[Durgemeister]

I possess a couple of programs for Downloading files, one P2P and one Torrent program. One is a recent acquisition, which I used to download an updated version of the other - which I had already paid for, but couldn't get an update, as I had to pay again. Okay, morally ambiguous, but here's the point...

.. When I got the first program, it was shortly after moving here. I was without access to Sky One, and wanted to watch Stargate SG-1, so I downloaded several episodes of the - then - New Series. I then subsequently bought the series on DVD is it was gradually released.

I haven't really done much else in the way of downloading stuff. The occasional song, and most recently some Foo Fighters songs, which I intend to buy the Greatest Hits CD eventually, as I would rather have it anyway.

Now, I am currently downloading the Star Trek Film. I own the DVD, but I leant it to someone that keeps on forgetting to watch it.

I would have given him a copy, but it is copy-protected, and therefore couldn't. It is obviously possible to copy it, or else I would not have been able to download a copy, but I dare say it would have meant spending more money just to copy a DVD that I already own.

As I cannot make even a back-up copy of something I have paid for, surely it should not be illegal to download a copy of something that I already own, or intend to own ?

[NiNjiiN]

Originally Posted by Durgemeister I possess a couple of programs for Downloading files, one P2P and one Torrent program. One is a recent acquisition, which I used to download an updated version of the other - which I had already paid for, but couldn't get an update, as I had to pay again. Okay, morally ambiguous, but here's the point... .. When I got the first program, it was shortly after moving here. I was without access to Sky One, and wanted to watch Stargate SG-1, so I downloaded several episodes of the - then - New Series. I then subsequently bought the series on DVD is it was gradually released. I haven't really done much else in the way of downloading stuff. The occasional song, and most recently some Foo Fighters songs, which I intend to buy the Greatest Hits CD eventually, as I would rather have it anyway. Now, I am currently downloading the Star Trek Film. I own the DVD, but I leant it to someone that keeps on forgetting to watch it. I would have given him a copy, but it is copy-protected, and therefore couldn't. It is obviously possible to copy it, or else I would not have been able to download a copy, but I dare say it would have meant spending more money just to copy a DVD that I already own. As I cannot make even a back-up copy of something I have paid for, surely it should not be illegal to download a copy of something that I already own, or intend to own ?

I think you can make copies of stuff that you own as long as you don't redistribute. Forkers knows something about this because of his D.J-ing.

I suppose the best way to protect the goods is to prevent people from making a copy by blocking the item sold. I've got a Popcap game that came with a code. I think more products should do this, rather than blanketing every C.D/D.V.D. xxx

[bill jarvis]

Originally Posted by Durgemeister It is obviously possible to copy it, or else I would not have been able to download a copy,

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/vi...dvd_shrink.cfm

[Durgemeister]

Originally Posted by NiNjiiN I think you can make copies of stuff that you own as long as you don't redistribute. Forkers knows something about this because of his D.J-ing. I suppose the best way to protect the goods is to prevent people from making a copy by blocking the item sold. I've got a Popcap game that came with a code. I think more products should do this, rather than blanketing every C.D/D.V.D. xxx

I would prefer a code. If there could be an agreement with Software companies over standards etc. then a code number could be used when copying, perhaps even a registration, so that the manufacturer can be made aware of at least one copy.

I would at least like the option of being able to copy a DVD, even "rip" it so that I can copy to different formats. I have for example converted my entire Red Dwarf collection to 320x200, and wmv, so that I can play them on my handheld computer.

[Durgemeister]

Originally Posted by bill jarvis http://www.afterdawn.com/software/vi...dvd_shrink.cfm

Already got it bill. I've had DVD Shrink for a few years now. It has not been updated to cope with any new copy-protection. Obviously there is stuff out there though, as I wouldn't have been able to download the film.

[CookieNinja]

Legally, you are not allowed to backup any DVDs you own under any circumstances. The film companies have sued out of existence software that's been produced for sale for this purpose. Even free software has been on their radar. One high profile example was the person who produced software to allow people to watch DVDs on Linux. Most Linux distributions dare not include it or even make it available for download. You often have to include a 3rd party source in your package manager so that you can download it.

It's only relatively recently that you've been legally allowed to backup your music CDs or rip them to play on an MP3 player. For a while before that it was merely tolerated rather than accepted.

Luckily, though, there are a number of free software projects that exist for this purpose that do not get harassed, probably because they are too small a target, do not make any money whatsoever for their efforts and because many of them warn their potential users to check whether or not it is legal to use the software in their country before downloading.

Do a bit of googling and you'll find some free software that does the trick.

[clangnuts]

iPods would be a bit bloody pointless if you couldn't rip music from your own CD's.

Stupid music industry!!!

[NiNjiiN]

Originally Posted by clangnuts iPods would be a bit bloody pointless if you couldn't rip music from your own CD's. Stupid music industry!!!

That's a good point. xxx

[CookieNinja]

Originally Posted by clangnuts iPods would be a bit bloody pointless if you couldn't rip music from your own CD's. Stupid music industry!!!

Stupid you more like. Making you re-purchase music you already own in a new format is the way it's always been in the music industry, and they wanted to keep it that way by selling you digital music with DRM attached to restrict what you can do with it, and make sure they could make you re-purchase music you already owned every time they changed the format.

It's only because of rampant piracy that their plan failed, and:

1. They were forced to allow you to "format shift" music from CD to whatever digital format you wanted.

2. They had to sell music without artificial restrictions being imposed upon you.

3. They are increasingly under pressure to keep prices down.

4. They have to, grudgingly, start to accept various music streaming services and "unlimited" music offerings by charging the companies providing those services a reasonable fee so that they can stay in business.


For comparison, take a look at the film industry. For starters, they're still fighting tooth and nail anyone who wants to help you copy your DVDs to a digital format, there are lot less services around selling or renting films to you, prices are stupidly high and uncompetitive and devices to store films on are not nearly as big business as they could be.

It's been 10 years since Napster proved how willing people were to download digital media of all kinds if it was done right, and we're still waiting for good services at good prices. It's only in the last year or so that some decent services are starting to arrive for certain types of digital media, but I don't think the price is quite right just yet.