[dvd-discuss] DVD Descrambling Code Not a Trade Secret

["James S. Tyre" <jstyre(at)jstyre.com>]

http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/DVDCCA_case/20040122_eff_pr.php
Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Advisory
DVD Descrambling Code Not a Trade Secret
DVD CCA Surrenders in Bunner DVD Descrambling Case
For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 22, 2004

San Jose, California - In a surprising retreat today, the consortium of 
entertainment and technology companies known as DVD CCA is seeking 
dismissal of a lawsuit against Andrew Bunner, a republisher of a computer 
program created to allow movie lovers to play their DVDs on computers 
running the Linux operating system.

DVD CCA effectively gave up a multi-year effort to have the republication 
of the program, called DeCSS, declared a violation of trade secret laws.

"DeCSS has been available on hundreds if not thousands of websites for 4 
years now," said EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn. "We're pleased that the DVD 
CCA has finally stopped attempting to deny the obvious: DeCSS is not a secret."

The California Supreme Court last year ruled that one could apply 
preliminary restraint on publication of a computer program only in very 
narrow circumstances. DVD CCA sued Bunner along with hundreds of people, 
including some T-shirt manufacturers.

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James S. Tyre                               mailto:jstyre@jstyre.com
Law Offices of James S. Tyre          310-839-4114/310-839-4602(fax)
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Co-founder, The Censorware Project             http://censorware.net