LinDVD

[Michael Haney]

On Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 12:38 PM, Pastor JW
<pastor_jw at the-inner-circle.org> wrote:
> On Thursday 06 November 2008 3:05:12 am 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.
>
> As you have found out if you tried it out, it is a very nice bit of software!
> It is however only on the factory pre-installed by Dell Ubuntu computers, not
> in the Ubuntu distribution anywhere.  Dell licensed it for distribution by
> themselves and included its cost in the "n" computer you got from them.  It
> is legal for you to use on your computer but not for you to re-distribute.
> Enjoy!
>

CSS like every copy protection scheme (DRM) is no protection at all.
It does NOTHING to stop piracy, all it does is get in the way of the
legitimate users.  Want a perfect example of why DRM is bad?  Look no
further than EA screwup of the Command & Conquer CD-key misprint
debacle, or the Spore SecuROM class-action lawsuit.  Don''t have an
iPod, forget taking your iTunes purchased music with you on your
Microsoft Zune or Sandisk Sansa MP3 player.  Were you a first adopter
of an expensive HDTV and bought it because the entertainment industry
promised that content was coming?  SUCKERS!  To take advantage of
1080i/p resolution movies on Blu-Ray you need a HDTV with an HDMI port
because of HDCP (High-Definition Copy Protection), so if you were an
early adopter you got screwed by the MPAA.  Isn't that lovely?  There
is hope now with the Dems in full control of Washington.

DRM is bad for consumers and thus is bad for the economy.  I find it
very interesting that the first signs our economy was in trouble
happened around the same time the DMCA was signed into law.  Hmmmm.

That ends my rant.  I do want to applaud Dell for developing a
legitimate DVD player for Linux.  Yes it isn't proprietary, so cry me
a river.  Dell is offering the player to other companies releasing
machines with Linux pre-installed though I don't know of any others
which have obtained it for their machines.

-- 
Michael "TheZorch" Haney
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