Fixation during transmission through Int

From: Dietrich, D.A.J. <SMITHLYONS/TORONTO/DAJD%SmithLyons[_at_]mcimail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 96 13:52 EST

Hello,

The question of Internet Service Provider liability and Internet Access Provider liability for copyright infringment has oft been discussed on CNI-COPYRIGHT (eg. RTC v Netcom).

I'm posting this note to ask a more esoteric technological question which I have not yet seen discussed here. That is, as Web pages and other Internet traffic, containing copyrighted works, are passed from the originating host computer through a serious of Internet node computers along the way to its final destination on the Internet User's browser's screen, what occurs during the transmission through these nodes?

Do Internet node computers, including the user's Internet access provider, always act as mere conduits passing all messages directly through?

Do they sometimes have to make intermitent copies, however transient, into RAM or onto disk while awaiting downline communications traffic to clear before retransmitting such messages?

Do they always copy the message into RAM or disk prior to transmission?

I'm trying to get a handle on whether or not there might sometimes be fixation of copyrighted works on these Internet nodes, whether there always is or whether there never is.

For the purposes of my question(s) even transient fixation for a few microseconds would/could be fixation of a copy.

I would be much obliged if CNI-COPYRIGHT users would provide their thoughts.

Thank you.
Dale A. J. Dietrich

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Web: www.SmithLyons.ca Received on Fri Apr 12 1996 - 19:02:42 GMT