[mythtv-users] mythtv-users Digest, Vol 49, Issue 161

DM - MythTV mythtv at tazman.net
Mon Apr 30 18:35:28 UTC 2007


Tim Gray wrote:
> I simply ask a simple question about the new HDMI and DVI capture cards out
> there and get read the riot act for a simple comment. 
>   
Easy there... I don't want to speak for Mike or the other MythTV 
developers, but IMO given the current environment regarding reverse 
engineering hardware and software, it makes sense to publicly reiterate 
that the majority of the open source community does not condone illegal 
actions.  Whether or not a particular circumstance resulting in extra 
functionality from a cable card is illegal or not cannot be determined 
from what was written (in either message).  The term "crack" has a 
negative legal connotation however (regardless of how it was meant) and 
that warrants the statement IMO.  Standing (and standing publicly) 
against illegal actions, regardless of your opinion of the wisdom of the 
legislation, is in the best interest of the MythTV project and the open 
source community as a whole in order to prevent having to fight legal 
battles from the defensive (which most open source developers do not 
have the resources to do) and help prevent / reverse the 
[RIAA|MPAA|insert IP trade org. here] perception that all open source 
projects exist only to steal intellectual property from "legitimate 
business".

> So when are you removing that illegal mplayer functionality?  I can find you
> many places that claim it's use is illegal.
>   
Distribution of MPlayer (and every other open source DVD player) WAS 
illegal until an appellate court ruled that the encryption key used was 
so widely distributed it no longer qualified for protection as a trade 
secret.  Absent this decision, MPlayer (and every other software DVD 
player that had not obtained the encryption key through "appropriate 
"channels) legally should not be distributed in the US.  It may still be 
illegal in other parts of the world; I'm not familiar with international 
law / precedence on the subject.

Dan



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