http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/11914

This isn't a good start into this new week,LIGHTNING UK! used our news submit to let us know the following really bad news..

Hello world,

I"ve got some good news and some bad news.Let’s start with the good.... (tumble weed passes by)Ok, and now onto the bad: DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0 is the last version you"ll ever see.We hoped this day would never come, but it has, and I can promise you, nobody is more gutted about it than I am.

What started as a bit of fun, putting a GUI around some existing code, turned into something that I can only describe as ‘part of me’ – yes, I know that’s sad ;-) As I"ve recently been made aware (by a letter, hand delivered to my door, last Tuesday), due to some law that was changed back in October 2003, circumventing copy protection isn"t allowed.

Ok so it has taken a while (almost 2 years), but eventually "a certain company" has decided they don"t like what I"m doing (circumventing their protection) and have come at me like a pack of wolves. I"ve no choice but to cease everything to do with DVD Decrypter.I realise this is going to be one of those "that sucks - fight them!" kinda things, but at the end of the day, it"s my life and I"m not about to throw it all away (before it has even really started) attempting to fight a battle I can"t possibly win.

If 321 Studios can"t do it with millions, what chance do I have with £50?! As I"m sure most of you have already noticed, the site has been down for a few days. That surprised me as much as the next person (slight breakdown in communication), or I would have issued this statement on it directly.

So anyway, from this point forward, I"m no longer permitted to provide any sort of assistance with anything that helps people infringe the rights of "a certain company".That means, no more emails, no more forum posts, no PM"s, no nothing! END OF STORY.The domain name will be transferred over to the company by the end of the week (9th June, according to the undertakings I have to sign) so don"t email it thinking "Oh, I"ll just ask LIGHTNING UK! for support on this". You"ll not be getting the intended recipient and could be landing yourself in sh1t!

With 3.5.4.0 being the last version, it makes sense for everyone to disable the "check for new versions" feature, as obviously there won"t be any. Of course what I really mean is that you should all stop using the program out of respect for the company’s rights.

Anyone hosting DVD Decrypter is advised to cease doing so immediately. I"ve the feeling they won"t stop with just me. I"m having to contact anyone I know of that is (at the very least, the "mirror" sites), and tell them to stop. Copies of those emails must also be sent to the solicitors so they can check I"m doing everything I"m supposed to. If I don’t, I die.

It is of course down to the owners of those sites to react how they want to. It"s not my job to force you to do anything you don"t want to, I"m just giving you some friendly advice. Maybe it"s just me, but I see this as a bit of an "end of an era". I realise there are other tools, but there"s no telling how much longer they"ll last, and not only that, mine was the oldest! I"ve met loads of great people over the years and I want to take this opportunity to wish them every success for the future - yes DDBT peeps, that includes you lot! : "(I hope you"ve all enjoyed my contribution to the DVD scene and maybe I"ll see ya around sometime.

LIGHTNING UK!
(Author of the once "Ultimate DVD Ripper", DVD Decrypter)

--My response: This tragic event should serve as a HUGE red flag to all software programmers who write similar software-to make immediate preparations to already have your source code stashed away safely, ready to be immediately be distributed to the whole world should such oppression befall the next software maker that fosters digital Fair Use rights, that way, these son of a bitching bastards from hell will be completely screwed forever.

Seeing this kind of egregious shit makes me sick. The fact that governments have been relentlessly bombarded with the so called "need for stonger copyright protections" has already gone far enough, but threatening the maker of this great software is just fucking unbelieveable. Other companies will likely follow, until there will be NO readily available software tools for anyone, except for the experts who make copies and sell them for money illegaly, again screwing the home user.

These bastards are trying to make Jack Valenti's viewpoint a reality "When you buy a DVD, you are buying a copy, if that gets damaged, you go buy another copy". I trust there is a special place in hell reserved for those that perpetrated this injustice.

another one bites the dust.

Opps, am I gonna get sued for that?

Wow, this sucks. DVD Decrypter is/was a great program.

Copyright warfare 1.0 -- You can't stop us! No one can stop us. We're exercizing our constitutional rights and there's NOTHING the industry can do about it. Fair Use! Fair Use! Please send money.

Copyright warfare 2.0
They kicked our ass because we ignored the law. We're screwed. But you just wait till next time...

"When you buy a DVD, you are buying a copy, if that gets damaged, you go buy another copy". Like hell I will, X copy does a good job. Been using the copies for a long time.
Just downloaded DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0 for GP. Fair use, first sale let come, got two hundred dvd's movies to burn now. Got to see how it burns baby burn. Since I'm now boycotting mpaa they lose not me.

But in the greater scheme of things does it really matter?

Downloaded it from Afterdawn, where it was
still available as of tonight (but might not be
for too much longer). And I'm going to share
it online as much as possible.

The company in question appears to be Sony,
who sent the letter in response to DVD
Decrypter's cracking of their ARCOS DRM.

