Re: [gNewSense-users] problem playing DVD's

[Sam Geeraerts]

Ted Smith wrote:
> Well, don't worry -- to my knowledge, DeCSS is illegal in the US as
> well. :) However, unlike Singapore (I can't speak for Singapore), it
> almost certainly isn't enforced, and is safe to install and use.
>
> If you think it's rather unjust for a "free" country to ban a piece of
> software, you should stop buying encrypted DVD's, and write your
> congresspeople to tell them not to support the Digital Millennium
> Copyright Act, the law that makes tools like DeCSS criminal. They will
> probably ignore you, because the money they get from the MPAA (Motion
> Picture Association of America) is far more than that they could get
> from you, but hopefully if enough people voice their concern over this
> truly orwellian law, it will be overturned.
>  
Although DeCSS isn't illegal in Belgium, I decided to stop buying 
encrypted DVDs. At the time I was collecting all of Star Trek (except 
Enterprise), secondhand because I already felt uncomfortable about 
companies making a profit off of DRM'ed media. So now I'm about a 
quarter short of the complete series. I guess those missing seasons will 
have to wait until DRM will be abolished.

I also stopped buying CD's partly because it's hard to know for sure if 
there is any copy protection crap on them. And because of Sony's root 
kit of course.

Do you happen to know of a list of DVDs that are not encrypted (and 
region code free)? Even though there's still the issue of patented 
formats, I like to buy those DVDs to show my support for the 
creator/distributor's dismissal of DRM. So far I have Revolution OS, 
Elephants Dream and Big Buck Bunny.