Adobe ePub DRM cracked?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

On the other hand, you can't drink under 21 in the U.S. but a U.S. citizen falls under the drinking laws of whatever country he's in. I was drinking legally plenty while traveling abroad before I was 21.

Sure, there are lots of examples of the law being different in different countries; I don't think anyone's disputing that . I was using "sex tourism" as an example of the opposite case - the situation where you can do something which is perfectly legal in the country that you're doing it in, and yet that legal activity can be regarded as a crime when you travel to a different country.

[TadW]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sure, there are lots of examples of the law being different in different countries; I don't think anyone's disputing that .

No, but what he was saying is that he got not arrested in the US for having drunk alcohol abroad.

[HarryT]

Sorry, Tad, you caught my previous post in "mid-edit". If you read it again you'll see what I was attempting to say.

[TadW]

Which leaves us exactly where? That there are some offenses (like sex with minors) in some countries that are being prosecuted even if committed abroad, while there are other offenses (like drinking under 21) that are perfectly OK if legal in the respective country? On which side do you place stripping DRM for personal use?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by TadW

Which leaves us exactly where? That there are some offenses (like sex with minors) in some countries that are being prosecuted even if committed abroad, while there are other offenses (like drinking under 21) that are perfectly OK if legal in the respective country? On which side do you place stripping DRM for personal use?

I take no stance on the issue. Just pointing out that one can find examples of laws which work both ways. As I've said, personally I think it's very silly that removing DRM from something that you've perfectly legally bought should be considered a "crime", but we are faced with the situation in which it is one in some countries whether we like it or not.

[TadW]

Originally Posted by HarryT

As I've said, personally I think it's very silly that removing DRM from something that you've perfectly legally bought should be considered a "crime", but we are faced with the situation in which it is one in some countries whether we like it or not.

I regularly speed and go 5 to 10 over the speed limit on motorways. This is a crime in many countries, but I am ready to face the consequences if getting caught. As I am if someone catches me stripping DRM for my personal use from a book that I legally bought.

[HarryT]

Totally agree with you, Tad!

[SpiderMatt]

Well, I know England has been cracking down on human trafficking lately and I'm thinking that might be what we're talking about. You might know something I don't considering you live there and all, though. Contrary to popular belief, prostitution is not legal in Thailand. The police just aren't encouraged to enforce that particular law--unless it's in their favor to do so, I imagine. Also, the age of consent in Thailand is 15. Is there a case where someone had consensual sex with someone between the ages 15 and 18 in Thailand and was arrested for it in England? Otherwise the person would have been breaking Thai law and your point would be moot.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

Contrary to popular belief, prostitution is not legal in Thailand.

How odd! It's legal in most countries (including the UK).

Is there a case where someone had consensual sex with someone between the ages 15 and 18 in Thailand and was arrested for it in England? Otherwise the person would have been breaking Thai law and your point would be moot.

That was my understanding of what's been happening, but I'm going from newspaper reports which, as we all know, are not always the most reliable thing in the world.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How odd! It's legal in most countries (including the UK).
...

It's a bit more complicated than that; for example, solicitation, and owning and running brothels is illegal in England and Wales. Outight banning of all activities related to prostitution seems rare, but so is complete legality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution#Legality

[TadW]

Originally Posted by HarryT

How odd! It's legal in most countries...

In all but two U.S. states (Nevada and Rhode Island), prostitution is illegal (remember Spitzer?). In the Philippines, just as well as in Thailand (as mentioned above), prostitution is illegal.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ea

It's a bit more complicated than that; for example, solicitation, and owning and running brothels is illegal in England and Wales. Outight banning of all activities related to prostitution seems rare, but so is complete legality.

Yes, that's right. Working as a prostitute in England or Wales as long as you're over the age of 18 is perfectly legal. "Soliciting" is illegal. Running brothels is technically illegal, but in many places (including the area where I live) actually openly supported by the local police, since they would far rather that the ladies work in a safe environment than be hanging around on street corners, plus they get regular medical checkups there too.

[doctorow]

This discussion is very amusing. Some argue that it is illegal to circumvent DRM just as it is illegal to speed or it is illegal to have sex with a child. It's illegal because it says so in the law.

Fine. We all know what happens when you get caught speeding. We also know what happens when you get caught having sex with a child. Can anyone please tell me what happens when you get caught stripping DRM from an e-book for your own use? All these people who cry foul at the mere idea of breaking the law, please help me shed some light on what will happen to me if I get caught stripping DRM.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Can anyone please tell me what happens when you get caught stripping DRM from an e-book for your own use?

In the UK, absolutely nothing, because it's only a civil offence, and you'd need to be personally sued by the copyright holder - it's not something which would interest the police, unless you were duplicating copyrighted material for commercial gain.

In the US, however, they have this rather strange "Digital Millennium Copyright Act" law, which (probably) makes such things a criminal offence. I say "probably" because the law is such a mess that, as far as I know, nobody's ever been prosecuted for it, so although people offer more or less "learned opinions" on the matter, nobody actually knows until a court gives an opinion and hence sets a precident.

Clear?

Yes, you're right, it is all rather amusing, isn't it?

[SpiderMatt]

Originally Posted by doctorow

This discussion is very amusing. Some argue that it is illegal to circumvent DRM just as it is illegal to speed or it is illegal to have sex with a child. It's illegal because it says so in the law.

Fine. We all know what happens when you get caught speeding. We also know what happens when you get caught having sex with a child. Can anyone please tell me what happens when you get caught stripping DRM from an e-book for your own use? All these people who cry foul at the mere idea of breaking the law, please help me shed some light on what will happen to me if I get caught stripping DRM.

Nothing. They're not looking for you, the end user. They're looking for the people supplying the means and the people sharing the copyrighted content illegally. If you're using these tools for your own personal use and the e-books stripped of DRM are never copied beyond your possession, you have nothing to worry about for now. Government has a good reputation for extending its power, though, and bad laws like this allow it too. Keep cracking DRM and keep flighting to get poor laws like these out of the books. That's just my 2 cents.