If I were in his shoes, I'd hand over a copy
of the source code, but then upload it to
Usenet, IRC and every p2p network regardless of the legal consequences.

Where's DVD Jon when you need him?

That's why these companies are so successful. few want to stand up for their principles when threatened with financial hardships. In most cases can't say I'd blame them. after all who knows what I'd do if faced with that.
however it's those who are able to stand up or challange the laws and who won't, that that is more disapointing.

But in the greater scheme of things does it really matter?
Not really,someone will make a better mouse trap. But it is a shame that he could no longer do what he likes. For the freedom to go forward. They have gone beyond what is right or proper Law suites.Copy protection is only there because it take away our fair rights use. As for the a-holes in washington they will never wise up untill it too late. Money is their game to power and control.

I'm back folks. Sorry about me being missing. I've been busy with school and whatnot. But, with my return, I come beainrg links:

DVD decrypter 3.5.4.0
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DVD-Decrypter-Download-5770.html

Fair Use Wizard
http://fairusewizard.com/lang_en/index.html

I suggest anybody who has any p2p networks to put the DVD decrypter up for grabs.


Nemo-

"If I were in his shoes, I'd hand over a copy of the source code, but then upload it to Usenet, IRC and every p2p network regardless of the legal consequences."

For what? To what end? To boost the rental business? If you want to watch the same movies over and over, get HBO and hook up your VCR.

If you want to hurt the movie business, don't give them ANY of your money.

The company to attack is Macrovision:

http://www.macrovision.com/

Macrovision Corporation
2830 De La Cruz Boulevard
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Phone: (40 562-8400
Fax: (40 567-1800
Email: corp-info@macrovision.com
Map to Santa Clara office
Exit from 101 Delacruz blvd

Fax them!, Phone them! spam them! DDOS them!

Also may I suggest that each of us deploy a simple web site that permit the downloading of DVD decrypter with instructions! Let have thousand of sources available for the download of DVD decrypter 3.5.4.0. If you are a real patriot ready to defend our constitution, Please join us!

Also we will be getting the source code soon that we should also post for downloading to insure further developments.

Let's advertise as much as we can the existance of DVD decrypter 3.5.4.0. that not only decrypt DeCSS but also deal with the latest RipGuard from Macrovision.

This is what Macrovision don't want the public the investors and the potential customers to know: Their DRM is BS! (Thanksfully for fair use!) Be aware that Macrovision is persecuting a US citizen in the exercise of his constitutional right. This is a crime. Macrovision is now a criminal organization.

More Macrovisions:

http://www.macrovision.com/
NS2.MACROVISION.COM 192.156.198.194
NS1.MACROVISION.COM 192.156.198.199
NS3.MACROVISION.COM 194.193.194.137

dns-admin@macrovision.com
dns-tech@macrovision.com

Software Technologies Group (Installation and Enterprise Products) - Chicago Office
900 National Parkway, Suite 125
Schaumburg, IL 60173-5108
Phone: (847) 466-4000
Fax: (847) 619-0788
Email: info@installshield.com
Map to Chicago office

Macrovision UK Ltd.: Entertainment Technologies Group and Software Technologies Group (Licensing Products) - Maidenhead office
Malvern House
14-18 Bell Street
Maidenhead
Berkshire , SL6 1BR
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 870 871 1111
Fax: +44 870 871 1161
Distance Map / Close-up Map

Software Technologies Group (Installation and Enterprise Products) - Bristol Office
Kings House,
14 Orchard Street
Bristol, BS1 5EH
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 117 903 0650
Fax: + 44 117 903 0641
Email: info@installshield.co.uk
Close-up Map

Software Technologies Group (Licensing Products) - Cheshire office
Vision House, Priory Court
Preston Brook,
Cheshire, WA7 3FR
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 870 873 6300
Fax: + 44 192 870 6329
Distance Map / Close-up Map

Software Technologies Group (Licensing Products) - German Office
Magnolienweg 5
63741 Aschaffenburg
Germany
Phone: +49 6021 44 99 662 (663)
Fax: +49 6021 44 99 668

Software Technologies Group (Licensing Products) - French Office
33 rue de Galillée
75016 Paris
France
Phone: +33 1 44 43 53 44
Fax: +33 1 44 43 53 91
Close-up Map

Macrovision Licensing & Holding B.V.
Busitel 1, Orlyplein 85
1043 DS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone +31-(0)20-403-7673
Facsimile +31-(0)20-403-7676
Map and Directions

Asia Region:
Macrovision Corporation - Greater China Office
Unit 301B, 3/F.
Malaysia Building,
50 Gloucester Road, H.K.
Phone: +852 2868 5131
Fax: +852 2850 6690
Email: Eric.So@macrovision.com

Macrovision Japan and Asia K.K.
Takaha Bldg. 2F
6-18-5, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-0001 Japan
Phone: +81 3 5774 6253
Fax: +81 3 5774 6269

