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

[Ravi Nanavati <ravi_n(at)alum.mit.edu>]

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."

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?

  - Ravi Nanavati