Brett Parker iDunno@sommitrealweird.co.uk wrote:
It's not that it's closed source, the algorithm wasn't open though, and the libdvdcss code came from reverse engineering said algorithm [...]
That's what I thought until an mplayer developer corrected me: http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2005/06/msg00136.html (about halfway down after "1)" at the start of line).
<!-- skip down for action suggestions --> <rant> This situation stinks, though. The software has been around years. It should be easy to use by now.
The Content Scrambling System, region-locking and software patents all cause problems with DVDs and have held development back years already IMO. The growing use of international treaties and organisations to "globalise" laws that are bad for users is making things worse. We're sharing restrictions, not knowledge.
As I understand it, the USA, where many of these bad laws seem to start off, has laws which require corporations to make as much money for shareholders as possible, with little regard for fairness. If that means spending a few billion to get a law change which makes them many billions, it makes sense to them. Harmful corporations can be destroyed if enough citizens request it (to give a "death penalty" for dangerously criminal companies), but competition between states for company registration fees means it's hardly used. Far more are destroyed by paperwork errors than by citizen petitions.
Of course, UK laws are not that different and now UK corp's seem to have control of the government's "Creative Industries" policy and the UK pushes the EU ever harder to the "bad for users" line... Only government and businesses on this forum, for example: http://www.culture.gov.uk/creative_industries/ip_forum.htm (The "Consumers Association" is publisher of the Which? mags and provider of paid-access online content.)
If you have money saved, is it invested in these corporations? Do your bank accounts and pension funds have ethical standards? Are you spending your money on products from companies with a history of harming users? Are you helping cause these problems? </rant>
As with many of "hard" problems, you could try taking three steps towards solving it:
REDUCE your intake of bad products: try to avoid buying from the companies who are causing the problems. When there's a choice, avoid "Corrupt Disc" CDs from EMI or zealous DVDs from Universal. Copyright monopolies means there's not always much choice, though.
REUSE the bad things: buy and sell second-hand as much as you can and join lending or rental schemes (legally!). You don't get to keep all the things, but are you wanting the entertainment, or trying to avoid painting the wall behind the bookshelves?
RESTART the system: it will take a while to happen, but help projects like www.freeculture.org.uk to produce a system where "good for users" is a common approach to creativity. Support "forever-free" standard formats like Ogg Vorbis when you can. Help lobby with www.nosoftwarepatents.com as much as asked.
Just some suggestions. I think it would be a shame if we get free software to do these things, but it was made illegal to use it by EU Copyright Directive, software patents or the Next Daft Idea.