What's funny is what the DVDCCA claimed in their lawsuit (CopyLeft was "Doe 74"):
"Defendants' posting of the proprietary information licensed by DVD CCA on their Web sites has caused the illegal pirating of the motion picture industry's copyrighted content contained on DVDs."
Whoops...they had no proof. Oh well, what's another frivolous lawsuit or three?
Here's my response to MPAA threats as seen on www.dimensional.com/~legion/mpaa.html (reprinted here for convenience):
[begin included text]
From legion@dimensional.com Thu Nov 30 19:50:14 2000
Subject: Re: copkiller.org
To: mpaa23@pacbell.net (mpaa23)
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 19:50:09 -0700 (MST)
To Whom it May Concern:
My initial response to your threats of legal action ("Go fuck yourself")
did not address the irony of this situation. Allow me to educate you.
I had the DeCSS
source up on copkiller.org for about a week, way back when
all of your threats were just starting. I voluntarily removed it because
the administrator of Dimensional was already receiving grief from people
upset about the nature of my page, and I felt that he shouldn't have to
take any more problems on my behalf. Since DeCSS
has not been available
on copkiller.org for quite some time (what is it now, a year?), I can only
assume that you're basing your "knowledge" off of a few lists cirulating
around the internet.
The irony, of course, is this: now that you've decided to come after me
(albeit extremely late) for DeCSS,
I plan to link to a lycos search on
decss.zip.
Note that this is a link to a search
engine, not to
a particular file, and you'll damn well have to drag me to court to get a
ruling on it. If Dimensional wants me to remove the link (and by this I
mean *Dimensional*, not MPAA or its slime-sucking lawyers), I will do so
immediately and without question, but this will not stop me from hosting
the actual DeCSS
file from a country with smarter laws, nor will it stop
me from distributing the file via other means.
Let me spell out the irony for you: I've had little actual interest in
DeCSS
since it all started, but now you've renewed that interest, and I
can fully assure you that I will not let this matter go.
-steve
[Original text appears below]
From mpaa23@pacbell.net Wed Nov 29 17:56:12 2000
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 16:46:38 -0800
From: mpaa23 <mpaa23@pacbell.net>
Subject: copkiller.org
To: Legion@copkiller.org
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC.
15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD
ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436
Steve Pordon
Squealing Pigs, LLC
123 Main Street
Yourtown, CO 80201
Legion@copkiller.org
RE: Distribution of Unauthorized Product
Site/Email Address: copkiller.org
MPAA File #: 5-671-267
Dear Steve Pordon:
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) represents the
following motion picture production and distribution companies:
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Paramount Pictures Corporation
TriStar Pictures, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
United Artists Pictures, Inc.
United Artists Corporation
Universal City Studios, Inc.
Warner Bros., a Division of
Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.
We have received information that you are unlawfully offering product at
the above-referenced web site. We have notified your ISP of the
unlawful nature of this web site and have asked for its immediate
removal. Our letter to your ISP is set forth below for your reference.
Please contact us at the above listed address or by replying to this
email if you should have any questions.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
Motion Picture Association of America
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC.
15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD
ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436
The Motion Picture Association of America is authorized to act on behalf =
of the following copyright owners:
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Paramount Pictures Corporation
TriStar Pictures, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation=20
United Artists Pictures, Inc.
United Artists Corporation
Universal City Studios, Inc.
Warner Bros., a Division of
Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.
We have knowledge that the above-referenced Internet site is providing a =
circumvention device commonly known as DeCSS. DeCSS is a software =
utility that decrypts or unscrambles the contents of DVDs (consisting of =
copyrighted motion pictures) or otherwise circumvents the protection =
afforded by the Contents Scramble System (CSS) and permits the copying =
of the DVD contents and/or any portion thereof. As such, DeCSS is an =
unlawful circumvention device within the meaning of the Digital =
Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. Section 1201(a)(2),(3). Providing =
or offering DeCSS to the public on your system or network violates the =
provisions of Section 1201(a)(2) which prohibits the "manufacturing, =
importing or offering to the public, providing, or otherwise =
trafficking" in an unlawful circumvention device. (17 U.S.C. Section =
1201 et seq. hereafter is referred to as the "DMCA").
On August 17, 2000, a federal district court in the Southern District of =
New York confirmed that offering, providing, or trafficking in DeCSS, or =
any other device designed to circumvent CSS, violates the DMCA. The =
district court granted a permanent injunction against (1) posting on =
any Internet site, or in any other way manufacturing, importing or =
offering to the public, providing, or otherwise trafficking in DeCSS or =
any other technology primarily designed to circumvent CSS, and (2) =
linking any Internet web site, either directly or through a series of =
links, to any other Internet web site containing DeCSS.=20
The district court's ruling makes clear that by providing DeCSS, the =
above- referenced Internet site violates the DMCA. We therefore demand =
that you:
1) take appropriate steps to cause immediate removal of DeCSS from the =
above identified URL, along with such other actions as may be necessary =
or appropriate to suspend this illegal activity;
2) provide appropriate notice to the subscriber or account holder =
responsible for the presence of DeCSS on your system or network, =
advising him/her of the contents of this notice and directing that =
person to contact the undersigned immediately at the e-mail address =
provided above;
Failure to comply with these measures will subject you to liability as =
described above.
