirkGently Apr 2015 #1

For those who jested about driverless cars changing things, well this is step one. CK_John Apr 2015 #2

So if it breaks down, I guess John Deere can pay to fix it. FLPanhandle Apr 2015 #3

Most of the smart operators have Wellstone ruled Apr 2015 #4

You have an interesting concept for a lawsuit cpamomfromtexas Apr 2015 #5

And they are working to EXTEND intellectual property monopolies through TPP. Faryn Balyncd Apr 2015 #6

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)

1. Another sign corporate interests have run amok.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 01:01 PM

Apr 2015

Digital media companies like Sony have been trying logic like this in recent years. Don't want you even selling a used CD or video game. The idea is to turn the entire idea of purchasing something into a mere "license," which is not ownership at all, but a limited right to use something in only specific, prescribed ways. Beyond that, you would be a "pirate," subject to lawsuit and prosecution.

It's not just tractors with this new angle either -- it's cars, too. They don't want you "chipping the ecu and so forth.

We've already been told people should come to terms with having no pensions, no benefits, and no home ownership. This is another note in the same dirge -- get ready to be told you don't really "own" anything.

CK_John

(10,005 posts)

2. For those who jested about driverless cars changing things, well this is step one.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 01:03 PM

Apr 2015

You have to lock down the car computer in order to have self driven cars.

You can't have someone change the code to the English road driving code from USA code.

FLPanhandle

(7,107 posts)

3. So if it breaks down, I guess John Deere can pay to fix it.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 01:04 PM

Apr 2015

Since it's their tractor.

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)

4. Most of the smart operators have

Reply to FLPanhandle (Reply #3)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 01:56 PM

Apr 2015

maintenance contracts with their local dealers now. Ever try to fix anything on these new machines,for get about it. Just changing a tire requires a tire crane to lift the damn wheel. Most of the housings and cast parts are to heavy for one person to lift. And,besides,the smart ones do a full Maintenance Lease on these big items. Big Ag is what it is,and it is not going to change. These folks have such a money war chest to play with,just their Finance Departments are huge,and to thing about their influence in Foreign Countries,money is power my friends.

cpamomfromtexas

(1,247 posts)

5. You have an interesting concept for a lawsuit

Reply to FLPanhandle (Reply #3)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 02:37 PM

Apr 2015

But I bought a used Kubota, screw John Deere

Faryn Balyncd

(5,125 posts)

6. And they are working to EXTEND intellectual property monopolies through TPP.

Reply to LiberalArkie (Original post)

Sun Apr 26, 2015, 10:05 PM

Apr 2015

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