suzmccarth wrote:

>
> --- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "i18n@..." <i18n@...> wrote:
> > suzmccarth wrote:
>
> >you could
> > > manipulate your own animated icon shield over top of the website
> > > whose content you wish to read in undistracted peace. It's a
> > > brilliant idea actually.
> >
> >
> > But it is not in Opera's interest.
>
> An independently installed floating toolbar - a separate program.
> >
> > The idea of who owns the real estate on the screen - and who has
> the
> > right to change it - is a very undecided idea legally.
>
> What about babelfish traslation site? You can open any site within
> that site and have it translated into Chinese (and a few other lgs)
> or vice versa.
>

Good question, but not the same thing. Imagine a web site that Ford paid
to have a banner ad on. Now imagine Claria has persuaded you to install
their sw (some say spyware, but let's not go there for now). The purpose
of that software is to proxy all your web requests. Then, when it sees a
ford banner come in, it created an overlay with a Chevy ad, for which
Chevy has paid Claria the opportunity.

You can probably imagine why no one in the original chain - you, Ford,
or the web site you want to see intact, is going to be happy.

The issue becomes - does the web server have the right to expect its
(copyrighted!) material will be received as delivered? And what if you
don't even know that you are not seeing what you are requesting (that
spyware aspect of it?). Do you have the right to expect that what you
request is what is delivered, and also is what is displayed?

These are open questions right now, for better or for worse...

Best,

Barry

PS - imagine if more then 1 spyware wants to act as such a proxy on your
pc - they might literally battle it out with each other on your hardware!