Free speech under attack: FedEx fights furniture maker with DMCA invocation, censorship

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Free speech under attack: FedEx fights furniture maker with DMCAinvocation, censorshiphttp://www.NewsTarget.com/010826.html Free speech under attack: FedEx fights furniture maker with DMCA invocation, censorship Print Link RelatedPage 1 | next page ->Posted Aug 11, 2005 PT by Ben Kage Jose Avila has always been a FedEx fan. He uses Fedex for all his shipping needs because he considers the packaging to be a high-quality, sturdy product, and the shipping service to be superior to competitors. So, when financial hardship inspired Avila to build furniture from FedEx packing materials and post photos of his antics on his FedexFurniture.com website, he never expected FedEx's legal department to come after him. "From day one I wanted to be pro-FedEx and give some support to FedEx while at the same time displaying the artwork." Avila said, with noticeable disappointment over FedEx's legal reaction. In June, Avila left his job in California and moved to Arizona, bringing only the bare essentials and his all-important computers. In a rare gesture among renters, Avila refused to leave his former roommates burdened with his share of the rent and decided to make payments on his old apartment and new apartment at the same time. This, understandably, put him under considerable financial pressure, especially since there was a month-long hiatus between his old job and new job. So instead of buying furniture, he decided to make it himself, using materials at hand. Those materials, it turns out, were sturdy shipping boxes provided to him at no charge through his Fedex shipping account. With those free boxes, and utilizing expertise gained in high school architectural design courses, Avila put together his first desk made of Fedex boxes. As Avila's needs expanded, so did his furniture. He designed a bed and a dining table to complement his home-built computer desk. When a friend announced his intention to visit Avila in Arizona, he was told he had "better have a couch" for the visitor to sleep on. Avila complied, designing a couch (made out of Fedex boxes, of course) that reclined at a 60-degree angle for maximum comfort, with a storage space underneath. Avila believes there was artistic influence in his couch design. "When I was designing the couch, (art) was definitely a huge consideration in the design," Avila said. "That's how the 60-degree back recline and hideaway compartment came into play; it was to make it an attractive piece of art." As one might expect, Avila's furniture became a popular subject among his friends, some of whom suggested he put pictures of the furniture on the internet. This is where Avila's problems began. "I (sent an instant message) to a couple of my friends and said, 'Take a look at this site; don't really tell anyone,'" he said. "I woke up the next morning to, like, five emails from people telling me how awesome the site was." By that afternoon, Avila said his site was pulling down 3 megabits per second of steady traffic. From there the site's popularity grew enough to eventually grab the attention of WIRED.com's Kristen Philipkoski (who posted a story about FedexFurniture.com on 8/11) as well as FedEx's legal department. continues on page 2 ->Beat the bird flu virus with FREE report: download Beat the Bird Flu Virus and Survive the Pandemic Related articles and resources: Monsanto attempts to claim patent ownership of pigsStupid yoga tricks: let's all copyright ancient yoga posturesBush Administration Censors Scientists In Order to Promote A Distorted, Politically Motivated Scientific ViewAre book publishers going to make it illegal to buy used books and outlaw public libraries?Apple Computer Now Emerging As An Anti-Competitive, Narrow-Minded Company That Prefers To Limit Consumer Rights Rather Than Expand ThemConsumer Alert: Hoodia Gordonii weight loss pills scam exposed by independent investigationIntellectual Property Gone CrazyYoga intellectual property war over the ownership of yoga posesNote: the above resources are 100% non-paid. They are provided solely for the benefit of readers.