Slashdot Mirror
Oxford Yanks Student Page Over Spoof DeCSS
eval writes "A student at Oxford
had his page pulled
by the computer services group there because he had a
spoof DeCSS
on his page, and linked to
opendvd.org."
Once again, the organizations like the
MPAA
(though Oxford administration did not officially confirm this) get their way simply by sending an official-looking letter. Where are we when universities - the last stronghold of intellectual freedom - excuse their censor-first, ask-questions-later behavior by saying: "We were here to further the aims of the University in Education and Research, not to fight other people's copyright actions"? (more)
The day following the Web page's removal, the school administrator was surprised to learn that the DeCSS his staff yanked had nothing to do with DVDs...
From: Alan Gay <alan@ermine.ox.ac.uk>
Newsgroups: ox.talk
Subject: Re: Deep linking
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 13:14:54 +0100
Organization: Oxford University, EnglandSo, you are saying that all this fuss is because you wanted to wave a red rag at the bull by *pretending* you were offering decss software. The result of this is that the University has spent, and is still spending, a vast amount of administrative effort and lawyers' fees over something that has nothing to do with it, and is just a game to you.
I'll leave others to discuss the sense of that.
Oh well... here it is.
Add your own, and spread this far and wide:
ftp://ftp.u.washington.edu/public/arobs /css /smith/dvd n crypt.html /dvd /index.htm .com/wa2/phederalphelony/breakingnews.html /dvd.htm s _are_scu m-sucking_pigs [...] /CollegePark/3807/2600Tribute.html /Curb/1232/DeCSS .com/SiliconValley/Ridge/3727/2600/dvd.htm ://www.oksanen.net/ville/this_is/under/Finnish/jur isdiction/otherstuff.htm /wrobell/css
ftp://sun.rl.odessa.ua/pub/decss
http://130.111.75.63:142
http://216.35.100.9/ma/kdawson/deecessess
http://24.114.168.235/public/css.htm
http://24.15.107.67/DeCSS
http://24.6.244.114/DeCSS
http://2600.dk/mirrors/css
http://334.se2600.org
http://DVDoutrage.Tripod.com
http://MSD.dyndns.org
http://alcor.concordia.ca/~sd_fort
http://amergeisaphreak.netfirms.com
http://andrewstern.freeservers.com/decss
http://artun.ee/~rommi/css
http://benyossef.com/freedom
http://bigpoppa.adsl.alpha1.net/decss
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/clcktwr
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/klflatt
http://budice.ancients.net/decss
http://budsmoker.com/sites/decss
http://bur-jud-118-039.rh.uchicago.edu/d vd
http://cant-stop-us-all.freehosting.net
http://chaz.fsgs.com/misc/DvD
http://chemlab.org/~dvd
http://cherryville.org/dvd
http://come.to/intelex
http://cs.unca.edu/~dillzc/decss
http://css.choppy.com/data
http://cssalgorithm.8m.com
http://cybertrippin.net
http://cymorg.bizland.com/index2.html
http://dB.org/dvd
http://dandruff.cs.unm.edu/~bap/DeCSS
http://darklord.darkthrone.com/users
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~homeyd/DVD
http://dcwi.com/~wench/decss
http://debian.mps.krakow.pl/mirror/css http://decss.8m.com
http://decss.cx
http://decss.cyvoid.net
http://decss.fall0ut.com
http://decss.freeservers.com
http://decss.freeshell.org
http://decss.fzylogic.net
http://decss.htmlplanet.com
http://decss.netfirms.com
http://decss.z-man.org
http://decss_files.tripod.com
http://decssmirror.homestead.com
http://deelbeson.detour.net
http://dephile.hypermart.net
http://dephile.hypermart.net/dvdinfo.html
http://developer.dnepr.net/dvdcss
http://dialug.org/html/decss.html
http://dirtass.beyatch.net
