In my Backspin column this week — “Laws in France kick Apple’s pants” I discussed the French government’s proposed anti-closed DRM legislation and in this blog a couple of items ago we had some discussion on the topic. Well, it turns out that Apple is at least historically in favor of the idea!
I just received a note from reader and Ted Grafe who wrote: I enjoyed your “Backspin” column today. Subsequently, I thought the following blog link would be of interest to you (pretty funny). From MacWorld in 2002, Steve Jobs said, “If you legally acquire music, you need to have the right to manage it on all other devices you own.” Wow – sounds a lot like the French in 2006, “The consumer must be able to listen to the music they have bought no matter what platform.” Ted represnts François G. Laugier, corporate transactions and international business attorney in the Redwood City, Calif. office of Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley (www.ropers.com) who notes that Now that the bill passed the Assemblee Nationale, there is little doubt that the “Senat”, traditionally a more conservative group than the “Assemblee”, will also vote in favor. Interesting bill, finding its genesis in the 1994 “green paper” published under the Clinton administration … Laugier apparently knows what he’s talking about: He is a member of the French Bar (“Avocat”) and an advisor to the French Ministry of Economy and Finances (“Conseiller du Commerce Exterieur”) amongst other achievements. Laugier continues: Some members of the French parliament who were defeated already threaten to challenge the law … This is going to be a fascinating case to watch as should the French law pass the implications for “big media” will be profound.
