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DVD CCA Drops Case; DeCSS Not a Trade Secret

Posted by jamie on from the put-a-t-shirt-on dept.

jon787 writes "EFF is reporting that the DVD CCA is dismissing its case against Andrew Bunner. He was being prosecuted under California's trade secret laws for redistributing DeCSS. This means that the DVD CCA has finally conceded that CSS is no longer a secret, something the rest of us have known for a few years now."

5 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. distro's by byrd77 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    so does this mean the varios linux distro's will be able to include a dvd player by default? could be a boon to wider acceptance on the desktop, especially at home

    --
    - Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.
  2. So if something is released to the public... by cartzworth · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...whether or not it is by the company that created it, it ceases to be a trade secret in the case of proprietary encryption schemes?

  3. Does this mean? by Facekhan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Does this mean that Xine and Mplayer can now be distributed with libdvdcss included.

  4. Will it be easier to get region-free players? by MichaelCrawford · · Score: 5, Interesting
    One would think that all the DVD player manufacturers will now start making region-free players, but that might not be the case because they have contracts with the DVD-CCA that forbids them from doing so.

    I've so far avoided getting a dedicated DVD player just because they have region coding, preferring to use a software-based open source dvd player.

    But it's sure not as convenient or as pleasant to watch DVDs on my laptop as it would be on my TV with a dedicated player. For one thing, my laptop doesn't have a remote control.

    --
    Request your free CD of my piano music.
  5. DMCA? by Rick+Zeman · · Score: 5, Interesting
    IANAL, but could it be that the reason they backed away from this case is that they don't want the DMCA itself to undergo the judicial scrutiny that it would?

    It sure needs to, like, oh, shrinkwrap laws.