http://dlsf.org
http://dogh ousepages.lycos.com/collecting/midnightrider/DVDE
http://donotsueme.freeservers.com
http://donotsueme.homepage.com
http://dosdemon.yi.org/decss
http://dsl129.drizzle.com:2001/downloa ds/DVD
http://dvd.coolpeople.dhs.org
http://dvd.k4dwi.net/dvd
http://dvd.loathe.com
http://dvdcopy.cjb.net
http://dvdcrack.homepage.com
http://dvdcss.newmail.ru
http://earendel.gt.ed.net/dvd
http://ebmedia.net/dvd
http://elknews.netpedia.net/dvd
http://fairuse.freeservers.com
http://freedecss.50megs.com
http://freemymind.homepage.com
http://freeshell.org/~simm
http://friko6.onet.pl/war/mkochano
http://ftp.yodanet.schwaebischhall. de/pub/DeCSS
http://ftso.org/decss
http://geocities.com/donquix0te
http://geocities.com/dontquit222
http://go.to/decss
http://go.to/nairos_dvd
http://hammer.prohosting.com/~deepbleu http://heavymusic.8m.com
http://heky.org/dc
http://home.att.net/ ~phreakonaleash/ccs_mirror--screw_the_feds
http://home.clara.net/bangor/DeCSS
http://home.cyberarmy.com/drj/DeCSS
http://home.cyberarmy.com/enac/dvden crypt.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~kaos_inc
http://home.earthlink.net/~rocketrob
http://home.earthlink.net/~snagnbytz
http://home.monet.no/~christel/dvd.html
http://home.onestop.net/lakitu/mirror
http://home.pacbell.net/pfconces
http://home.postnet.com/~wsl3/DeCSS
http://home.primus.com.au/ratzmilk
http://home.rmci.net/bert/dvd
http://home.rmci.net/bert/fuckthelawyers
http://home.sol.no/~craphead/DVD
http://home.worldonline.dk/~loadfree/CSS
http://homepage.dtn.ntl.com/paul.chan
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~cbunton
http://imezok.tripod.com/Untitled.txt
http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/dvd
http://inferno.tusculum.edu/~neil/decss
http://internettrash.com/users/linuxdvd
http://intfreedom.homepage.com
http://io.spaceports.com/~decss
http://isupport2600.8m.com
http://jackvalenti-ismyhoe.tripod.com
http://jadin.virtualave.net
http://jump.to/decss
http://jupiter.spaceports.com/~decss
http://kb5kjn.karco.org/~alpine/DVD
http://kesagatame.tripod.com
http://kevins.ne.mediaone.net/~kevins/dvd
http://killer.radom.net/~shoggoth/dvd.ht ml
http://linux.uci.agh.edu.pl/~outlaw/ decss.html
http://loogham.2y.net/decss
http://magic.hurrah.com/~fireball/dvd
http://mail.sirak.org
http://matt.frogspace.net/css
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jwhite80 55/DeCSS
http://members.home.net/dgweb
http://members.hometown. aol.com/_ht_a/MysticJTY/myhomepage
http://members.theglobe.com/Greed yMan/greedy.html
http://members.tripod.co.uk/SneakyBat
http://members.tripod.com/donotsueme
http://members.tripod.com/donquix0te
http://members.tripod.com/ny2600
http://members.tripod.com/r-sobin/dvd
http://members.tripod.com/~Denney/DeCSS
http://members.tripod.com/~baloney97/dvd
http://members.tripod.com/~lucvdb/decs s.html
http://members.tripod.com/~sk8or311
http://members.xoom.com/CaitSith16/DeC SS.htm
http://members.xoom.com/LinuxDVD
http://members.xoom.com/NiKeX
http://members.xoom.com/amateursoft
http://members.xoom.com/arjicle
http://members.xoom.com/chapter3/Mamma No.htm
http://members.xoom.com/freedvdinfo
http://members.xoom.com/get_decss
http://members.xoom.com/iamkeenan/master
http://members.xoom.com/iox
http://members.xoom.com/maud123/Home/C SS.htm
http://members.xoom.com/mogreen/decss
http://members.xoom.com/nyc2600
http://members.xoom.com/phireproof
http://members.xoom.com/s_o_sam/help.html
http://members1.chello.nl/~o.seibert/DeC SS
http://merlinjim.freeservers.com/dvd
http://mikedotd.penguinpowered.com/deccs
http://mikedotd.penguinpowered.com/decss
