Tag Archives: libraryofcongress

First message sent from space to be preserved by Library of Congress (video)

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First message sent from space to be preserved by Library of Congress video

A 1958 message by then-President Dwight Eisenhower sent from space has been selected for the National Recording Registry archives alongside 25 other notable recordings like Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon and, er, Chubby Checker's The Twist. Each audio recording was selected by the Library of Congress because of their cultural, artistic or historic importance to the United States, however, the first message ever broadcasted from a space satellite was a short one. Eisenhower's 30-second speech included "America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere" and could be heard on shortwave radio as the satellite passed overhead. Project Signal Communications by Orbiting Relay Equipment (SCORE) was the world's first communications satellite and we've added a suitably old-school newsreel of its launch (and that slightly scrambled message) after the break.

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Source: Space

Smartphone petition breaks 100,000 signatures, forces White House response

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Phone unlocking petition breaks 100,000 signatures, White House now obliged to respond

The petition to reinstate the DMCA protection of smartphone unlockers has reached 100,000 signatories on We The People. As it's now hit the golden limit, the White House will have to issue an official response explaining its stance on the matter. The petition also asked that if the Librarian of Congress wouldn't bring back the exemption, that a bill should be passed that enshrines the right into law. As soon we see the message from the West Wing, we'll let you know what they say.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: The White House

Library of Congress unveils plan to preserve early US sound recordings

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Library of Congress unveils plan to preserve early US sound recordings

Historic audio recordings aren't exactly easy to access and play back since they're often in obscure or aging formats and sit within giant repositories and private collections, but the Library of Congress is gearing up to help change that for researchers and the average joe. The outfit's freshly announced National Recording Preservation Plan is headlined by a recommendation to create a publicly accessible national directory of sound recordings that'll act as an "authoritative discography" with details regarding their production and where copies are housed. You'll still have to take a trip to a library to hear the recordings for the time being, but the Library of Congress is hoping to hammer out licensing agreements that would allow for online streaming. Developing new preservation standards and creating university-based degree programs for audio archiving are also among the 32 short- and long-term recommendations spelled out by the document. Click the second source link to peruse the paper yourself.

[Image credit: Ray Tsang, Flickr]

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Via: Huffington Post

Source: Library of Congress, Council on Library and Information Resources

Unlocking new phones now banned under DMCA, the EFF weighs in

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It was great while it lasted, but the days of users legally unlocking their own phones is over. Back in October of last year, the Library of Congress added an exemption to the DMCA to allow folks to free their new phones for 90 days. That three month window has now closed. Of course, carriers are still free to offer unlocked handsets themselves, and some will also unlock them for you as long as certain conditions are met. "Legacy" or used handsets purchased before today can still be unlocked without any finger-wagging from federal courts.

So, what does this mean exactly? Well, Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Mitch Stoltz told us, "What's happening is not that the Copyright Office is declaring unlocking to be illegal, but rather that they're taking away a shield that unlockers could use in court if they get sued." This does make lawsuits much more likely according to him, but it's still up to the courts to decide the actual legality of phone unlocking. Indeed, it's a grim day for those who want true freedom over their own devices. Stoltz said to us, "This shows just how absurd the Digital Millennium Copyright Act is: a law that was supposed to stop the breaking of digital locks on copyrighted materials has led to the Librarian of Congress trying to regulate the used cellphone market."

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Via: Tech News Daily

Source: Library of Congress (Amazon)