There's a war looming in cyberspace over copyright. The war will not be about whether to combat the spread of unauthorized copies of computer programs, music or movies. On that point, the combatants agree. This will be a war about tactics and solutions.

The content industry -- especially Hollywood and the record labels -- wants the solution built into computers and other digital devices, such as Palm Pilots and MP3 players. The industry also wants it built into software, operating systems, Web browsers, and routers -- the devices that guide Internet traffic. It's a solution designed around the assumption that nearly all computer and Internet users are potential large-scale infringers.

[size=4]In short: The content industry wants to place a copyright cop in your computer. It also wants to station one anyplace else on the Internet where an unauthorized copy might be made.[/size=4]

And if the industry has its way, we all may feel the consequences. Digital videos you shot in 1999 may be unplayable on your computer in 2009. You may no longer be able to move music or video files around easily from one computer to another (from, say, a home desktop to a laptop or to a personal digital assistant).