LinDVD

[David Curtis]

David Curtis wrote:
> norman wrote:
>   
>>> Google is your friend:
>>> http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/Product_Profile.jsp?p=LinDVD
>>>     
>>>       
>> I am well aware of this reference which is not very forthcoming. For
>> example, why are Dell distributing this application, who else is/has
>> tested it, what do others who have tried it think about it and so on.
>>
>> Norman
>>
>>
>>
>>   
>>     
> The proprietary software that decodes the trivial encryption on DVDs has 
> to be licensed. So it's not capable of being included in an open source 
> distribution. LinDVD is a proprietary application that licenses that 
> software. The alternative to this proprietary software is the reverse 
> engineered DeCSS which is illegal to distribute, and I assume use, in 
> the U.S. (DMCA) and some other countries.  For those people living in 
> other countries where it is legal to use/distibute DeCSS (or if you 
> don't think the MPAA/DVD consortium will come a knocking at your door.) 
> DeCSS is available from the medibuntu repository.  Dell is distributing 
> LinDVD with it's Linux computers for the same reason it distributes 
> WinDVD with it's window boxes. So their customers can have legal DVD 
> viewing software. But don't be fooled, your not getting this for free in 
> any sense of the word, one, it's closed source and, two, the cost is 
> included in the price of the computer.
>
> Some good links:
>
> http://www.lemuria.org/DeCSS/
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeCSS
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content-scrambling_system
>
> http://www.medibuntu.org/
>   
Oops, wrong about medibuntu, it's libdvdcss not DeCSS that is available 
from that repo. Though technically different it accomplishes the same 
thing as DeCSS and most distros won't distribute it as it's probably 
just as illegal under U.S. DMCA.  Unlike DeCSS it has not been tested in 
court.

Dave