Re: [dvd-discuss] ElcomSoft verdict: Not guilty

[Ken Arromdee <arromdee(at)rahul.net>]

You know, I'm thinking that the best chance is probably Edelman vs. N2H2.  It
has several advantages:
-- clear public benefit to allowing DMCA violation in this case--much easier
to explain to laypeople than Linux DVD playing
-- pretty much impossible to spin as "hackers"
-- pretty much impossible to spin even as conventional copyright violation;
the DVD cases make it easy for a judge to say "they're obviously really trying
to pirate movies" if he doesn't understand the technical issues
-- has the Library of Congress exemption, which from a public relations
standpoint makes Edelman look more legitimate
-- N2H2 doesn't have lots of lobbyists to bribe judges
-- N2H2 has enough to gain/lose from this particular case that it's not in
their best interest to just say "we retract the threat, but we reserve the
right to threaten other people in the future", unlike Adobe dropping the
Elcomsoft case or the RIAA dropping the threat against Felten.  (I also get the
impression that N2H2 is less "professional" and would probably not drop a
threat just for tactical reasons.)