http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:hBMb6-B6SRwJ:www.senate.gov.ph/spot_reports/Highlights_IRRbriefing_OMB.pdf+optical+media+board+registration&hl=tl&gl=ph&ct=clnk&cd=2
1. Republic Act 9239 or The Optical Media Act of 2003 was signed into law in February 10, 2004; 2. As mandated by the newly-enacted law, the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB) was reorganized and renamed as the Optical Media Board (OMB); 3. Under the law, the classes of items and activities that are to be regulated by the OMB are the sale, rental, distribution, manufacture, mastering, importation and exportation of optical media -- CDs, VCDs and DVDs that are read by laser beam. Also for regulation are the use, operation, possession, sale, distribution, acquisition, importation and exportation of manufacturing materials such as polycarbonate plastic pellets and jewel cases; manufacturing equipment, parts and accessories such as production lines, silk screen machines and parts, masters, molds, stampers, and CD burners; 4. Public offerings on the use of optical disc writers and re-writers will also be regulated; 5. Regulation is done through a dual system of regulation and licensing: a)general registration and b) licensing for each act of replication, mastering, importation and exportation of optical media; 6. The law requires the use of Source Identification Code (SID Code), which consists of mold and transfer codes that would identify the source of the optical media products. The SID Code was developed by the Philips Intellectual Property and Standards Office and is an internationally recognized system; 7. There is a great need to hasten the approval of the implementing guidelines of the law to put more teeth into the efforts of the OMB in line with its mandate against piracy; Briefing on the Implementing Rules and Procedure (IRR) of the Optical Media Act of 2003 -- I dont know if this IRR is approved but According to this meeting, "Optical Media- a storage medium or device in which information, including sounds and/or images, or software code, has been stored, either by mastering and/or replication, which may be accessed and read using a lens scanning mechanism employing a high intensity light source such as a laser or any such other means as may be developed in the future. The term shall include, but not be limited to, devices which shall be listed in the IRR of this Act, or as prescribed by the OMB;" "3. Under the law, the classes of items and activities that are to be regulated by the OMB are the sale, rental, distribution, manufacture, mastering, importation and exportation of optical media. -- I think its getting clear now (i think), the law regulates anything about optical media, the medium CD/DVDs. So sale and distribution(even for free) is regulated. So if one will sale or distribute an optical media even for free one must do the following: Regulation "5. Regulation is done through a dual system of regulation and licensing: a)general registration and b) licensing for each act of replication, mastering, importation and exportation of optical media;" >(1) Perform a service -- Instead of producing and selling pre-burned FOSS >CDs to your clients, you can install FOSS in your clients computers as part >of your software support services. In this way, you do not have to mass >produce any CDs and be subject to the OMA. What your clients are paying for >then is not for the FOSS CD itself but for the services you've rendered. You >will not be deemed to be in the business of manufacturing CDs commercially >since you give the CDs away "free-of-charge". Its a good idea, unfortunately, after the assembly of the pc, they just leave, and probably buy the pirated os in the corner, i guess because its better to have a cd copy so in case something went wrong with their software they could just re-install it at home without the need to bring back the pc to the store. And if a customer wants GIMP, he needs to bring his PC for him to get a copy which is tiring. Though i'll still offer installation service anyway. >(2) Let your clients burn the CDs themselves -- Set up a computer with a >hard drive full of FOSS and a CD-burner where your clients can burn on their >own FOSS CDs. Instead of charging them for the FOSS CD or for the materials >for making a CD, you can charge them for computer use/time (similar to an >Internet cafe). It is also a good idea, and the freedom toaster, the situation in africa is somewhat similar the situation the philippines provinces only without the optical media act restricting it. If this IRR is approved then: "4. Public offerings on the use of optical disc writers and re-writers will also be regulated;" >(3) Have someone else burn the CDs for you -- This is less pratical and >economical, but if you know a company that's registered with the OMB, you >can get that company to burn the FOSS CDs for you. So instead of registering >yourself, you get your CD-burning done by a registered person or entity. Sorry, the only company i know was datablitz, and the establishment near us closed down 3-2 years ago. And i doubt they will give me FOSS cd since it will be a conflict of their interest since they sell expensive proprietary softwares, promoting FOSS and rampant piracy will really hurt their market. Too bad i was late to include something when opensource bill was being drafted, the promotion of opensource will be at par with piracy if it will be excluded from the optical media act, well there will always be ammendments and i was hoping this issue is raised. But thanks for the replies, i will try to inquire a "a)general registration" to the OMB via my relatives in manila to see if it is possible, expensive or absurb. Those OMB people dont even have website or contact no. and even address of their offices. This will be really hard for me but ill try. -- _______________________________________________ Get your free email from http://www.graffiti.net Powered By Outblaze _________________________________________________ Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List [email protected] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph) Read the Guidelines: http://linux.org.ph/lists Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph
