[nzlug] Vaguely OT: Got DVD? Maybe not for long

[Steven Ellis]

On Wed, June 4, 2008 10:13 am, Matthew Poole wrote:
>
> As some of you are probably aware, there are secret negotiations underway
> to create multi-lateral "anti-counterfeiting" treaty (see
> http://tinyurl.com/6kxup7).
>
> In it is a point about outlawing "circumvention devices". Potentially that
> would mean that all Linux players for DVD and other "protected" media
> would become illegal, since they work by bypassing CSS rather than through
> a licenced implementation.
> Potentially it would also require that stand-alone DVD players enforce
> region encoding and other such monstrosities.
>
> Is the NZOSS doing anything about this? Having just made it legal for us
> to bypass CSS and region coding, a treaty like this could well take that
> right away again. The US is not known for respecting fair-use rights in
> other jurisdictions when making treaty demands.

I wouldn't like to be the one to test the law with regards to bypassing
CSS. Under the new copyright amendment bill shipping a Linux device
capable of bypassing CSS is probably illegal already.

Steve

--------------------------------------------
Steven Ellis - Technical Director
OpenMedia Limited - The Home of myPVR
email   - steven at openmedia.co.nz
website - http://www.openmedia.co.nz