[NTLUG:Discuss] MI2 boycott

[Steve Baker]

Brian Koontz wrote:
> 
> Steve Baker wrote:
> >
> > travis.farral at nokia.com wrote:
> 
> > I don't think that's true. DeCSS decrypts the DVD - and the decrypted
> > movie is far to big to copy *anywhere*.  If you wanted to copy a DVD,
> > the last thing you'd want is DeCSS making the file ten times larger!
> 
> Anything you can see or hear, you can copy.  Which means the argument
> that DeCSS can't be used for copying is a sham.
> 
> BTW, I'm all for the distribution of DeCSS.  I believe the MPAA, in its
> authoritarian arrogance, is flat-out wrong.  But this all comes back to
> what I keep saying:  Don't try to insult people's intelligence by
> bullshitting them.  Yes, DeCSS can be used to make illegal copies
> (analog copies, but they're still copies) of DVD's.  There's really no
> argument around it, try as you might.

That's silly!

I can make illegal analog copies of DVD's using Windoze or
using my Philips DVD player - *THEY* aren't being sued.
DeCSS is just another of those things.

In any case, DeCSS only *plays* the DVD (actually, it doesn't
even do that) - it's your VHS deck that makes the copy.

In fact, DeCSS isn't even *RUNNING* when your hypothetical analog copy
is being made.  It's 'xanim' - or whatever plays the output of DeCSS
that does that.

The process of making an analog copy goes something like this (these
commands are probably WAY off - but the process is about right):

  DVD disk.
  DVD drive
  (a linux device driver)
  (the linux kernel)
  (the C standard library)

  cat /dev/dvd > /hda1/movie.dvd            <--- Here we copied the DVD
  DeCSS < /hda1/movie.dvd > /hda1/movie.avi <--- Here we converted the
                                                 file format from dvd to avi.
  xanim /hda1/movie.avi                     <--- Here we played the copy.

  (some processes inside X windows)
  Video card with NTSC output
  cable
  VHS VCR

...why is DeCSS the process that's at fault here?  You might as well
sue Linus because he wrote a kernel that can move bytes from one
device to another...it makes about as much sense to sue the people
who make video cables.

The fact is that it ISN'T the COPYING that's being legally contested,
it's the DECRYPTION...and the reason it's bad for Linux is that if
decryption of things we legally own is illegal then we'll end up
being prohibited from playing any kind of media under Linux eventually.

The point is that I can make illegal DIGITAL copies of DVD's using 'cat',
'cp', 'vi' (yes! Even vi!)...anything that can make a copy of a file.

Nobody can stop analog copying - and they won't try. It's digital
copying that is the real issue - making fake DVD's from legal
ones - and DeCSS plays no part in that process whatsoever.

-- 
Steve Baker                  http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
sjbaker1 at airmail.net (home)  http://www.woodsoup.org/~sbaker
sjbaker at hti.com      (work)