> Well, there's an idea: use different physical media formats for > entertainment and non-entertainment content (meaning, content created by > MPAA members vs. not) and don't sell writable media nor devices capable > of writing it for the former, not to the public, keeping very tight > controls on the specs and supplies.
This approach was rejected by the computer industry, in particular with respect to DVDs. Computer companies like Intel, HP, Dell, and Sony wanted to be able to compete to be a "consumer electronics" platform, playing music, video, photos, etc. Indeed, many of the advances in consumer electronics have come from computerization, such as digital music (DATs and CDs), MP3 players, digital video, fax machines, digital cameras and digital photo storage, color photo printers, ... I do recall that it took most of a decade for computer "CD-ROM" drives to be able to digitally read audio CDs, and then later to record them. Silicon Graphics gets major kudos for breaking that artificial barrier. > Then finding, say, a Disney movie > on an HD-DVD of the data format would instantly imply that it's pirated. False. It's like saying "Then finding a record album on a cassette tape would instantly imply that it's pirated." No, it would instantly imply that it's been copied onto a medium of the consumer's choice. Consumers are (and should be) free to record copyrighted works onto media of their own choice, for their own convenience, without needing the permission or concurrance of the copyright owner. Congratulations, Nico, you fell into Hollywood's favorite word: "pirated". It takes discipline to stop thinking in the grooves that they have worn in your brain. John --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]