We also request that you maintain, and take whatever steps are necessary =
to prevent the destruction of, all records, including electronic =
records, in your possession or control respecting this URL, account =
holder or subscriber.
By copy of this letter, the owner of the above-referenced URL and/or =
email account is hereby directed to cease and desist from the conduct =
complained of herein.
On behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the =
copyrighted material at issue in this notice, we hereby state, pursuant =
to the DMCA that we have a good faith belief that the acts complained of =
are not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or =
the law.
Also pursuant to DMCA, we hereby state, under penalty of perjury under =
the law of California and under the laws of the United States, that the =
information in this notification is accurate and that we are authorized =
to act on behalf of the owners of the exclusive rights being infringed =
as set forth in this notification.
Should you have any questions, please contact us at the above listed =
address.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your immediate response =
is requested.
Respectfully,
The Motion Picture Association of America
As much as I hate Nintendo's packs of flesh-eating lawyers (and in fact, I just yesterday put "fuck Nintendo and fuck Pokemon" in my meta tags as a taunt to them for threatening other sites), they are absolutely in the right on this one. "Fair use" does not cover wholesale copying, which it appears IM did. Now, if the courts decide that it was fair use, then fine; big N can eat my ass. But until then, everything points to infringement on IM's part.
Some people argue that Nintendo is just trying to supress smaller companies in order to make more money off of Pokemon products; that might be the case, but it's really a separate issue.
This will probably get modded way down as redundant, but it has to be said again.
1991
New York State Vs. Nintendo
Case:Then-New York State Attorney General (I can't remember his name) sues Nintendo, claiming they have an illegal monopoly on the video game market.
Outcome: Nintendo agrees to give each Nintendo consumer a $5.00 certificate good on any licensed NES game; if you sunscribed to Nintendo Power, or sent in a product registration card for your NES or game to Nintendo, you probably got one.
"We aren't a monopoly! See, we're offering people discounts on our monopolized games!" Think Bill Gates will try this tactic?:)
Well, tough shit. I don't want my tax money going to fund military maneuvers out of the country, but that's part of living in a democracy.
That said, I somewhat agree with you...I don't like my tax dollars going towards much of what they call art these days either, but anything that turns Giuliani purple is A-OK in my book.
Nice analogy. Completely and utterly wrong, but nice.
Libraries have dictionaries in them. In such dictionaries, you'll see lots of "objectionable" or "controversial" words. The public internet is much closer to the idea of a dictionary than it is to dirty magazines.
the actors trained for four months to get ready for their roles...that kind of dedication is rare in Hollywood films.
Oh, well I suppose that my 3 years of martial arts was wasted time. I should have gone to Hollywood instead and taken the "4 month accelerated course" in MA. Silly me.:P
(No, this isn't a flame of you or what you said, it's just something I thought of. YOU HEAR THAT, ROGUE MODERATORS?! Sheesh.)
what was the last movie to come out that really had a bullet proof plot?
12 Monkeys. Fight Club. The Usual Suspects. Seven. (Hmmm...all movies with either Brad Pitt (sucker has a great agent, obviously) or Kevin Spacey.)
Yes, most movies have gaping holes in their plots, but quite a few have come out with surprisingly tight plots, considering Hollywood's usual "let's overexplain this so even the most retarded chimp in the audience will understand it. And get rid of that philosophical implication" attitude.
"Second Variety" was an amazing story from an amazing writer.
Screamers was a piece of shit that gave the finger to Dick's amazing story, and I get down on my knees every night and pray for God to smite me so I don't have to remember that awful movie anymore.
But back to the Matrix: it was a great movie. The CGI was integrated extremely well with the live action, and even if the acting mostly sucked (Keanu, I'm looking in your direction), the story was good (rehashed, but good) and the mood was compelling. The sequels might suck, but who knows?
The paper appears to suggest that current singularity equations are based on bad foundations. This is a far cry from proving that black holes cannot form.
You can install the software once, but if your HD crashes you must buy a new copy
No doubt MS would enjoy that. They'd probably also throw me in jail for installing my (legal) copy of win98 onto a friend's computer, even though he bought the computer with a copy on it, got no "system" disks for it, and is, in my opinion, licensed to install a copy when something goes wrong with the original installation (as it did).