http://mikepark.org
http://mpaasucks.homepage.com
http://natara.freeservers.com/decss/ decss.html
http://ndez.bizland.com/css-auth
http://neil.gotlinux.org
http://netmanor.iboost.com/zachgoss/s imm.html
http://nomoredvd.tripod.com
http://ny2600.iwarp.com
http://nycsoftware.com/MirrorList.asp
http://osiris.978.org/~brianr/css
http://pages.hotbot.com/arts/weknow
http://pages.hotbot.com/edu/silex/mir ror.html
http://pcmania.bg/9-99/mortyr/_vti_ cnf/_vti_pvt
http://people.mn.mediaone.net/bojay/sl ashdot
http://people.mn.mediaone.net/si mulacrum/decss.htm
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/cy berwave/DeCSS.html
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/dantepsn http://personalweb.smcvt.edu/wtaylo r/decss.html
http://planeta.clix.pt/DJ_AmAzInG/DVD
http://primate.net/DVD
http://pyrrhic.8m.com/DeCSS
http://quintessenz.at/q
http://rha.housing.niu.edu/~davebb/css- auth
http://rlk.ch.utoledo.edu/DVD
http://sadennes.is.dreaming.org/hanadu http://saturate.org/decss.asp
http://saturn.spaceports.com/~brainz/DVD
http://screw_MPAA.tripod.com
http://sektor1.dhs.org/decss.html
http://sites.onlinemac.com/beback
http://sites.uol.com.br/decss
http://smokering.org
http://st-bart.net
http://strange.8k.com
http://stunman.iwarp.com
http://stuweb.ee.mtu.edu/~krcalh oo/DeCSS/DeCSS.htm
http://sweet.as/decss
http://tatooine.fortunecity.com/moorco ck/337
http://telnet.stealth.kirenet.com/~star
http://the.wiretapped.net/wt/dvd
http://theannux.homestead.com/decss.html
http://thesanitarium.n3.net
http://ts1.online.fr/dvd
http://underground.pl/dvd
http://users.1st.net/roundhere/decss
http://users.1st.net/roundhere/decss
http://users.bigpond.net.au/nf/dvd
http://users.pandora.be/glenn.plas/dvd http://vandenborre.org
http://vedaa.tripod.com/decss.html
http://w1.1634.telia.com/~u163400190
http://wakeupthe.net/dvd
http://warpedreality.members.easyspace.c om
http://website.lineone.net/~kellypink/D eCSS
http://werewolf12.cjb.net
http://wildsurge.a2000.nu/decss
http://wiw.org/~drz/css
http://wusn-members.xoom.com/ambisagrus
http://www.19f.org/dvd.html
http://www.2600.org.au/dvd.html
http://www.UnderTheStairs.com
http://www.adulation.net/css
http://www.agybby.com/dvd
http://www.algonet.se/~skeleton/other.ht ml
http://www.alltel.net/~ledwards/css.htm
http://www.amerisuk.com/~carbon/css.html
http://www.angelfire.com/biz5/revblack http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/drug me
http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/acidlocke http://www.angelfire.com/hiphop/rawkus http://www.angelfire.com/in/sight
http://www.angelfire.com/mb/DVDoutrage http://www.angelfire.com/movies/DeCss
http://www.angelfire.com/movies/dvdiss http://www.angelfire.com/movies/mpaasucks
http://www.angelfire.com/nh/panzah
http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/ny2600
http://www.angelfire.com/or2/buzzkill
http://www.angelfire.com/pe/sh3/deccs
http://www.angelfire.com/pokemon/decss http://www.angelfire.com/punk/DeCSS/DeCSS
http://www.angelfire.com/punk/freedom
http://www.angelfire.com/scifi/dblagbro
http://www.angelfire.com/sk2/braindamage
http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/winger s/decss.html
http://www.angelfire.com/vt/bigbrother http://www.angelfire
http://www.angelfire.com/wy/leggosfun
http://www.angelfire.com/yt/mpaasucks
http://www.angelfire.com/zine/DeCSS
http://www.artnotart.com/anne/decss.html
http://www.asleep.net/dvd
http://www.asylum.webprovider.com
http://www.auntfloyd.com/DeCSS
http://www.auracom.com/~rhomac/dvd
http://www.azillionmonkeys.c om/qed/recess_for_css.html
