多謝Boris Lee的資料提供，以下轉載一則英國改機侵權案件：
一名從香港進口改機芯片的英國在線零售商于當地時間本月11號無罪開釋。
這名叫Neil Higgs的商人現年38歲，警察曾于去年10月突襲其父母的住宅，從中搜出3700片改機芯片和19台已改好的Xbox主機，他還運營著一家名為 “MrModChips”的網站，他因此面臨26項侵權指控，有可能被判兩年監禁外加100萬英鎊的罰款。當時英國娛樂軟件發行商協會（ELSPA）將該行動稱為“打擊盜版的里程碑”。
但Jacobs法官前兩天已撤銷了針對Higgs的指控，理由是“與這26項罪名相關的侵權行為在應用改機芯片前已經發生了”，現在Higgs大搖大擺回到家中，還在其網站上挂出大大的勝利標志。
在此之前澳大利亞也曾駁回索尼公司針對當地改機芯片銷售商的指控，Ronald Sackville法官宣稱改機芯片並未違反當地法律中有關“技術保護措施”的司法內容，意即人們銷售、應用改機芯片並不一定是為了玩盜版游戲，享有備份和嘗試舶來品的權利也是被允許的。
更多報道
Console modder wins landmark appeal – techradar
Hardware mods declared legal – techwatch
「從香港進口芯片」的英國在線零售商？Higgs現在鬆一口氣，可是他的「香港供應商」有可能已經在香港被捕了、罰款了、收監了。
碰巧這兩天，收到朋友的電郵，告知新的版權問題諮詢又來了。
據了解，這次是想研究擴大條例的刑責範圍，「某些」版權持有人的說客們認真勤力呢（我都係版權持有人），嘿嘿。
這趟又想對付禁制什麼技術呢？
Place Shifting？
YouTube？
Sling box？
P2P？
Orb？
…？
在此預祝香港成為世界領先的創新打擊盜版技術城市！Victory！
June 17, 2008 at 11:56 am
香港真係先進，咩都名列前茅，睇怕好快就可以進伸成”無野之城”首位．成為超級苦悶大城市．
June 18, 2008 at 3:29 pm
The Sun referred to Higgs as a “computer geek who made £1million selling illegal video game chips from his bedroom”.
So you actually support and appreciate this guy? You think he should be allowed to make a million, becoz this chip brings huge savings to all chip buyers who can then buy pirated copies?
I guess you are a left winger and possibly a communist -nothing wrong about it though but just different value and belief.
June 18, 2008 at 9:15 pm
思哲兄:
看見這樣的情況,思哲兄實在可以放心,香港的個案根本未開始審訊,既然英國和澳洲有案例可以讓賣改裝晶片的人脫罪,香港的那個也有機會可以.
to abaci:
wanszezit is not a left winger,and of course not a communist. On the other hand, he is a right winger and a liberalist.
He is against any restrictions from any government on any businesses.
Hence he think the game producers should protect themselves by improving the copy-protection technology, but not relying on the government to catch those guys who crack the games. This is what they call “free competition”.
June 18, 2008 at 10:05 pm
真係唔想比水貨佬咁串
應該制裁水貨佬
佢地改機改到爆炸
June 18, 2008 at 11:55 pm
to abaci,
If you really read the news. It is nothing about ideology. It is all about the fact that copyright infringement has already taken place before the use of a modchip.
to 飛蚊導彈,
面對科技的日新月異，遊戲商除了「DRM」之外，其實可以考慮採用新的商業模式。
例如轉型做Online Game，又或者，嘗試開拓賣遊戲之外的收入。就如現在的藝人明星，開演唱會、登台、拍廣告、拍戲…收入其實比起以前純粹依賴賣唱片增加了不少。
時代轉變了，科技進步了，積極（聰明）的做法應該加以運用，而不是與之對抗，更不是通過立法加以壓制，對嗎？
June 19, 2008 at 11:50 am
to 尹思哲:
我也十分贊同 “遊戲商除了「DRM」之外，其實可以考慮採用新的商業模式”
事實是,3 大家用 console: wii, xbox 360, ps3,也已經是了, 比如 ps3, xb360 也主推 online market, online game. system update, free online information service等. wii 也用出好多 special game 要 special hardware. 如 wii fit 等.
問題只是香港政府好大喜功, 香港的代理太短視了.
June 19, 2008 at 11:59 am
至於下一個香港會禁制技術,應是 p2p 了, 因為 1) foxy 事件, 2) 有說日本有可能禁制, 3) isp loading 問題.
to 剎暗天
請你弄請水貨不一定=老番. 事實是香港的代理99% 也太差了, 水貨先會生存.其實, 水貨行貨也不過是公平比賽的.
你要知香港的代理有多差, 例只太多了: 比如 hdd, 汽車, game, cd, software, 手機…..
June 19, 2008 at 11:35 pm
t1174:
看過了諮詢文件,是youtube 之類的streaming(只限發送者),不是P2P(文件指P2P下載大體上與買老翻類似,不建議增加新的刑責,即是繼續只對付放seed之人),也不建議大幅改動版權持有人要求ISP交侵權者資料的程序(文件指私隱專員等堅持要經法庭出手令)
June 20, 2008 at 11:10 am
如果是youtube, 用途不大 wor.
反而應該是之前用來睇波那重 streaming tv 多 d wor.
June 20, 2008 at 11:25 am
to host,
i’m sorry but ideology and point of view can’t really be separated. the court ruled this case by law, but you supported the notion (i.e. free to use modchip or private) by your belief, and thus ideology comes to place.
whether this economic rent should belong to this modchip trader / privated copy buyer and not the software developer is a clear value question.
your point seems to suggest the software developer should earn less becoz it’s less smart, just like someone who got robed becoz he didn’t take enough precautions to protect himself.
most tech guys tend to be anti-establishment and are proud of it, but sooner or later you would need to adjust to the business world and its rules (i.e. move to the right). facebook and google are one in a zillion exception and thinking of them everyday isn’t gonna help.
June 20, 2008 at 11:36 am
to 飛蚊導彈,
i wonder if your stance would be different for on-online music, are you asking for copy protection everywhere?
btw, vicious cycle of upgrading copy protection technology and cracking is not economically productive. that’s way a line has to be drawn and law has to be in place somewhere. economic free-rider problem is not solvable in most cases.
June 20, 2008 at 1:53 pm
abaci, did you read wanszezit’s past posts?
改水貨機何罪？ « 案內人隨筆
規避器件睇真D « 案內人隨筆
影印機的故事 « 案內人隨筆