November 30, 1999   by Andy Oram American Reporter Correspondent
CAMBRIDGE, MASS.—WTO, IMF, EU: has one of these changed your
life recently? How about SDMI, PICS, or CALEA?  You’ll probably
recognize the first set of acronyms as a few of the
intergovernmental organizations that have received increasing
public attention over the past few years, often being criticized
as “supergovernments” that impose their decisions on member
nations. The second set of acronyms will be gibberish to most
people, but refers to another kind of control: decisions built
right into hardware and software.  Intergovernmental
organizations are in the headlines as the World Trade
Organization opens its Seattle global summit on November 30.
Widespread grassroots protests will shine light on rulings that
affect environmental and labor policy, on China’s attempt to
join, and—most significant for this article—on intellectual
property disputes.  The heavy-handed pronouncements of the WTO
and the International Monetary Fund excite warnings a