Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utcsri.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsri!clarke From: clarke@utcsri.UUCP (Jim Clarke) Newsgroups: ut.general,tor.general Subject: Re: decoder schematics/parts list Message-ID: <1248@utcsri.UUCP> Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 09:34:32 EDT Article-I.D.: utcsri.1248 Posted: Fri Jul 12 09:34:32 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jul-85 09:39:17 EDT References: <2217@utcsstat.UUCP> <616@utai.UUCP> <617@utai.UUCP> <618@utai.UUCP> Reply-To: clarke@utcsri.UUCP (Jim Clarke) Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto Lines: 21 Summary: I think the relevant point of news-posting etiquette says something like, "Don't tell anyone how to do anything illegal, or ask anyone to tell you." It is apparently illegal to decode pay-TV signals without paying for them, and we should not therefore post news explaining how to build a decoder, since the building is the only part of the illegal decoding that would need an explanation (... unless you really need to be told how to turn your TV on!) It's true that this illegal means of watching pay TV would have the non-illegal side effect of causing you to own your own decoder, but that's beside the point. Likewise, we should not ask for nor give instructions on how to set up an illegal satellite dish, should we? -- even if the government would never prosecute. None of this has (I think) anything to do with the morality of do-it-yourself decoding. Personally, I find the idea that I can't do what I like with signals entering or passing through my property rather offensive. ("Entering" covers my annoyance with the bit in the cable-TV contract about not connecting a second TV to the cable. I don't want to, but I almost wish I did want to.) But there are only a few news networks, and there's not much sense putting this one, and in this case our university too, in danger of being sued.