RE: [dvd-discuss] Is a felt-tip pen a circumvention device?

[microlenz(at)earthlink.net]

OK instead of using the marker as a broad brush to cover over the section of 
the CD, use "1" and "0" that will make it digital. Get some nice old lady to 
post the instructions to the internet and we might have a good case ;-)

On 20 May 2002 at 14:13, Richard Hartman wrote:

From:           	Richard Hartman <hartman@onetouch.com>
To:             	"'dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu'" <dvd-
discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu>
Subject:        	RE: [dvd-discuss] Is a felt-tip pen a circumvention device?
Date sent:      	Mon, 20 May 2002 14:13:15 -0700
Send reply to:  	dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu

> does the bypass mechanism have to be digital, or only
> the protection mechanism?  if the latter, we've got a
> dilly of a case to push through the courts ... who can
> file a DMCA violation?  do you have to be one of the
> aggrieved parties, or can you just tip off the feds
> that the magic marker company is manufacturing DMCA
> bypass devices ?
> 
> -- 
> -Richard M. Hartman
> hartman@onetouch.com
> 
> 186,000 mi./sec ... not just a good idea, it's the LAW!
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael A Rolenz [mailto:Michael.A.Rolenz@aero.org]
> > Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 1:30 PM
> > To: dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
> > Subject: Re: [dvd-discuss] Is a felt-tip pen a circumvention device?
> > 
> > 
> > hehe....add sharpie markers to the list of banned 
> > objects...get them while 
> > you still can.......I guess this one may hinge upon the 
> > interpretation of 
> > an "effective" access control.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "James S. Tyre" <jstyre@jstyre.com>
> > Sent by: owner-dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
> > 05/20/2002 01:19 PM
> > Please respond to dvd-discuss
> > 
> >  
> >         To:     dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
> >         cc: 
> >         Subject:        [dvd-discuss] Is a felt-tip pen a 
> > circumvention device?
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Copy-proof" CDs cracked with 99-cent marker pen
> > http://digitalmass.boston.com/news/2002/05/20/copy_proof_cds.html
> > 
> > LONDON, May 20 ? Technology buffs have cracked music 
> > publishing giant Sony
> > Music's elaborate disc copy-protection technology with a decidedly 
> > low-tech
> > method: scribbling around the rim of a disk with a felt-tip marker.
> > 
> > Internet newsgroups have been circulating news of the 
> > discovery for the 
> > past
> > week, and in typical newsgroup style, users have pilloried Sony for
> > deploying "hi-tech" copy protection that can be defeated by 
> > paying a visit
> > to a stationery store.
> > 
> > "I wonder what type of copy protection will come next?" one posting on
> > alt.music.prince read. "Maybe they'll ban markers."
> > 
> > Sony did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
> > 
> > Major music labels, including Sony and Universal Music, have 
> > begun selling
> > the "copy-proof" discs as a means of tackling the rampant 
> > spread of music
> > piracy, which they claim is eating into sales.
> > 
> > The new technology aims to prevent consumers from copying, or 
> > "burning,"
> > music onto recordable CDs or onto their computer hard drives, 
> > which can 
> > then
> > be shared with other users over file-sharing Internet 
> > services such as 
> > Kazaa
> > or Morpheus MusicCity.
> > 
> > SONY AGGRESSIVE ANTI-PIRACY PUSH
> > 
> > On Monday, Reuters obtained an ordinary copy of Celine Dion's newest 
> > release
> > "A New Day Has Come," which comes embedded with Sony's "Key2Audio"
> > technology.
> > 
> > After an initial attempt to play the disc on a PC resulted in 
> > failure, the
> > edge of the shiny side of the disc was blackened out with a felt tip 
> > marker.
> > The second attempt with the marked-up CD played and copied to 
> > the hard 
> > drive
> > without a hitch.
> > 
> > Internet postings claim that tape or even a sticky note can 
> > also be used 
> > to
> > cover the security track, typically located on the outer rim 
> > of the disc.
> > And there are suggestions that copy protection schemes used 
> > by other music
> > labels can also be circumvented in a similar way.
> > 
> > Sony's proprietary technology, deployed on many recent 
> > releases, works by
> > adding a track to the copy-protected disc that contains bogus data.
> > 
> > Because computer hard drives are programmed to read data 
> > files first, the
> > computer will continuously try to play the bogus track first. 
> > It never 
> > gets
> > to play the music tracks located elsewhere on the compact disc.
> > 
> > The effect is that the copy-protected disc will play on standard CD 
> > players
> > but not on computer CD-Rom drives, some portable devices and 
> > even some car
> > stereo systems.
> > 
> > Some Apple Macintosh users have reported that playing the disc in the
> > computer's CD drive causes the computer to crash. The cover of the
> > copy-protected discs contain a warning that the album will not play on
> > Macintoshes or other personal computers.
> > 
> > Sony Music Europe has taken the most aggressive anti-piracy 
> > stance in the
> > business. Since last fall, the label has shipped more than 11 million
> > copy-protected discs in Europe, with the largest proportion going to
> > Germany, a market label executives claim is rife with illegal 
> > CD-burning.
> > 
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> > James S. Tyre                               mailto:jstyre@jstyre.com
> > Law Offices of James S. Tyre          310-839-4114/310-839-4602(fax)
> > 10736 Jefferson Blvd., #512               Culver City, CA 90230-4969
> > Co-founder, The Censorware Project             http://censorware.net
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >