On the contrary, I don't believe your response is OT at all. As a dedicated user and proponent of FLOSS, part and parcel with supporting the systems and the component software is assuring that the media we can purchase is usable. FLOSS is not just ones and zeros, it is a philosophy, a world view, even so far as to say a way of living; therefore supporting it for the pure end user is more than simply tweaking a config file or updating a package. Suggesting actions to resolve a challenge or ameliorate a shortcoming is identical to suggesting actions to resolve a challenge or ameliorate a shortcoming (sic). My $.02 V <div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 10:28 AM, C de-Avillez <<a href="mailto:hggdh2@ubuntu.com">hggdh2@ubuntu.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">On Fri, 9 Jul 2010 15:10:43 +0100 nepal <<a href="mailto:nepal.roade@googlemail.com">nepal.roade@googlemail.com</a>> wrote: (Rather OT, but irresistible.) <OT> > A friend has just lent me a couple of Pride DVDs but I notice they are > marked with a CP symbol and I cannot watch either of these DVDs, they > do something weird and skip to the end of the disk. > > I'm using Ubuntu 9.10 and I've tried a few different players, vlc, > mplayer, moovida, even Totem which never works properly and doesn't > for this either. Don't know these DVDs, but it is an almost safe bet they will run under Windows, or on standard DVD players ('standard' meaning DRM-compliant). > > Is this the new state of affairs for media? I can be legally sold > useless media, media that will not play in my standard piece of kit? No, this is not the *new* state of affairs. This is how it has been for quite a long time (think some tens of years, google for Digital Audio Tape, for example). However, please note that sometimes this is not actually an action from an oligopoly -- see, for example, PC games that state they require a video card XYZ or better. So yes, you can be sold media that will require compatible hardware. > It certainly doesn't seem to be making me want to go and spend money > of packaged media... This is why it is so important to make your representatives (to the government) aware you are against DRM (at least as it is). Keep in mind that currently, pretty much all DRM implementations only restrict and penalise the *legal* user. </OT> Cheers, -- ubuntu-users mailing list <a href="mailto:ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com</a> Modify settings or unsubscribe at: <a href="https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users" target="_blank">https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users</a> </blockquote></div>