[A2k] Re: [Upd-discuss] Fwd: Blind Groups Sue ASU flor Kindle Use

[Claude Almansi]

2009/6/29 Federico Heinz <fheinz@vialibre.org.ar>:
> On 29/06/2009, Michael S. Hart wrote:
>> On Mon, 29 Jun 2009, Federico Heinz wrote:
>> > The problem is that arguing exclusively for the blind is "not going our
>> > way".
>> Please do not put words in my mouth to create a Straw Man Fallacy.
>> I did NOT say we should be "arguing exclusively for the blind."
>
> Arguing that Kindle DRM is bad for the blind is a arguing exclusively for them.
>
> A different thing would be to explicity argue that Kindle DRM is bad for
> *everyone*, and to put forward the case for the blind as an example.


Federico,

Please re-read the National Federation of the Blind's press communique
forwarded initially by Seth Johnson
(<http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/a2k/2009-June/004659.html> .
The lawsuit is not about DRM and cannot be in the present situation
where DRM is unfortunately not only legal, but where it is protected
by copyright law. So you can't sue a university for choosing a DRMed
solution.

The lawsuit is about universities adopting the Kindle even though it
cannot be used by blind people. And the argument is that this violates
"the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973." Because there must be a law violation to justify a lawsuit.

And if these universities are forced to give up adopting the Kindle,
that will be a first step against a threatening Kindle monopoly.  It
wouldn't hamper at all the campaign against the Kindle's DRM. But this
campaign cannot use lawsuits in the present situation.

Best

Claude