[svlug] computer sovereignty

[Ron Hinchley]

Linux may be the last stand in having sovereignty  over our own 
computers. I downloaded a song from Magnatune Motto: We are not evil (I 
am not kidding), in 2004. I Played it on XP using iTunes today after 
some time not listening to it. To my surprise iTunes corrupted the 
ending with an audible offer to buy the song from Magnatune. Some years 
ago I donated $8 (the suggested amount) to Magnatune to have that 
license. The license being quite liberal I recall, I am looking for it 
now. Only the Magnatune files are gone and seem to be replaced with 
links in iTunes. They are gone from Windows Media Player and Yahoo Music 
Jukebox, and my directory without a trace.

I have the tarball from Magnatune someplace but I cannot imagine these 
files going away on their own. There probably is a logical explanation 
but I wonder what would be discovered if someone did a survey using wide 
scale surveillance on home computers of volunteer's? How much stuff is 
going on done by people who think they are legit?

Ron