[mythtv-users] MPAA wants to stop DVRs from recording some movies

[Scott Sharkey]

Jay R. Ashworth wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 02:57:48PM -0400, Ronald Frazier wrote:
>>> Commercial pirates *aren't* they problem they're trying to solve.
>> But like I said, this doesn't solve any sort of casual piracy either.
>> TiVos and cable box DVRs are mostly the ones going to be affected. But
>> neither of those let you share your recordings. And as for downloading
>> on bittorrent, those downloads don't originate on those DVRs either.
>> They typically originate on systems that won't honor the broadcast
>> flag anyway (myth, non-Vista PCs, or hacked TiVos). Like I said
>> earlier, this basically stops people from doing things they already
>> can't do.
> 
> It causes the Great Unwashed to participate in the "we will sell it to
> you 4 times because you're too stupid to know any better" malignant
> customer-control tactics which permit the studios to make more money.
> 
> That's enough.
> 
> For now.

I hate to say this, but that (selling it 4 times, etc) is probably
exactly what needs to happen.  IF they ever were that obvious and
upfront about it, THEN the stupids might figure out they are being
screwed, and start complaining to their pet congress-critters, and
eventually ban that kind of crap.  The reason the big studios can
get away with this stuff is because they sneak it in one piece at
a time, and most people (who are too busy or too stupid to think
through the implications) just say "well, it's not that big a
deal - I'll live with it".

IF we forced the studios to spell out exactly what they are trying
to do (ie, make you pay a fee every single time you even look at
their content), THEN the STUPIDS would actually figure out they
are being screwed, and start bitching.

Unfortunately, I think the "sneak it in" strategy is working just
fine for the studios.... I'm amazed how many times I explain to
friends and co-workers the implications of the various strategies
being used (DRM, etc) and get "Gee, I guess I never thought of that...
that sucks"

In short, we need to find a way to explain the implications of all
this to the Great Unwashed, which is really hard to do.

-Scott