i give up...

[Michael M.]

Lorin Pino wrote: 
> Are you aware that in some countries it is illegal to play a dvd you 
> own with software that is not provided by Mac or Windows?  As far as I 
> know, Linspire is the only Linux that has managed to get the licensing 
> for providing a working player, and you have to pay $10US to download 
> Linspire's version of Xine.
>

What countries would that be?

Linspire pays the licensing fee to the DVDCCA (DVD Copy Control 
Association), which is the non-profit responsible for licensing CSS 
(Content Scramble System).  So do numerous other commercial Linux distros.

I'm not aware of any country where you need Windows or OS X in order to 
play DVDs.  I can't imagine why any country would require that, given 
that the licensing authority is perfectly willing to license CSS to any 
Linux distro willing to pay for it.

 From the DVDCCA FAQ:
http://www.dvdcca.org/faq.html

*Can manufacturers of products for computers using the Linux operating 
system obtain a license to use CSS to manufacture a DVD player for Linux 
applications?*

Absolutely. The DVD Copy Control Association would welcomes applications 
for the legal use of CSS from all manufacturers. In fact, Sigma Designs 
(www.sigmadesigns.com) is now marketing a DVD player for Linux under its 
license to manufacture products using CSS.



-- 
Michael M. ++ Portland, OR ++ USA
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream." --S. Jackson