Macrovision Korea
Suite 417, Korea City Air Terminal B/D
159-6 Samsung-dong, Kangnam-ku,
Seoul 135-728 Korea
Phone: +82 2 6241 5700
Fax: +82 2 6241 5701
Mobile: +82 11 779 0445
Map to Korea office

Macrovision Corporation - Taiwan Branch Office
6F-13, No. 12, Lane 609, Sec. 5
Chung-Hsin Rd., San-Chung
Taipei, Taiwan 241
Phone: +886 2 2999 7979
Fax: +886 2 2999 7575
Email: Keith.Lien@macrovision.com

"For what? To what end? To boost the rental business? If you want to watch the same movies over and over, get HBO and hook up your VCR."

For a number of reasons gdZeimann, this software is/was EXTREMELY powerful and was the first to laugh in the face of Sony's bullshit freedom robbing fucking Arccos DRM. Why does it matter if your boycotting? --maybe you have people you know who already have a DVD collection, and they'll have DVD's that might interest you. Maybe you can obtain one somewhere for no charge, and you decide it would be nice to watch it whenever you want.

Now what will happen is they will make small changes to their DRM, and it will make the software useless eventually, because noone will be around to update the code in it to keep defeating the new DRM. These companies who have been implementing DRM must have been getting pissed, but thats what should be happening, EXCEPT they should be getting so pissed and getting the message that they should STOP ALTOGETHER PERMANENTLY with fucking around with DRM.

Now Macrovision doesn't have to worry as much with their DVD rip guard, they advertised that crap saying that it defeated like 97% of the rippers out there, so guess what their plans are for the last 3%? Threaten the hell out of them with some lawsuit so they can't work on it anymore.

It's as thought the laws of business don't apply to the likes of Macrovision, one of their executives said their objective was to "piss customers off gently" with regards to DRM (same mentality goes for TCPA, but thats even more insidious). Now what in the hell business professors did these people have in college? "Piss your customers off gently" --yeah, right, ask your boss, CEO of your company etc what he would think of that philosophy.

They all hope people get "comfortably numb" to DRM schemes, and then, one day finally there will be no choice not to have DRM unless you are aware of Indie labels (which the vast majority dont even know what an Indie is, and also AFAIK there's not much in the way of independent films that are that good.)

The MPAA is so incredibly arrogant, and has such audacity that they will probably push for Congress to make ALL open source software Illegal, criminalizing tens of thousands more individuals and companies. Linux might be illegal worldwide, companies that use it will be forced to switch to M$ft, or force DRM by federal (or worldwide via IFPI) mandate into Linux.

Right now the MPAA utterly refuses to acknowledge that Source code (aka TEXT) is protected by freedom of speech, they say that because they know that if it can always remain protected by Freedom of Speech they are utterly powerless, thus they are hellbent to dissassociate it with that constitutional protection.

Sure more people will boycott, but most people are sheep, and are complacent as hell. Unless something interferes with someone's ability to eat, go to the grocery store, shit, take a shower, drive to work, and sleep, people don't generally give a fuck about anything else.

I did something at least about all this type of BS, I wrote 26 U.S. Senators when they tried to pass the Induce Act, and I spent my own money calling in to their DC offices like mad on the call in day giving people hell. If 100,000 more people in this country gave a damn, it would matter.

I also wrote my House Representative about the Pirate Act back in the day, after finding out he more or less supported it, he instantly lost my vote. Way too many people don't read enough and aren't qualified to make intelligent voting decisions, and that's part of the reason the U.S. is going to hell fast.--Libertarian for the win, and yes, I'm boycotting.

For what? To what end? To boost the rental business? If you want to watch the same movies over and over, get HBO and hook up your VCR.

you must have missed the article I posted on CGMS-A ? so far its only for their on-demand services, but whats to stop them from expanding it?

Copyright protection that DOES NOT HAVE A TERMINATION DATE is unconstitutional. That's right, our constitution says that a copyright must be for limited times. If a DVD has copy protection that does not end when the copyright does, it is unconstitutional. It's unfortunate that this won't help this guy, since it's the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) that's most likely spoiling his party here.

Consumers need to file a class-action lawsuit, demanding compensation for not being permitting a legal personal copy of DVD's, and to prevent movie studio's from locking up copyrighted material forever.

"Why does it matter if your boycotting?"

WHY? I find that to be a pretty stupid question when you consider that the only way to make a company or companies change their course of action is to let them know that as their customers you are dissatisfied. The only language these large corporations speak is GREED. Only by stopping the fueling of this greed machine can you ever HOPE to get these companies to change their ways.

"Sure more people will boycott, but most people are sheep, and are complacent as hell. Unless something interferes with someone's ability to eat, go to the grocery store, shit, take a shower, drive to work, and sleep, people don't generally give a fuck about anything else."

