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DIY Tractor Repair Runs Afoul Of Copyright Law
NPR ^ | 18 Aug 2015 | Laura Sydell

Posted on 08/18/2015 11:31:17 AM PDT by Theoria

The iconic image of the American farmer is the man or woman who works the land, milks cows and is self-reliant enough to fix the tractor. But like a lot of mechanical items, tractors are increasingly run by computer software. Now, farmers are hitting up against an obscure provision of copyright law that makes it illegal to repair machinery run by software.

Take Dave Alford. He fits that image of the iconic farmer.

"I do farming on the family ranch," says Alford, standing on a piece of grassy earth with a white barn behind him. "I've been farming for the past 30 years and obviously my family much before that."

Alford wears a blue baseball cap with a farm supply company logo across the top, a plaid shirt, bluejeans and work boots. As Alford and I walk over to see one of his newer tractors we pass what looks like a graveyard of rusty old ones.

Alford says he keeps the old ones around, "Just because I'm a farmer. You keep thinking, well, maybe I'll make this one work someday."

Alford considers himself a small farmer — he's got 1,000 acres in San Luis Obispo along the central coast of California where he grows snow peas, garbanzo beans, hay and seed crops. But he jokes that he tells his friends he's a mechanic.

"You spend so much of your time in agriculture fixing things," Alford says. "I'm of a size that it's more economically beneficial to me to fix as much stuff as I can myself."

But that's been getting a lot harder to do.

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: computer; copyright; diy; farming; tractor
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1 posted on 08/18/2015 11:31:17 AM PDT by Theoria
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To: Theoria

Farmers are finally figuring out what shadetree mechanics have been dealing with for years.


2 posted on 08/18/2015 11:34:25 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (The other day I... No, that wasn't me.)
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To: Theoria

What a stupid law


3 posted on 08/18/2015 11:35:39 AM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
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To: Theoria

Just because I HATE HATE HATE NPR....

National Proletariat Radio.

Haha!!!!!

4 posted on 08/18/2015 11:38:57 AM PDT by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
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To: GeronL

It’s not stupid if you know the true intention. Notice that all these people have to “fight for an exemption” to the law. Lots of power to congress and the patent office, lots of opportunity for graft.


5 posted on 08/18/2015 11:42:20 AM PDT by RightOnTheBorder
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To: Theoria

Stupid law, greedy lawyers.


6 posted on 08/18/2015 11:43:15 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Theoria

I just thank god that I’m getting to the age where I won’t have to buy an overpriced. Technological nightmare of an automobile.

Retirement sounds better everyday.


7 posted on 08/18/2015 11:43:55 AM PDT by puppypusher ( The World is going to the dogs.)
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To: Theoria

Appears maybe he should consider making his next purchase from someone other than John Deere.


8 posted on 08/18/2015 11:48:17 AM PDT by Lurkina.n.Learnin (It's a shame nobama truly doesn't care about any of this. Our country, our future, he doesn't care)
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To: Theoria

Easy Fix, My friend builds Race Cars out of brand New Camaro’s and Mustangs, they install their own computer with their own software on it and just bypass the factory one. works great.


9 posted on 08/18/2015 11:49:55 AM PDT by eyeamok
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To: WesternCulture

Svenske ping!


10 posted on 08/18/2015 11:54:53 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Theoria

11 posted on 08/18/2015 11:58:09 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a Simple Manner for a Happy Life :o)
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To: RightOnTheBorder

The true intention is to protect corporate profits, not the governments job to do that


12 posted on 08/18/2015 11:58:19 AM PDT by GeronL (Cruz is for real, 100%)
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To: Theoria
but seriously ...


13 posted on 08/18/2015 12:04:09 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a Simple Manner for a Happy Life :o)
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To: Theoria

How can this be illegal? And if it is, then that law needs to be repealed.


14 posted on 08/18/2015 12:44:38 PM PDT by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: Theoria

It’s time to start disobeying these evil laws.


15 posted on 08/18/2015 12:52:14 PM PDT by backwoods-engineer (AMERICA IS DONE! When can we start over?)
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To: Theoria

So now a farmer has to know how to jailbreak tractor computers?


16 posted on 08/18/2015 12:57:09 PM PDT by cicero2k
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To: cicero2k

Looks that way.


17 posted on 08/18/2015 12:57:37 PM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: Theoria
Get your discing done in 1/4 the time!


18 posted on 08/18/2015 1:01:29 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: GeronL

Of course if a software hack goes bad and maims someone, who do you think the ambulance chasers will go after?

Some 3-person software outfit or JD?


19 posted on 08/18/2015 1:04:55 PM PDT by nascarnation (Impeach, convict, deport)
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To: Theoria

Seems to me there would be a solid market for aftermarket computer conversions for farm implements.


20 posted on 08/18/2015 1:05:20 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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