http://www.best.com/~drumz/decss
http://www.bugbbq.org/decss
http://www.capital.net/~mazzic
http://www.charm.net/~dutch
http://www.chello.nl/~f.vanwaveren
http://www.cognitronics-tech.com
http://www.conspiracynow.com/theories/d ecss
http://www.constant.demon.co.uk
http://www.copkiller.org
http://www.corecomm.net/~davebb/css-auth
http://www.corova.com/dvd
http://www.cpinternet.com/~jhanson
http://www.crosswinds.net/oakland/~ahrendt/Lawyer
http://www.crosswinds.net/~dvdcrack
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/DeCSS
http://www.cs.tu-berlin.de/~feise/DeCSS
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/dvd.htm
http://www.csl.mtu.edu/~pdl athro/filez/DeCSS/DeCSS.html
http://www.ct2600.org/2600-DVD.html
http://www.cybertrippin.net
http://www.cyperspace.org/~multicom
http://www.december.ndo.co.uk
http://www.deforest.org/CSS
http://www.deprecated.org
http://www.dgw3.com/dvd
http://www.discountwebhost.com/decss
http://www.divisionbyzero.com/decss
http://www.dodgenet.com/~nickz/decss
http://www.ductape.net/~alpha/decss
http://www.duffbrew.com/decss
http://www.execpc.com/~unicorn/dvdmirr or.htm
http://www.firstlight.net/~clarka/decss
http://www.flypop.com
http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscrap er/coax/1107
http://www.fortunecit y.com/skyscraper/motorola/1415/decss.htm
http://www.fortunecity.com/vic torian/parkwood/95/DVD
http://www.frankw.net/decss
http://www.free-dvd.org.lu
http://www.freebox.com/zcedri
http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/mpa aidiot
http://www.fsp.com
http://www.futureone.com/~damaged
http://www.geekbits.com/decss
http://www.geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/Ongakka/rebel. html
http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline
http://www.geocities.com/Res earchTriangle/Station/2819
http://www.geocities.com/Shapierian
http://www.geocities.com/Silic onValley/Hardware/6188
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconV alley/Modem/4192
http://www.geocities
http://www.geocities.com/Silic onValley/Software/3971
http://www.geocities.com/Silic onValley/Software/8762
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/5258/de css.html
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhi bit/5771/decss
http://www.geocities.com/ SunsetStrip/Underground/3587/dvd
http://www.geocities.com/Ti mesSquare/Dome/4021/dvd.html
http://www.geocities.com/cold_dvd
http://www.geocities.com/corporatemin dcontrol
http://www.geocities.com/dba3297
http://www.geocities.com/decss2
http://www.geocities.com/decss_2000
http://www.geocities.com/decss_forever http://www.geocities.com/decss_mirror
http://www.geocities.com/djph3ad/decss http://www.geocities.com/donquix0te
http://www.geocities.com/duck_ohm
http://www.geocities.com/dvdcracked
http://www.geocities.com/dvdfightback
http://www.geocities.com/dvdrevolution http://www.geocities.com/dvdsuit/dvd
http://www.geocities.com/dvdthings
http://www.geocities.com/epoxy_css
http://www.geocities.com/fairusedecss
http://www.geocities.com/fr33dvd
http://www.geocities.com/getyourdvd
http://www.geocities.com/ghaniali
http://www.geocities.com/iwantdvd
http://www.geocities.com/k4dwi/dvd
http://www.geocities.com/k4wi/dvd
http://www.geocities.com/ma dasian2000/decss_mirror.html
http://www.geocities.com/mastaflame
http://www.geocities.com/meluchwj
http://www.geocities.com/mydefiance
http://www.geocities.com/necready433
http://www.geocities.com/necready433/dvd
http://www.geocities.com/neurosis_dvd
http://www.geocities.com/opendvdecss
http://www.geocities. com/siliconvalley/computer/2303/DVD.html
