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Face it, they're just trying to slow down the DVD pirates

Made up facts sure are convenient, but that doesn't make them true. More likely, what Netflix is doing is trying to reduce their shipping charges by taking steps to limit their advertised "unlimited" movie rentals per month. Both are speculation. Which one is more likely?

It does look damn suspicious for a guy to turn around 3-5 movies a day

I suggest you look at the data at the Netflix Queue Tracker. People are apparently getting throttled for getting as few as 6 movies per month. That's a little less than the 90-150 movies per month you're quoting as being suspicious.

the DVD pirates are turning around 10-15 discs a week (or more).

Where in the world are you getting these numbers? I challenge anyone to turn around 10 to 15 discs a week (or more) with Netflix. Maybe if you're on the 8 at a time plan, this might be possible. With the three at a time plan, you're lucky to turn over 6 discs a week. That's assuming you're not being throttled at all. Is it unreasonable to speculate that someone that doesn't have cable and doesn't watch broadcast TV might watch one movie per night? (and even take off a night every week!) No, they must be a pirate.

Wrong, there have been PLENTY of good movies made from video games:

* Super Mario Brothers
* Wing Commander
* Mortal Kombat
* Street Fighter
* Double Dragon

I think we're confused over the meaning of the word "good." I mean, I had a lot of fun watching Alone In The Dark... but I don't expect it to make the AFI Top 100, nor would I recommend it to anyone I know or care about. After seeing the trailer, I'm not holding my breath for Doom, either. What's upsetting is that videogames are such a rich source of story, and the film industry repackages them as if they're only suitable for illiterate morons.

Here's a list of films based on video games. My only question: when will we get a Monkey Island movie?

What do you mean it doesn't exist? It appears twice (yes, twice!) in this movie review.

well, he asks (and usually does get permission).

IIRC, a particular exception was Coolio.

Amish Paradise - parody of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" (Note: Al always gets permission from the artist before he puts the parody on an album. However, after "Amish Paradise" became a hit, Coolio claimed that he said no when Al asked him. Al sent him a letter of apology; no response.)

according to listology

• Ethernet run through the walls for the network
• Entertainment computer in living room for:
  • Playing DVD's
  • Playing CD's
  • Playing MP3's (see below)
  • Streaming Video
  • Listen to KFOG over the net
  • Look up movies/actors/etc in the IMDB
  • Check out movies and music at The Listology
  • Rent videos from Kozmo
• WebCams in my Dad's bedroom so I can keep an eye on him while working (and kids, eventually)
• Kitchen Computer for:
  • Looking up recipes at SOAR
  • Ordering groceries from WebVan
  • Listening to music while I cook (see above)
  • Maybe hooking up my BarCode reader for easier ordering
  • Be ready for the controllable microwave oven, coffee pot, etc.
• Bedroom computer (possibly an iMac?) to:
  • Do all the stuff that the living room machine does
  • Read Slashdot in bed
  • "etc" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more...)
• My work computers and my wife's
• The internet gateway machine (I wish I could afford a FreeGate box!)
• The File Server with big hard drive to share files and hold 400 CD's worth of MP3's (for instant access anywhere in the house)
• Wireless link to my Land Rover to upload stories, pics, etc. from the road

Okay, so it's not that high-tech, but some of the technologies that make it possible for someone with no time to figure out include:

• IP Forwarding
• Samba
• NetATalk (eventually)
• The overall elegance of ethernet
• A lot of very helpful friends

All I need now are simple instructions for setting up a webcam under Linux (and a source of cheap webcams), to get NetATalk up and running (My wife's a school teacher, and has mac's at home to match the ones at school) and to find something that will let a Linux box see a directory on another system as if it were one of its one (like mapping a network drive with Windows/Samba.)

This is fun stuff!

Now, the DVD CCA says I can't do that.

They are trying to outlaw a valid use of items I bought and paid for. Items I want to use within the terms of their licenses. It's like if Oral-B got the courts to rule that I couldn't use their toothbrushes to clean car parts.

They are trying to make the money I spent a waste. So, do I have any rights -- can I not seek some kind of reparations?

Perhaps for the hearing on the 14th the 'our' lawyers should be provided with a linux laptop that plays DVD's thanks to DeCSS code to show the judge.

I really hope to be there on the 14th, and I have a relatively new laptop with a PII-400, 160MB RAM 14.1" Screen, DVD Drive, 8MB Video Ram, and a blank 10GB hard drive waiting to load linux on it.

If someone wants to give me a hand setting it up (I've been short of time lately) and getting DeCSS running, I'd be happy to bring it along to show on the 14th. (Along with the stack of (legally purchased) DVD's I got this solstice.)