While I tend to agree with this assessment, this doesn't mean we just give up, surrender, and continue feeding the beast. Boycott. Tell everyone you know that you are and why. When someone has a bad experience with DRM, tell them they should take it out on the companies that put the DRM there in the first place.

But whatever you do, don't give up and feed the GREED machine.

"Why does it matter if your boycotting? --maybe you have people you know who already have a DVD collection, and they'll have DVD's that might interest you. Maybe you can obtain one somewhere for no charge, and you decide it would be nice to watch it whenever you want."

"The MPAA is so incredibly arrogant, and has such audacity that..."

...you just can't stop watching their films and want everyone else to be able to watch them all, too. You want them so bad you'll risk being sued or jailed in order to get them. It just gives the industry more publicity when they catch you. Another example of those evil pirates.

Look at how well this has worked against the music biz. More than 10,000 lawsuits. College educations aborted, innocent children being sued, grandparents being sued for the actions of their grandchildren.

The only thing they understand is if you stop buying their product, although it will still take them at least five years to catch on that it's not some sort of persistent anomaly. Maybe more. The RIAA hasn't wised up and it's been five years.

I've gotta say, I agree about MacroVision, though. All of their offices around the world have been financed by the billions that the industry has sunk into DRM. Artist royalties, the salaries of the camera men and sound engineers. When you see them crying about piracy, it's the billions that their bosses are paying MacroMedia and SunnComm that they lost, not the money they didn't get because you watched "Ernest Goes to Camp" for free.

As for the DVD Ripper. I suppose it might be useful if you were foolish to waste money on a product from an industry you profess to hate.

It seems like complaining to the crack dealer about pricing. You want it, you need it, you just don't want to pay for it.

Good thing that DVD Decryptor is moddable; It can be told "bad" places to avoid. So in the future, should its keen intelligence fail, it can still be used to manually do it's job. Happy to report however, that it rips Are We There Yet just fine. No complaints.

Should anyone not have a copy, feel free to email me anytime; I'll gladly send it. While I respect it's author, I have no respect for Sony. As far as boycotting goes, How about this:

I have a moviepass with a blockbuster store; I can have 3 movies out at any time, as often as I like. So I, although it costs a flat fee per month, I can build a collection in no time. To help the cause, I give away copies of each movie I process to every signle person who asks for it. As long as they promise! they will not go buy the real thing. it's my way of fucking them. I hope some of you will consider it.

The best way to beat them, is not to play nice. They haven't played nice with you, and the law isn't on your side regardless of your intentions.

Prehaps DVD Decryptor can no longer be offered and hosted at the home site. That hasn't stopped others around the world where it is legal to continue to host the file.

http://www.hot.ee/dvddecrypter/

I agree with z-man to a point. Who wants this stuff that bad? Even if we just reduced consumption of this product (most of which isn't worth watching once, let alone buying) by 50%, if enough people did it, Hollywood would be screaming like a victim of the Spanish Inquisition.

Question: is the source code available so others can modify it? Just curious.

Thats pretty sad. DVD decrypter was a nifty tool. Kind of hard to learn though. I suppose eventually a certian helpful website with faqs on how to use it will have to take their pages down too.

Of course, the program is probably going to circulate for a while after this, if not on the 'net then via "sneakernet" as friends pass it around on discs.

RIP thou good and faithful servant.

"...you just can't stop watching their filmsand want everyone else to be able to watch them all, too. You want them so bad you'll risk being sued or jailed in order to get them. It just gives the industry more publicity when they catch you. Another example of those evil pirates...As for the DVD Ripper. I suppose it might be useful if you were foolish to waste money on a product from an industry you profess to hate.

It seems like complaining to the crack dealer about pricing. You want it, you need it, you just don't want to pay for it."

Feel free to send emails to the millions of Americans then that made the wrong decision to go see Star Wars III and plead with them to not buy the DVD when its released, see how much success you have.

I would go so far as to say that the effort to convince people to boycott that don't even have the wherewithal to start using the internet for news instead of just Fox or CNN, would be like trying to convert their religion.

My perspective on it stems from an innovation standpoint. From what you have said, the U.S. Supreme Court might as well never have ruled the way they did in Betamax, because really if you think about it--Fair Use ONLY APPLIES TO DIGITAL/ANALOG WORKS OF HOLLYWOOD, because Indie artists don't DRM anything for the most part (you still NEED a decryption program for Independent DVD films however, because CSS is a standard whether anyone likes it or not.

We would not have to boycott the RIAA and MPAA if they stopped monopolizing their industry and commiting real theft through contracts of indentured servitude to their imprisoned "artists", and played on a level playing field, and gave the consumer what we want, and stop suing customers.

But in reality, (and this goes for the software industry) many people feel strongly that they have already been robbed, and thus, thats why there are crackers of software, people tearing apart DRM, because they can, and because its our way of fighting back. It may not seem like a valid motive to you, but nonetheless millions of people worldwide don't share your viewpoint.

