On 2005-01-14, Bill Van Dyk wrote:


I find it rather strange-- or is it just me?-- that I can buy a 50 mm
rifle

50mm would be artillery, not a rifle. You must mean 50 calibre, also
known as (literally) "armed for bear".

with which I could shoot down a Boeing 747 (at take-off), or
penetrate 1/2" steel plate, without much difficulty.

Don't take for granted what it can do. When I say "armed for bear", I
mean it -- 50cal BMG is about what it takes to penetrate a bear skull.
12ga shotgun slug won't do it. .357 magnum won't do it. As far as
easily penetrating a 1/2" steel plate, again, don't bet your life on it.

But if you buy a minidisk, it is assumed that you are trying to steal
music, and therefore hardware inhibit mechanisms must be built in to the
device before it can be allowed on the market.

I hate the way my minidisc recorder locks me out of my own music that I
have composed and performed. I don't think that's right, and in fact,
this damned machine has asserted control of my copyrighted materials. I
think I should be able to sue Sony over it.