http://www.geocities.com/soho/studios/67 52
http://www.geocities.com/solidex
http://www.geocities.com/verruktesten
http://www.geocities.com/warrdragon_2000
http://www.geocities.com/watice2
http://www.geocities.com/whackmol
http://www.geocities.com/xtridzz
http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~awirth1/decss
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~castongj
http://www.hackunlimited.com/dvd
http://www.hakor.com/DVD
http://www.hellnet.org.uk/decss.htm
http://www.hobbiton.org/~tpm
http://www.hote.qc.ca/dvd
http://www.hotsoupmedia.com/decss
http://www.idrive.com/decss/web
http://www.iinet.net.au/~matlhdam/DeCSS
http://www.image.dk/~mbp
http://www.imsoelite.com/dvd
http://www.infa.abo.fi/~raine/pub/ software/DeCSS
http://www.ironbrick.com/decss
http://www.ismokecrack.com
http://www.jabberwocky.eyep.net/decss.ht ml
http://www.k4dwi.net/dvd
http://www.kentroad.demon.co.uk/decss
http://www.kiss.uni-lj.si/~k4ef1890/css
http://www.kki.net.pl/~rsr66/css
http://www.koek.net/dvd
http://www.krackdown.com/decss
http://www.lemuria.org/DeCSS
http://www.lifesolo.com/bin
http://www.linuxnerd.net/decss
http://www.linuxstart.com/~kv ance/projects/decss.html
http://www.linuxstart.com/~sys_admin
http://www.lockpicking.nl/decss
http://www.mafkees.com/dvd
http://www.mayday2000.org.uk/decss.htm http://www.members.tripod.com/dkdecss
http://www.mindspring.com/~coueys
http://www.mindspring.com/~stonethrower
http://www.multimania.com/sxpert/decss http://www.mykle.com/DVD
http://www.myshed.net/dvd
http://www.nacs.net/~vodak/dvd
http://www.netby.net/Oest/Hva lfiskegade/jana/css.html
http://www.netspace.net.au/~gromit
http://www.networksplus.net/blogg
http://www.neurosis.org/dvd
http://www.nsnva.pvt.k12.va.us/~abc
http://www.ntsmedia.com/decss
http://www.nvhs.nl/decss
http://www.nwu.edu/people/ldb/decss.html
http://www.oblivion.net/~amar/css
http
http://www.olen.net/deCSS
http://www.oz.net/~tvaughan
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jer24
http://www.penismightier.com/weisha upt/dvd.html
http://www.pepper-land.net
http://www.philter.com/DVD
http://www.pippy.itgo.com
http://www.posexperts.com.pl/people
http://www.projectbullshit.com/decss.html
http://www.projectgamma.com/deccs
http://www.qix.net/~pheonix/decss.html http://www.ratol.fi/~asiipola
http://www.reapers.org
http://www.redgnatt.homestead.com
http://www.redrival.com/chimx/computer s.html
http://www.robotslave.net
http://www.rpi.edu/~jettea/dvd.html
http://www.rz.uni-frankfurt.de/~marsie http://www.scwc.net/DeCSS
http://www.sealteamsix.com/phagan
http://www.sk3tch.com/freedecss
http://www.smackfu.com/decss
http://www.spin.ch/~rca/decss
http://www.stanford.edu/~drumz/decss
http://www.stupendous.org
http://www.subcor.com
http://www.swcp.com/~ampere
http://www.tar.hu/decss
http://www.teamnismo.com/2600
http://www.underwhelm.org/decss
http://www.users.on.net/johnm/DeCSS
http://www.uwm.edu/~zachkarp
http://www.vent-soft.com/dvd
http://www.vexed.net/CSS
http://www.visi.com/~adept/liberty
http://www.vulgar.net/dvd
http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~echerry/dvd
http://www.webnx.com/tuna
http://www.webzsite.com/decss
http://www.wizardworkshop.com
http://www.wolfpaw.net/~decss
http://www.worldcity.nl/~frank/dvd
http://www.wwcn.org/~grit/free
http://www.xs4all.nl/~oracle/dvd
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rasch/dvd
http://www.zeal.net/~pyro/DeCSS
http://www.zip.com.au/~zzz/dvd
http://www.zone.ee/DeCSS
http://www3.50megs.com/dvd4free
This announcement brought to you by the DeCSS Polar Bear.