IMO people SHOULD be able to get modern day entertainment at a reasonable price--if ALL the so-called infringing mechanisms were eliminated you would still be left with $9.50 movie tickets and so on. And you forget that these organizations are trying to eliminate independent competition.

The MPAA wants to put a lockdown on all video equipment that could be used to make films, they want to make the equipment that can be effectively used for this to cost tens of thousands of dollars, and/or require special licensing. Do you really think they would ever want to see the success of someone like Mel Gibson, come from the next independent filmmaker that only makes a $50,000 a year salary? Hell no, you have to be a huge movie studio to make films in thier eyes, and approved by them. This stuff DOES matter because eventually the battle is going to end up at Freedom of Speech--Freedom of Speech PROTECTS Open Source software, it PROTECTS Encryption--both things that can allow massive illegal activities (for example, highly sophisticated network tools capable of penetrating DoD computers, Banks, etc, and the latter could protect all conversation between terrorist groups in the world, using Serpent or TwoFish, would make it impossible for the NSA or CIA to decrypt messages for over 100 years, BUT thats to damn bad, Freedom of Speech trumps everything else, if it doesn't, we might as well not even be alive.

In conclusion I will post a message from another site:

"Another shovelful of dirt in the face of liberty's corpse.

The Durants once wrote: "Democracies are but hectic interludes [before dictatorship]."

As we hurtle, head-long, towards dictatorship few seem to even notice.

Woody Allen once said, "Nothing works and nobody cares."

The slow death of freedom, before our passive, apathetic eyes is a fact.

A fact only confirmed by tyranny such as this.

The saddest thing is, we're actually smiling as they fit us for the fetters.

That which a million Americans have died for is slowly evaporating in the strangulation of the bureaucrats and an out-of-control, despotic judiciary.

Our children will not even know the truncated, facade of liberty that we did. The last people to truly know freedom we in the US call "the Greatest Generation." They are in their late 70s and 80s now. 18,000 WWII vets a day die. At least they'll be spared the site of the Dictator whenever he or she actually emerges from the shadows and proclaims his or her right to rule."

"I have a moviepass with a blockbuster store;"

What's that cost you? $15 a month? That would be $180 a year. If every adult in the U.S. followed your example, the movie industry would triple its revenue this year from rentals alone.

You guys need an evil overlord or something.

TrueAudio -- I think you misunderstand me.

The studios (movie and music) give the average consumer exactly what it wants, which is why people stood in line for two months to see Star Wars.

"And you forget that these organizations are trying to eliminate independent competition."

You must be new here.

What's that cost you? $15 a month? That would be $180 a year. If every adult in the U.S. followed your example, the movie industry would triple its revenue this year from rentals alone.

Yep.. It costs me $34.95 a month for it. But, I can keep taking them back, 3 at a time all day long if I so desired. For reference, it takes 15-20 minutes for the computer to "watch" the movie. From there, 1.2 hours to turn it into an XviD, and/or 20 minutes to copy it to a dvd-r.

So although blockbuster gets so much from me for a year, I get access to every single movie they have; Withen months if I wanted, I could have a copy! of every single dvd in the place. Not to mention the money they will lose as I give away copies of the movies with the understanding that those who recieve them, will not buy the original nor rent it. In the long run, blockbuster loses a fortune.

sadly I'm one of those who stood in line for star wars. gotta admit Lucas has me hooked. I loved it. however I have no intentions of going to see another movie in the theatre right now. as far as video rentals I go to a locally owned store, not mega media giant Universal's Blockbuster. actually local video rental stores generally have very good selections of new releases. I can't even stomach the 19.99 to 24.99 prices on new releases. even 14.99 is hard to stomach. when the store bought vids (usually the ones no one wants) get below 10 dollars I take a look and sometimes buy.

Now if only I could find a record store willing to "Rent" me cds for a flat fee. I'd gladly pay it to generate more content to give away. You want people to boycott, but many are like sheep. I cater to the sheep. I provide them what they want, at a much lower price. (free); they get what they want, the riaa makes nothing for the time.

Getting enough people to boycott for something isn't realistic. However, getting those people to screw the system in any possible way they can, is much more realistic, and it can be quiet fun.

"In the long run, blockbuster loses a fortune."

I don't think so. they're making a fortune off you (or they wouldn't have that offer). I've never heard anyone say that by giving money to buy a product you're causing a company to loose a fortune.

rent the releases at locally owned stores and give them away if you want. at least you won't be putting money in their pockets

Another thing to think with this ripping thing, is you must look at the long-term effects of what you're doing. Let's say we do what you're saying. Ten people rent from the flat fee thing, and within months rip every dvd in the store, and give them away for free to people, granted they do not purchase the real thing, or rent it. Let's say this does overthrow the RIAA. How are we gonna get people to start buying again? The point you made, is that they don't want to boycott, they just want to keep their money. We're not trying to destroy the entertainment industry, but reform it, and turn into a decent industry. what yu're tlkaing about is destorying the industry, not reforming it. And, if we do that, the only way the industry will rise again, to get people to buy the product, hopefully, at fair prices, without DRM, would be to use the underhand tactics that they currently use. In short, what you are suggesting is not a viable solution to the problem.