I really hope MS starts going after linux big time in their ads. What better way to get publicity than to let a company that spends billions on ads do your advertising for you.:)
As someone else mentioned, it's not like MS can put linux out of business.
Fair enough. German surgeons at the Leipzig Heart Center did it 32 months ago.:P
I see my original post was modded down as redundant, even though it was the second post in this article and the first was a link to goatse.cx. Nice to see the moderation system works so well, eh?
What business does Hollywood have telling us about the evils of big corporations? Hollywood contains the most evil corporations in existence.
"Has anyone else noticed the Windows coding in the screenshot?" No, not if you don't count the other 600 posters who have already mentioned it, I guess...
I know for a fact that MS hires people to not write drivers. I'm still waiting for one that will make my 5-button MICROSOFT optical intellimouse fully work with my MICROSOFT operating system (Milennium Edition).
Oh yeah, and to avoid the dreaded OT rating: er, playtesting would be nice, but I don't think I'm going to plunk down money on the Xbox. We'll see when it comes out, but I'm avoiding the hype.
Only a script kiddie, or pirate server would object to this tos agreement.
OK, then go sign up for the service. Don't forget to sign the TOS, right under the part that gives them the right to enter your house anytime they feel like it during business hours, without contacting you first.
Slashdot Mirror
"Defendants' posting of the proprietary information licensed by DVD CCA on their Web sites has caused the illegal pirating of the motion picture industry's copyrighted content contained on DVDs."
Whoops...they had no proof. Oh well, what's another frivolous lawsuit or three?
-Legion
[begin included text]
From legion@dimensional.com Thu Nov 30 19:50:14 2000
Subject: Re: copkiller.org
To: mpaa23@pacbell.net (mpaa23)
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 19:50:09 -0700 (MST)
To Whom it May Concern:
My initial response to your threats of legal action ("Go fuck yourself") did not address the irony of this situation. Allow me to educate you.
I had the DeCSS source up on copkiller.org for about a week, way back when all of your threats were just starting. I voluntarily removed it because the administrator of Dimensional was already receiving grief from people upset about the nature of my page, and I felt that he shouldn't have to take any more problems on my behalf. Since DeCSS has not been available on copkiller.org for quite some time (what is it now, a year?), I can only assume that you're basing your "knowledge" off of a few lists cirulating around the internet.
The irony, of course, is this: now that you've decided to come after me (albeit extremely late) for DeCSS, I plan to link to a lycos search on decss.zip. Note that this is a link to a search engine, not to a particular file, and you'll damn well have to drag me to court to get a ruling on it. If Dimensional wants me to remove the link (and by this I mean *Dimensional*, not MPAA or its slime-sucking lawyers), I will do so immediately and without question, but this will not stop me from hosting the actual DeCSS file from a country with smarter laws, nor will it stop me from distributing the file via other means.
Let me spell out the irony for you: I've had little actual interest in DeCSS since it all started, but now you've renewed that interest, and I can fully assure you that I will not let this matter go.
-steve
[Original text appears below]
From mpaa23@pacbell.net Wed Nov 29 17:56:12 2000
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 16:46:38 -0800
From: mpaa23 <mpaa23@pacbell.net>
Subject: copkiller.org
To: Legion@copkiller.org
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. 15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436
UNITED STATES
PHONE: (818) 728-8127 Email: MPAA23@pacbell.net Anti-Piracy Operations
November 29, 2000
Steve Pordon Squealing Pigs, LLC 123 Main Street Yourtown, CO 80201 Legion@copkiller.org
RE: Distribution of Unauthorized Product Site/Email Address: copkiller.org MPAA File #: 5-671-267
Dear Steve Pordon:
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) represents the following motion picture production and distribution companies:
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. Disney Enterprises, Inc. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Paramount Pictures Corporation TriStar Pictures, Inc. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation United Artists Pictures, Inc. United Artists Corporation Universal City Studios, Inc. Warner Bros., a Division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.
We have received information that you are unlawfully offering product at the above-referenced web site. We have notified your ISP of the unlawful nature of this web site and have asked for its immediate removal. Our letter to your ISP is set forth below for your reference.
Please contact us at the above listed address or by replying to this email if you should have any questions.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
Motion Picture Association of America
MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. 15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436
UNITED STATES
PHONE: (818) 728-8127 Email: MPAA23@pacbell.net Anti-Piracy Operations
November 29, 2000
Chuck U. Farley Dimensional Communications, LLC 910 16th Street Suite 1015 Denver, CO 80202 Copyrightwrong@dimensional.com
RE: Illegal Provision of DeCSS/Circumvention Device Site/URL: copkiller.org MPAA File#: 5-671-267
Dear Chuck U. Farley:
The Motion Picture Association of America is authorized to act on behalf = of the following copyright owners:
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. Disney Enterprises, Inc. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. Paramount Pictures Corporation TriStar Pictures, Inc. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation=20 United Artists Pictures, Inc. United Artists Corporation Universal City Studios, Inc. Warner Bros., a Division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.
