[mythtv-users] (was) MythTV vs Media Center

[Brian Wood]

On Jan 21, 2007, at 11:32 AM, Bob Sully wrote:

>
>
> This is a result of the fact that Microsoft is in bed with the media
> companies.  I am not an attorney, but I do recall the "fair use"  
> provision
>  which states, in effect, that you are free to use content that you  
> have
> paid for in any way which does not infringe upon the rights of the
> copyright holder (back in the day that meant making backup copies  
> of your
> CDs (or an extra one for your car) as long as you didn't sell them  
> or give
> them away).  The minions behind the DMCA seem to have forgotten  
> about that
> one.

Microsoft is "in bed" with the Hollywood types because that is the  
only way they can get some of the content they want. Much as I  
dislike MS I do not blame them totally for the situation.

Cracking CSS without the proper license is a violation of the DMCA  
regardless of what you do with the content after that. The DMCA and  
"fair use" are in total conflict, a fact which does not seem to  
bother those who sought to get it enacted or those who enacted it.

Check out:

http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html


>
> Oh, well.  So what.  I paid for that DVD, I'm paying for my cable TV
> service.  The fact that the cable company encrypts content on the  
> cable
> feed that I pay for because they want to force me to rent their  
> crappy DVR
> is galling.

It's even worse, I *do* pay for their crappy DVR, I just don't use  
it, so I feel I am morally OK. I am not cheating anybody out of  
anything, but I still can't do what I want. They certainly seem to  
get upset if I disconnect it from the phone line though, even though  
any call, even 800 numbers, costs me money since it is an IP line.

>
> There was the notion of nonviolent civil disobedience back in the  
> '60s and
> early '70s which helped bring about astounding change.  Change doesn't
> happen without questioning laws which are felt to be unjust.


Awareness of the problems is the necessary first step, and discussing  
them here is a good thing IMHO, even if it might not be the best  
forum. Every Myth user should be aware of these issues, but I  
certainly wouldn't blame Isaac if he told me to shut up :-) (actually  
I suspect he doesn't read this list anymore, probably reads the "dev"  
list where the real work is done).

Every Myth user should be a member of the EFF at the very least, I  
wonder how many are ?