The people that went to see Star Wars wanted to see the movie. I personally don't care. I also personally don't care if you buy the DVD. I'm not even telling you not to buy it.

But if you are outraged by what the industry is doing and are ready to "fight back," giving them $35 a month seems rather counterproductive.

"Getting enough people to boycott for something isn't realistic."

Neither is asking everyone to break the law.

I got DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink for two reasons.
1. Some total moron decided that a DVD should work like a VCR. By that, I mean they have commercials that cannot be skipped, you can only fast forward through them. The idiot that came up with this deserves a crowbar upside the head. Repeatedly. I made a backup of Shrek 2 because of this. Some companies have also had the brainstorm that their intro video to the menu is so cool that I will watch it for three minutes. Every Single Time. Two hard smacks with the crowbar for that one.

2. I have a TV/DVD combo for my van. I make copies for the kiddies to use. I'm not letting them have regular DVDs in the vehicle. Jack can screw himself.

Sometimes,
When a law is wrong,
and no one in power is listening, or cares,

the only remaining choice is civil disobedience.

The "nice" and "fair" ways aren't working.

They won't work if only one side plays fair.

Your right george, it is probably breaking
the law.

But,

Is it more "sheeplike" to be controlled by
media, or to blindly obey "laws" that are wrong.

It really IS coming to the point where "legal" fights won't do shit.

I'm not blindly obeying anything. I don't rip DVDs because I'm not that interested in what's on them in the first place and not willing to spend the time, effort and processor power to rip them.

I've seen Bewitched and Dukes of Hazzard and King Kong and the Honeymooners and Bad News Bears and the first two Star Wars movies. Now on the way, a remake of The Poseidon Adventure one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

So I don't care. Rip 'em if you got 'em.

I just think that giving money to your enemy is stupid.

I have kids.
They destroy cd's and DVD.
I rip/burn/and put away the originals
until they kids ruin the copies.

Lather Rinse Repeat.

I should have that right.

Those that make the tools for me to do
do that should have the right to do so.

The law is wrong.

BTW,
I saw "The Poseidon Adventure" at
the local drive in with my parents
when it was first released.
Yup it's a bad movie, but I still watch it
on the tube when it comes on.
Brings back some good memories.

"I just think that giving money to your enemy is stupid."

one of the best one liners that sums it all up.

This post is not of my words, but I felt compelled to post it here because it conveys things in a way that I probably wouldn't have been able to state so fervently -from http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/06/1822211

"by HiThere (15173) * on Monday June 06, @07:04PM (#12741244)

"And they don't have any reason to be upset that I refuse to pay for anything they are in any way associated with, and to make snide comments about them and their supporters.

Personally, I don't think things like this hurt the MPAA/RIAA, which is why I don't consider people who make/use the cracking programs public heros. I would think more charitably about people who assassinated them. Do I seem extreme? These are people who have corrupted our government (even more than it already was). It is hard to think of something bad happening to them that I would not applaud, unless it adversely affected innocent bystanders. (Unfortunately, all too likely.)

And I have yet to hear any justification for their behavior that holds any water at all. They show neither signs of remorse, nor even any sign that they realize that they are enemies of humanity.

Calling them enemies of humanity requires a bit of justification, because they're up against some stiff competition, but basically:
1) they bribe (legally, usually) the legislators
2) they are endeavoring to steal the entire history of human culture, and seal it away under lock and key so that it will never again be retrievable by anyone without their permission.
3) when they lose interest in any particular piece of culture, they abandon it WITHOUT taking the necessary steps to allow others to preserve it. And it's all recorded on quickly degradeable media.
4) in addition, they are attempting to crowd out all content that they don't own, so that noone can even discover that it exists.

They haven't been totally successful, but these are what they are attempting, and for just attempting it I feel that they are deserving of death. These are crimes against the very essence of what it is to be human. How many folk songs do you know in a non-proprietary form/b? Generally they make some small change, which entitles them to claim the copyright on that form of the words. But they don't tell you which pieces they are claiming as proprietary, they claim the whole thing, and unless you can PROVE that the form you know is public domain, any court will presume that their copyright is valid.

Try to copyright a tune, just try, and you'll get some small flavor of what I mean. Every folk tune around has been copyrighted, and the copyright doesn't say what part is original, so courts will presume that the entire tune is copyright by the copyright holder, even though their original contribution may only be a change of three notes in the fourth measure. (This is second hand, but I believe it to be true. I know that Joan Baez & Vanguard copyrighted minor variations of a multitude of folk songs...and they don't tell you what they changed from the original.)

I wouldn't regard suing the people who made the tool as wrong if the entire system wasn't so unjust. As it is, I reguard everything the RIAA/MPAA member companies do as irredeemably wrong."

May I suggest:

www.screenselect.co.uk

or www.lovefilm.com

For 15 pounds a month they will post you as many dvds as you want and pay the return postage. No need to queue for blockbuster.

This is in the UK of course.

Que for blockbuster? I don't think you understand. for a flat fee per month, I can take as many dvds home as I want; 3 at a time. the computers need an average of 20 minutes to watch each dvd. If I make several trips per day (which I have been known to do) , blockbuster actually winds up losing money. Considering without the moviepass, 2 day rentals are $3.99 each. It's simple math here.

"I just think that giving money to your enemy is stupid."

Depends on your intentions. I don't mind giving blockbuster the equ of 5 movie rentals to rip/release everything in the store. No postage, instant gratification. if I don't like a movie I got, I rip it and take it back. No fees, no "oops, they fucked me, the movie sucks, but they got my money." They get 35 a month from me, for unlimited access to ALL of their movies in stock. new releases as well as old.

Do you know how much a disney movie costs new on dvd? Far cheaper to rent/rip/release it. Civil Disobedience cannot always be done for free.

You're still giving money to them. go to a locally owned video store.

Compmore,

I won't do the local video store option for 3 reasons:

1. They do not offer a moviepass of any kind.
2. They charge more for less. (4.99 per 2 day rental, mostly fullscreen-rare to find widescreen available)
3. They do not take good care of the DVDs, I spend more time cleaning them to rip then I do ripping them.

From a cost POV, blockbuster is more economical. The quality of the material is better, no sticky fingerprints on the dvd disc. No pizza remains or spilled soda stickies on it either.

If the local video stores cared about the customer at all, they'd have my business. But, for the time being, blockbuster has what I want in stock usually, has the moviepass, doesn't ask any questions, And it really does mean unlimited.

"But if you are outraged by what the industry is doing and are ready to "fight back," giving them $35 a month seems rather counterproductive."

Not when that $35 a month gives me unlimited access to almost any movie in the us availablen on DVD. I take said copies, rip them, turn them into a dvd-r with dvdshrink and an xvid avi; which is released via p2p.

For me, that $35 is a good deal, for any movie I want, to keep, forever; to give to my friends to discourage them from buying it. Yes, I'm coffing up $35 a month, but I'm costing them much more then that in lost sales.

Most of the time, the riaa bitches about lost sales when they haven't a clue if the person would have bought it or not. I know 3 individuals who will not buy/rent anything, as they no longer need to do so. I happily provide them with what it is they want. Birthdays, holidays, xmas, cd-r/dvd-r makes great stocking stuffers!

Do you really think that the law is somehow going to change to support the rights you have? Aside from CSS copy protection, you have a legal right to backup a dvd you've purchased. Due to CSS and the DMCA, your right has been side stepped. IE: you do have the right to make the copy, but you can't make the copy without breaking CSS, which is against the dmca. It's a catch 22.

As far as recommending people break the law with me, you know what's funny? Several years back, a black woman broke the law by sitting at the back of the bus and refusing to leave. Several others joined her in a nice form of civil disobedience.

Just because it's a law doesn't mean it's right, just nor should be honored/respected. If it's your desire to remain a "sheep", feel free, but don't try taking the holy ground and say "but it's against the law".

"Copyright warfare 2.0
They kicked our ass because we ignored the law. We're screwed. But you just wait till next time..."

Good thing that woman had the balls to ignore the law back then, We might have more civil rights problems now had she not done so.

When they kicked Rosa Parks off the bus, black people boycotted the bus system. They didn't buy multi-ride passes.

Dreddsnik has the best, most logical reason why your cause is a good one. I have a child and she has ruined her fair share of CDs, DVDs and even VCR tapes.

But she also put sand in the gas tank of the lawn mower when she was two. Does that give me the right to go to Sears and steal a new one? I didn't think so, either, so I bought an electric mower. Problem disappeared.

"Do you really think that the law is somehow going to change to support the rights you have?"

Absolutely not. Don't expect it to. Also don't expect the RIAA or the MPAA to change their viewpoint one iota for the next decade or so.

But until they do, they're not getting a dime from me. Neither will Microsoft, Apple, Napster, Regal Theaters, or Blockbuster.

Money is the only language they understand.

You've got a twisted view on business economics. they wouldn't offer those unlimited passes if they didn't make money off of them. unless the customer has no life and spends every day watching nothing but hollywood movies. I can tell you the local video store in my town offers the same thing blockbuster does and I'm sure others do as well. If the don't it's because they haven't built up the volume of business that would make it profitable. I own a small locally owned store and I have customers who'll spend 5 dollars in gas to drive 30 miles to the nearest walmart to save 2 or 4 dollars on something they can get from me. You're not doing the cause any favors by putting money in their pockets no matter how you justify it. you do it for your own personal desire to watch as many movies as you want, not because you're screwing them over.

if that works for you than that's cool, just don't try to convice us that you're hurting the industry when you're paying them.

