...the latest issue of EFFector is out, and will soon be posted online. Below, an item likely to be of interest to Copyfight readers following the BnetD case:

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* Help EFF Fight for the Freedom to Innovate - Give to the
BnetD Defense Fund!

Fair use was recently dealt a harsh blow by a Federal Court
decision that held programmers liable for creating free
software designed to work with commercial products. The
court ruled that creating BnetD - open source software
that provides a way for gamers to play popular Blizzard
games online - violates the Digital Millennium Copyright
Act (DMCA) and the company's end-user license agreement
(EULA). According to the court, building alternative
platforms for legitimately purchased software should be
outlawed.

That's not good for innovation, and it's definitely not
what copyright law is for. The three authors behind BnetD
built something for free that added value to their
lawfully purchased software. This kind of creativity
shouldn't be stifled; it should be applauded.

If this decision is allowed to stand, other innovators
will have to be even more wary of anti-competitive
companies with hungry lawyers.

EFF is appealing the decision, and we need your help. Our
legal work in this case is done for clients who can't
afford representation, so we depend on people like you
for funding. If you value technical innovation and
balanced copyright law, please donate to the BnetD
Legal Defense Fund today:

Contribute here.

Thank you for your support!