DRM, DMCA, RIAA, MPAA. FUBAR!
Apple, Microsoft threatened with possible digital copyright lawsuit
Microsoft Corp and Apple Inc could face a possible lawsuit for failing to include measures to control access to copyrighted material in products such as Vista OS, iTunes and the iPod, two companies have warned.
Media Rights Technologies (MRT) and BlueBeat.com have issued cease and desist letters to both companies and to Adobe Systems Inc (nasdaq: ADBE – news – people ) and Real Networks — which produce the Adobe Flash Player and Real Player respectively — for actively avoiding their X1 SeCure Recording Control, which they said is an effective copyright protection system.
MRT and Bluebeat said the failure to use an available copyright protection solution contravenes the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which prohibits the manufacture of any product or technology designed to circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work or protects the rights of copyright owners.
They said a failure to comply with the cease and desist order could result in in a federal court injunction and/or the imposition of statutory damages of 200-2,500 usd per product distributed or sold.
This sounds like blackmail to me…
Dear Microsoft, Apple, and
Your software using is not compliant with the law as I understand it. I have retained the expensive consulting lawyer firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe and they agree I can force you to buy my software.
Buy or I’ll sue your ass off.
Respectfully,
I.M. Opportunistic Bastard
How absurd! The folly of the DMCA continues. Perfect example of how a tech retarded Congress enacts laws to combat problems they have absolutely no clue about. That folly will be exasperated if some equally clueless federal judge, sides with these two scum bag, opportunistic companies and doesn’t throw the case out immediately for lunacy.
#2: “exasperated”—>”exacerbated”
Lets just hope these two will get together and kick their asses.
man.. have they picked the wrong companies to mess with… combined weight of there lawers.. i’m going to have to get me some popcorn for this!
WAAAAHHH!!! Mommy! They didn’t use my product!
Last time I checked, both Apple and M$ use DRM tech (Adobe?! wtf?), and I don’t think the DMCA specifies which tech to use. Sounds like someone’s profits aren’t as high as they expected them to be.
No doubt these 2 companies are trolling for publicity. It’s great that it’ll make them look like a-holes.
The suit is ridiculous enough that is seems like they’re using a lawsuit for publicity/marketing purposes now. Had anyone heard of MRT, Bluebeat, or X1 before today?
Fortunately, DRM is already enough of a failure that these guys are just flushing money down the tubes – so I guess sanity prevails in the end anyway.
*yawn*
still waiting for DU to report the inevitable: “RIAA Sues…Itself!”
Go Analog!
Well I’m on board with MRT, et. al. on this one! Come on kids, let’s all code a DRM scheme and make everybody include it! Lets suffocate the DMCA with the weight of its own idiocy.
Ironic, it went from: “We must protect Intellectual Property” to “You must protect their Intellectual Property using our Intellectual Property”…
Next thing ya know, “they” will be making laws telling us we can’t listen to iPods while crossing the street… 😉
This is complete crap! Now, I dislike various M$ software as much as anyone, but they didn’t *intentionally* build their software to bypass other drm packages, those companies are just taking advantage of the situation.
@13 Exactly what I was thinking! What a genius way to rid ourselves of DRM!
actually, the best thing that could happen would be a ruling against MS and Apple. swarms of their lobbyists would descend upon Capitol Hill, demanding weakening of the DMCA …
#12, Alix, analog to digital at 192 bps ain’t bad, but I still like analog best. Now, if I could just get some of those Sennheiser phones you told me about. I’ll bet the RIAA is still trying to figure out how to DRM 33s and 15ips 1/2 in. tape.
#11, perhaps we’ll get luck and they will sue themselves, for destroying the entire recording industry.
DVD sound tracks, cd’s, whatever; dump’em into any wave editor, convert to whatever, burn to media, and enjoy. Newsgroups are loaded with video, all you need is a little time, broadband, a few snippets of freeware joiners, etc and your in for free. I don’t see what all the fuss is about, most of the stuff that has DRM in it is just that; crap, and I wouldn’t want it for free.
Shakespeare said “THE FIRST THING WE DO, LET’S KILL ALL THE LAWYERS.” Maybe these really big corporations will finally begin to understand,,, nah… I don’t care how many technologies you pile onto digital media, you’ll never be able to stop piracy. When are these boneheads gonna learn that if they sell cheap enough they’ll still sell plenty – especially if they put a quality service behind it. Lawyers don’t get it, because they’re too busy making money off these ignorant fools. Serves em right!
OT alert…
#18 – BubbaRay
“#12, Alix, analog to digital at 192 bps ain’t bad, but I still like analog best.”
Honestly, BR, I’m the original analog fanatic, it took 20 years before CDs got to where I could listen to them for prolonged periods w/out developing a migraine – but since I lost my last great LP collection in the Allison flood, I have to move on, since trying to rebuild would take an order of magnitude more time and $ than I can afford. So I’ve been taking my “Holy Grail” recordings, when I find them, and transcoding them to 24/192. And ya know what? Maybe my hearing has finally deteriorated, but damn if I can hear the diff.
“Now, if I could just get some of those Sennheiser phones you told me about.”
I’ve been a Sennheiser guy since I got my first Ampex open-reel machines at age 10, and up until recently, there was nothing else for me. But not long ago I started seeing all these raves about the AKG 701s, and took a broken-in pair home to try for the weekend. I got about 4 hours sleep and I bought a pair that Monday.
My HD600s’ll still have to be pried from my cold, dead hands – but now, when I go to listen to female voices (which is my particular obsessive Guilty Pleasure), I set the Sennheisers aside for the AKGs with no regrets. I’m gonna replace my 600s with 650s soon, but I seriously doubt that’ll make me forsake the 701s.
Go listen to ’em. Depending on what kind of music you lean to, you might like. They’re not as analytical as Sennheisers, but on the right material, I’ve never heard anything more naturally musical, and that includes all the Stax and Grados. And Jeebus X, are they comfy!
As the eternally wise Vanilla Ice once said, “Word to ya motha.”
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We now return you to the previously scheduled thread, now in progress…