"But she also put sand in the gas tank of the lawn mower when she was two. Does that give me the right to go to Sears and steal a new one? I didn't think so, either, so I bought an electric mower. Problem disappeared."

There's that little "stealing" analogy again.
If I could make a "backup copy" of said
lawnmower. That would be cool. Would it be stealing ?
No.
It does not remove property from Sears.

I have a paid for CD, and make a copy for my kids to destroy ....
It does not remove anything from anyone.

George, you have good valid points.
So do I.
I also don't give them a dime anymore
either.

All I am saying is,
because they simply spin losses due to
boycotting as results of piracy,
boycotting has become only a part of
what must be a larger strategy.
Media lies turn boycotting efforts into
something totally different, and keeps the general
"Sheepulous" in the dark.
We have no trustworthy lobbyists.
We have no media control.
They fight with questionable law.
Time to question, loudly.
With ANY tools available.

Even and espscially the tools that are
"illegal" due to unconstitutional or
questionable law.

Sorry to use the 's' word. Protecting your CD investment from your kids by making a backup is fair use in my book.

But the ripping and giving away free to the world thing is copyright infringement with no question whatsoever as to intent.

"they simply spin losses due to boycotting as results of piracy"

Of course they do. There are a multitude of people giving them every reason in the world to do so, all shouting "I'm costing you in lost sales, just try and catch me."

Peer-to-peer has been using the same argument for sharing major label music for the last five years. So now the RIAA is suing people by the thousands.

If the 60 million people sharing music had erased the RIAA files three years ago, this would have been over for two and a half years. DRM would be gone if everyone refused to buy it.

Of course, this also would have all gone away if a couple dozen of the major artists had the balls to say they were not putting up with it.

I must chime in and say that I am gonna side with gdZiemann and compmore on this debate.

IMHO, If you hate DRM and want to "do something about it/change things" it does little good if you merely use some software program or hack to get around it. Simply use lingo the RIAA/MPAA understands. STOP BUYING from them and STOP SHARING/DISTRIBUTING for them.

If they it don't want to be heard or seen, honor their wishes and let 'em doom themselves to obscurity.

DRM should be considered as little more than a suicide note.

Compmore,

I don't see how they are able to make an actual profit from me, if I'm exceeded the normal rental amounts. IE; If I only rent a few movies a week, sure; they're killing me. If I went 10+ movies a week tho, at some point, each one will be so cheap (30 cents or less at this point) that they can't possibly be making anything from me.

With regard to screwing the system; I'm only one person, but I'm doing what I can to cause harm for them. I give away material as often as I can. I take requests for new movies which aren't available yet, so that when the dvd is released; I can put a copy in my friends hands, and they won't go buy/rent it. You think I'm helping the bad guys by paying for the content once, but you fail to understand that I'm releasing many copies of that content, for free; in the hopes/promise that the original won't be saught. I have converted 4 individuals so far completely; They used to spend $60 or more a month on audio cds. Now they spend nothing. They don't need too, I can burn them whatever it is they want. No downloading, no lawsuit risks, no money for the riaa on xmas, birthdays and other holidays. Advertising when a "hot new" cd comes out doesn't do them any good; they don't make the sale.

Compmore,

I also work in the computer industry in a repair shop. I understand economics quiet well; I'm not doing this for the interest of monetary gain, I'm doing this in my small little way to hurt the recording industry. And I believe I am accomplishing this goal. It's day 10 on this month, and I've already ensured 3 albums will not be purchased. That's $30 I've kept out of their greedy hands. (Assuming they were $10 a piece).

I also encourage people to rip their own cds to build a drm free collection of music. Those who do not know how, I happily teach them. I'll even exchange other rip databases for copies of theres. More music for everyone this way; sneakernet style.

I believe in copyrights, I really do; but! Things have gotten so far out of hand at this point, that following the law, avoiding music simply because you don't agree with the management decisions isn't right.

I happen to like alot of the bands that are on riaa labels. I refuse to deprive myself of music simply because of it's label affiliation. I won't quit listening to some bands anymore then I'd quit driving a ford because I don't like how the management is run in a particular plant.

I think if it's alright, I'm going to post a review on two (2) non drm supported mp3 players. They are both made by vr3.

Independant Musician,

We are still in the process of aquiring independant bands who do want to be ripped/released to the scene. Sadly, We don't get many offers to do it. It's difficult to locate independant music of any quality. If you want to point me in the right direction where audio cds can be obtained for ripping, please let me know. If we have to pay shipping or something, or purchase the cds, we will. IE: If YOU want us to release independent, We need content.