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From: ch@dce.ie (Charles Bryant)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Feedback on Computer Crime - Apology
Message-ID: <1990Aug26.183735.8322@dce.ie>
Date: 26 Aug 90 18:37:35 GMT
References: <90224.202102POPOVICH@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu> <9008131552.AA27315@world.std.com> <1990Aug16.072922.26029@melba.bby.oz.au>
Organization: Datacode Communications Ltd, Dublin, Ireland
Lines: 28

In article <1990Aug16.072922.26029@melba.bby.oz.au> zvs@bby.oz.au (Zev Sero) writes:
>In article <9008131552.AA27315@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes:
>
>   As an analogy, imagine if some broadcast radio or tv station
>   programming could be "stolen" by anyone by merely tuning in that
>   channel? I realize that this is a problem with satellite dishes,
>   but again the analogy is strained in that case by the prerequisite
>   of a thousand or more dollars in satellite dish etc equipment.
>
>In Australia until the mid 70s you needed a license to own a radio or
>TV set.  The proceeds from license fees (annually renewable) went to
>fund the ABC.  I believe that in the UK this is still the case.  It is
>illegal to tune in to *any* station, not just the BBC, without paying
>a fee to the BBC.  Wierd, but not illegal, and I don't recall any
>major public outcry about its immorality.

A license is still required for a TV in Ireland (IR#62 for a colour set).
This is required to *own* the set or rent it - even if you never use it. There
is a similar requirement to have a licence for a satelite dish though I haven't
heard what the license costs - probably they aren't yet available due to
administrative delays making it illegal to own a dish. As far as I know, the
actual wording of the law is "apparatus capable of receiving sound and vision
transmitted via media not laid down for that purpose". Since I read of someone
in the UK using a dustbin (trashcan) lid as a satelite dish I suppose you need
a license for them as well.
-- 
Charles Bryant (ch@dce.ie)
** Read my Lisp: