[ On Friday, October 20, 2000 at 09:44:37 (-0400), Dana Hudes wrote: ]
Subject: Re: decreased caching efficiency?
I pay my ISP to carry IP packets around. Caching is acceptable in some cases but not in others.
You control how your information is distributed. If you do not wish it to be cached in any meaningful manner by an ISP or anyone else then you must use protocols that are inherently uncachable, such as those protected by strong cryptography.
In some cases certainly your cache is in fact a copyright violation.
No, it's absolutely NOT. You knowingly publish your content in a medium where copying is an inherent part of the system (at many levels!). If you do not accept that arbitrary copies will be made of your data then must not publish your information on the Internet. Period. No amount of ignorance of the medium is a valid excuse in this day and age. The only way you can prevent unabashed private copying is to enter into explicit contracts with those you securely distribute your own copies to. IANAL, but I have studied Copyright Law and I'm reasonably certain that it can only prevent people from making explict commercial use of your works -- it cannot even cause an ISP to share any percentage of the monetary gain in bandwidth savings with you since that's not how copyright law defines commercial use. Network operators will do whatever's necessary to optimise their networks. Transparent caching, where it makes sense and is possible, will happen regardless of what content providors wish. If I can sell even 10% more bandwidth than I buy due to caching then you can bet your boots I'm going to use it! -- Greg A. Woods +1 416 218-0098 VE3TCP <gwoods@acm.org> <robohack!woods> Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>