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RealNetworks To Introduce a Simple DVD Copier

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the why-must-there-always-be-drm dept.

langelgjm writes "The New York Times reports that RealNetworks will begin selling RealDVD today, a software program designed to make copying DVDs a trivial task for the average user. Unlike free alternatives, which generally require some technical knowledge and make it difficult to copy an entire DVD with extras, etc., RealDVD claims to be able to copy the entire DVD, menus and all. While sure to raise the ire of Hollywood, the program does have significant limitations: the DVDs it makes will only be playable on the computer where they were created; or, users can pay $20 per computer to play the DVDs on up to five additional computers."

1 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. FOSS-tastic failure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Unlike free alternatives, which generally require some technical knowledge and make it difficult to copy an entire DVD with extras, etc., RealDVD claims to be able to copy the entire DVD, menus and all.

    Historically, this has ALWAYS been FOSS's biggest problem... and biggest failure. Rather than making free software which is easy to use, they have always been happy to just cludge something together in a barely functional way, call it open source, and declare "Mission Accomplished". And then later on come to Slashdot and blame Microsoft as the reason nobody is using their half-baked software, of course.

    The reality is, and probably always will be, that FOSS is if you are technically inclined enough to deal with it's rough edges, and want something for nothing. If you want a polished, easy to use application, you need to go with commercial software.