[Fsfe-uk] BBC running story on Mod Chips for games consoles case - EUCD

[Simon Waters]

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3915179.stm

The story is interesting for a number of reasons.

Different rulings have taken place across Europe in similar cases, so
the EUCD clearly didn't harmonise rules across Europe.

These mod chips clearly have significant non-infringing uses - such as
allowing owners to import games from other regions, thus bypassing
article restriction on trade imposed by the manufacturers who use copy
protection methods to artificially inflate prices in, or prevent exports
between, regions.

Presumably the mod chip users should buy different products, or raise
the issue of regionalisation with the EU competition commissioner.

The BBC is running it as "UK bans Play Station 'chipping'", Sony no
doubt want it read as that, but I assume the actual ruling is somewhat
more specific than that, as I can't believe if I've bought a Sony
Playstation I don't have the right to buy parts to alter it.

Quite a few "mod chip" suppliers folded back in 2001, rather than face
legal action from a multinational like Sony.
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