http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71720.html

Thoughts?

On an unrelated note, I finally got a link working first time :D

This version: Maybe
Attempts like this: They are going to try again and again. And we will stop them again and again. I hope.

Well if it is anything like SOPA/PIPA, I think it will be avoided like the plague at this point. Who would want to draw attention to themselves for embracing yet something else to screw over the entire internet? Oh of course they will keep trying. However I find it highly unlikely they will be trying this again anytime soon, unless of course they are serious glutton's for punishment.

I know but still, always be on alert. I thought I never see the day when this was attempted.
I don't know about OPEN, still need to research more about it or have someone who knows lawyer speak to explain it to me.

We can't know yet. The freedom fighters seems to have won this round, but the copyright control corporations will still try to reach their goals, and their warchest is far from empty. The question is whether they regard it as more favorable to pick up SOPA/PIPA again at a later date, or to use other channels for a while, and prepare their next big move better.

Personally I believe that the PR damage to SOPA/PIPA is too big to be mended. I expect to see a few months of relatively little action while the lobbyists prepare their next moves behind the scenes. And I expect their next steps to be either not targeted at the legislation at all, or to at least come in the form of smaller amendments that can be sneaked in without causing so much publicity.

The corporations will also try to support the "right" presidential candidate in exchange for at least _some_ support towards their goals, so I believe that the next big move is likely to come after the elections. Personally IÄ'd be wary, and I'd especially try to keep the topic of internet censorship on the agenda during the coming (pre-)election period. The more definitive statements against internet censorship can be wrested out of the candidates prior to the elections, the less leverage the copyright corporations will have afterwards.

When you get someone who understands lawyer speak, please let us know too :D Trust me, I think we could all use that information.

I'm pretty sure that PIPA/SOPA are dead. The "trademark" of those names has been "vilified" enough. Their "ghosts" however still linger and copyright holders will try and try again to further their goals.

Therefore I don't think any mending will happen, but a new bill will be introduced.

The price of freedom .... (which could make it's way on GOG, btw)

Yes, because all inventions and products worth pirating are of course American, and no American citizens would ever dream of pirating anything.

Eh, I think there should be some form of regulation to reduce piracy online, but not what they were proposing with SOPA / PIPA. I don't know if there will ever be a middle ground where both parties end up happy, but I'm seeing this with my optimistic "people are good" "they just want to protect their IP's" glasses, instead of the more realistic "these are politicians and greedy Hollywood execs we are talking about" glasses.

No I dont think they will stop, however the future of these 2 particular bill's will undoubtedly put a dampener on any further bill's until they have the backing of not just the goverment, but the public and internet users as well. And they wont ihave that if they try this same kind of thing again.

Dude, if that offends you, better not watch the GOP debates...

Nope, first US version of this bill was in 2008. Called something else but same ideas behind it.

Also, the IDEAS behind these bills are starting to get other nations in the world to pass similar bills. Sure, it won't affect as many people but once the dominoes start falling...

Next ones being voted on is in Mexico and Canada. Bill C-11 and ACTA.

Well to be honest, the idea itself is good but not if it destroys the entire internet to implement it. They just need to figure that part out, and so far there doing a piss poor job of it

If you read some of the statements from Patrick Leahy and Lamar Smith there's still plenty of will there to try to push PIPA and SOPA through, or at least equivalent legislation. We're almost certain to see re-branded versions of them appearing in under a year, potentially attached as riders to must-pass legislation. Make no mistake: this was nothing more than a skirmish, and while it's good that we won it the war is still ongoing, and the enemy is in it for the long haul.