If you don't think that the parody could serve a legitimate purpose as social commentary, consider the agitation it caused in this case.
This trouble isn't "unnecessary", unless you feel that the student's right to free speech is "unnecessary". I'm sorry, but the student's web site was legitimate and any trouble you'd have with the lawyers or the college bureaucracy would have been part of your job.
I wouldn't have been so surprised or even incensed if this had been a corporate site. We expect that kind of reasoning in the Corporate World. I had hoped a university -- especially one as venerable as Oxford -- would see matters more clearly. Sadly, the business of higher education is becoming business.
The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach
Cool, somebody in Oxford put a page up saying "Oxford is better than Cambridge", and I'll send a faked letter, supposedly from the University of Cambridge, threatening to sue for defamation. Then let's see if they remove from their website all claims that they are any good at all.
perl -e 'fork||print for split//,"hahahaha"'
However, the Code does seem primarily concerned with visiting speakers rather than publication (and predates the popularity of the Web by some years). And if exercising this freedom is outside the scope of academic activity, then the expenses incurred are the responsibility of the person organising the speech, meeting etc. - not (in general) the University.
The 1986 Education Act protects (in the UK) freedom of speech and assembly within universities. However, Geoffrey Robertson QC (a distinguished UK human rights lawyer) comments that this was introduced by the government of the day because several of its own members had been prevented from speaking at universities by demonstrations (or the fear of demonstrations) against their policies.
I've sent the following letter to alan@ermine.ox.ac.uk, and CC'd a newspaper.
__________________________________________
Dear Mr. Gay,
This letter concerns OUCS's reaction to the complaints of the Motion Picture Association of America about DeCSS. As I understand it, (i) the MPAA has claimed that DeCSS is used to copy DVDs, (ii) a web site at Oxford University contained a link to a copy of DeCSS, and (iii) OUCS has forced the removal of that site.
There are three points that I hope you will be willing to consider.
First, please look at this simple example of some encrypted information: NbszIbeBMjuumfMbnc. In this case, by shifting each letter one to the left, we can easily decrypt the information: MaryHadALittleLamb. Notice, though, that "NbszIbeBMjuumfMbnc" can be copied (by hand, by computer, by whatever) just as easily as "MaryHadALittleLamb". So encryption does not provide any protection from copying. The information stored on DVDs (i.e. movies) is encrypted, but as with "NbszIbeBMjuumfMbnc", this encryption does not provide protection against copying. DeCSS does essentially one thing: it decrypts the information stored on DVDs. Hence DeCSS does not do anything that that aids in copying DVDs.
Second, you might well ask, "If the above is true, then why is the MPAA so upset?" The answer is that the MPAA does have a use for encryption: to collect extra money, in a way that is not easily visible to the consumer. Because DVDs are encrypted, each DVD player must include some decryption software. Currently, every DVD player uses decryption software that is sourced from the MPAA. The MPAA charges a fee for each copy of this software. Consumers just pay for the DVD player, but (unbeknownst to them) the player manufacturer pays a fee to the MPAA for each player sold. If DeCSS becomes widely used, then the MPAA will no longer collect those fees. The MPAA cannot copyright their own decryption algorithm, because algorithms cannot be copyrighted. So they choose to obfuscate, intimidate, and lie.
Third, this is more than just a "game", as you allege in your message to ox.talk of 2000-05-18. The purpose of DVD encryption is to get extra money from consumers. This may or may not be ethical (I would argue that it is not). But it is surely unethical for the MPAA to allege that their actions are to prevent copying. The purpose of the web site was to protest against such allegations. The actions of OUCS thus amount to disallowing a reasonable, and legal (as you can verify), protest against corporate disingenuity and to accepting the profit-motivated obfuscations, intimidations, and lies of the MPAA. Do you believe that these are reasonable actions?
Sara Chan
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liberalism n. The use of compassionate rhetoric for authoritarian ends.