jay random user wrote:
Steve,

In message chiSf.4256$Vb.3613@trndny01 on Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:39:04
GMT, "Steve Foley" wrote:


This is a question, not an argument.

I thought I heard that at some point, 'they' (whoever they are) managed to
get a law passed making it illegal to copy DVDs.

Was I misinformed? (likely)
Did I hallucinate it? (also likely)
or
Was this imaginary law repealed?

First of all, I'm not a lawyer. My information is only based on
publical sources research into this subject.

The United States Code section on Copyrights allows "Fair Use".

That's the law.

DMCA is also the law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA

The whole point is that David is obviously not violating the DMCA or
else CMU would have been forced to remove the various forms of DeCSS
that appear on his web pages.

I can't speak for Dave, but I would guess that he feels the DMCA might
not be Constitutional. I know I believe it is.

It is the equivelent of making it illegal for me to tell somehow how to
remove (or unlock) a lock that is on a door to their own house. I
believe that our constitution allows me to always provide information
that explains a process like this. If people use information to do
illegal things, then you should punish those people. You don't try to
punish the people that provide the information itself. Information can
be used for both good and bad.

And supporting hackers is something that Google and Microsoft also
engage in regularly. Hacking itself isn't bad either. Hacker doesn't
mean "bad person".

Some hackers are bad and some are good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker

--
Simkatu