Quote:
Originally Posted by BillSmithBooks
Oh, that's interesting.
Quick question: The courts have already ruled that making a backup copy is legal, correct? (And the ruling that allows VCR's to exist -- the Sony, ruling, right? -- would also make this legal, since in order to view something later you have to make a copy...presumably okay as long as it is for personal use only.)
So am I correct in assuming that the main issue then, is that while it is legal to make a backup copy (for personal use only), the potentially illegal part is making any tools that enable breaking DRM or telling other people how to break DRM?
And so it really does just become an arms race between DRM-makers and DRM-breakers? (And, of course, being restricted from using sites by manufacturers once they've found you've broken the DRM, just as Apple kicks out jailbroken phones, right?)
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Freedom to make a backup copy, however, doesn't necessarily imply freedom to remove DRM in order to be able to do so. The Courts ruled that Real Networks were violating the DMCA in selling their "RealDVD" tool which allowed people to make backup copies of their DVDs, for example.