Re: [dvd-discuss] What does Philips know that we don't

["D. C. Sessions" <dvd(at)lumbercartel.com>]

On Saturday 19 January 2002 23:50, Ravi Nanavati wrote:
# I was just reading another recent Register article about Philips' opposition
# to copy-protected CDs when a section jumped out at me:
# 
# "Meanwhile, the second barrel of the Philips shotgun is CD burning. In a Reuters
# interview Gerry Wirtz, general manager of Philips' copyright office, said that
# the company would be building CD burners that can read and burn copy protected CDs.
# He argues that the protection system is not a protection system as such, but simply
# a mechanism for stopping the playback of music. This interesting claim allows him to
# contend that the protection systems are not covered by the Digital Millenium
# Copyright Act, and lays the ground for the mother of all sue-fests with the number
# of large and rich companies who are most certainly not going to agree with him."

There are time when I get downright proud of the Company.

# After reading that I'm moved to ask what he thinks CSS is other than "a mechanism
# for stopping the playback of" DVDs. AFAICT, their legal situation is no different
# from 2600's except:
# 
# 1) They're doing their "circumvention" for a profit so criminal penalties will be involved.
# 2) They don't have the suspicion of being "evil, bad hackers" to deal with.

# Is their something their lawyers know that ours don't?

Yeah, they know that Philips has a very large and aggressive legal department.
Philips' "copyright office" is part of Corporate Intellectual Property (the same
people who manage my patents) and don't mind going to the mat on issues
that affect the long-range health of the Company.  They know that as the
originator of CD-reading and -writing technologies they can practically define
the terms (e.g. Red Book) of discussion.

They also know that Philips got rid of its publishing subsidiaries five years ago,
and now has a large stake in TiVO and other digital entertainment technologies
that the content cartel Does Not Like.  I'm not normally one to ascribe subtlety
to the Management, but they *do* have their moments.

-- 
| I'm old enough that I don't have to pretend to be grown up.|
+----------- D. C. Sessions <dcs@lumbercartel.com> ----------+