Re: more protocols: shuffle/repeat, check in/out

On Sun, 12 Jan 2003 19:34:30 +0100 Marcus Brinkmann
<[email protected]> wrote:

> On Sun, Jan 12, 2003 at 05:18:42PM +0100, B&L wrote:
> > With regards to the legality, we are not trying to circumvent
> > coyyright protection on a music piece. We are mearly trying to use
> > the device we have legally bougt. I dont know if that will hold in
> > court ??? :-)
> 
> I am still pondering that.  I have taken the same position earlier,
> but now I am not so sure anymore, in particular as there are good
> chances that if we had a way to do file uploads like simple burner, we
> might be able to upload omg files without the checkout restrictions
> (we don't know for sure, it's only a guess).  And that would be a
> circumvention on the whole EMD(electronic music distrtibution) system
> Sony built up.
> 
> Note that I am believing very strongly that we wouldn't do anything
> wrong morally.  But some recent laws have made things illegal that
> should be allowed and protected under Human Rights bills, and the
> legal status of work that would allow file uploads could probably be
> seen as a violation of the DMCA in the US (in fact, at least the
> attempt to see it that way is something I would expect immediately,
> because the DMCA was just written to allow such harrassment).  The
> legal situation is (yet) a bit better in Europe.  Without a better
> understanding of MagicGate, and help by a couple of smart lawyers, we
> will not know though.

Not necessarily. If you look at xbox-linux.sourceforge.net they have legal justification for there project because it is to expand the usability of a device for the end-user. This apparently even applies to reverse engeneering. Their site says:
"Everything done on this project is for the sole purpose of writing interoperable software under Sect. 1201 (f) Reverse Engineering exception of the DMCA."
I don't know if that might also apply here.
-- 
Aaron Meyer	| "The search for truth is more
RLU# 283393	|	precious than its possession"
RLC# 165786	|	  --Albert Einstein
Visit my website at http://aaron.hopto.org