We have knowledge that the above-referenced Internet site is providing a = circumvention device commonly known as DeCSS. DeCSS is a software = utility that decrypts or unscrambles the contents of DVDs (consisting of = copyrighted motion pictures) or otherwise circumvents the protection = afforded by the Contents Scramble System (CSS) and permits the copying = of the DVD contents and/or any portion thereof. As such, DeCSS is an = unlawful circumvention device within the meaning of the Digital = Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. Section 1201(a)(2),(3). Providing = or offering DeCSS to the public on your system or network violates the = provisions of Section 1201(a)(2) which prohibits the "manufacturing, = importing or offering to the public, providing, or otherwise = trafficking" in an unlawful circumvention device. (17 U.S.C. Section = 1201 et seq. hereafter is referred to as the "DMCA").
On August 17, 2000, a federal district court in the Southern District of = New York confirmed that offering, providing, or trafficking in DeCSS, or = any other device designed to circumvent CSS, violates the DMCA. The = district court granted a permanent injunction against (1) posting on = any Internet site, or in any other way manufacturing, importing or = offering to the public, providing, or otherwise trafficking in DeCSS or = any other technology primarily designed to circumvent CSS, and (2) = linking any Internet web site, either directly or through a series of = links, to any other Internet web site containing DeCSS.=20
The district court's ruling makes clear that by providing DeCSS, the = above- referenced Internet site violates the DMCA. We therefore demand = that you:
1) take appropriate steps to cause immediate removal of DeCSS from the = above identified URL, along with such other actions as may be necessary = or appropriate to suspend this illegal activity;
2) provide appropriate notice to the subscriber or account holder = responsible for the presence of DeCSS on your system or network, = advising him/her of the contents of this notice and directing that = person to contact the undersigned immediately at the e-mail address = provided above;
Failure to comply with these measures will subject you to liability as = described above.
We also request that you maintain, and take whatever steps are necessary = to prevent the destruction of, all records, including electronic = records, in your possession or control respecting this URL, account = holder or subscriber.
By copy of this letter, the owner of the above-referenced URL and/or = email account is hereby directed to cease and desist from the conduct = complained of herein.
On behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the = copyrighted material at issue in this notice, we hereby state, pursuant = to the DMCA that we have a good faith belief that the acts complained of = are not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or = the law.
Also pursuant to DMCA, we hereby state, under penalty of perjury under = the law of California and under the laws of the United States, that the = information in this notification is accurate and that we are authorized = to act on behalf of the owners of the exclusive rights being infringed = as set forth in this notification.
Should you have any questions, please contact us at the above listed = address.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your immediate response = is requested.
Respectfully, The Motion Picture Association of America
[end included text]
-Legion
-Legion
Some people argue that Nintendo is just trying to supress smaller companies in order to make more money off of Pokemon products; that might be the case, but it's really a separate issue.
This will probably get modded way down as redundant, but it has to be said again.
-Legion
"We aren't a monopoly! See, we're offering people discounts on our monopolized games!" Think Bill Gates will try this tactic? :)
-Legion
-Legion
Well, tough shit. I don't want my tax money going to fund military maneuvers out of the country, but that's part of living in a democracy.
That said, I somewhat agree with you...I don't like my tax dollars going towards much of what they call art these days either, but anything that turns Giuliani purple is A-OK in my book.
-Legion
Libraries have dictionaries in them. In such dictionaries, you'll see lots of "objectionable" or "controversial" words. The public internet is much closer to the idea of a dictionary than it is to dirty magazines.
-Legion
I'm shuddering at the thought of the hacks who did Mission to Mars working on Ringworld; picture Nessus shedding a big CG tear. Ugh.
-Legion
I honestly can't think of a company with more colons than Digital Convergence.
-Legion
From the article, it certainly looks like Australia's schools aren't peddling MS products to Bill's liking.
Microsoft: ducking, weaving and jiving their way away from a breakup.
-Legion
Oh, well I suppose that my 3 years of martial arts was wasted time. I should have gone to Hollywood instead and taken the "4 month accelerated course" in MA. Silly me. :P
(No, this isn't a flame of you or what you said, it's just something I thought of. YOU HEAR THAT, ROGUE MODERATORS?! Sheesh.)
-Legion
what was the last movie to come out that really had a bullet proof plot?
12 Monkeys. Fight Club. The Usual Suspects. Seven. (Hmmm...all movies with either Brad Pitt (sucker has a great agent, obviously) or Kevin Spacey.)
Yes, most movies have gaping holes in their plots, but quite a few have come out with surprisingly tight plots, considering Hollywood's usual "let's overexplain this so even the most retarded chimp in the audience will understand it. And get rid of that philosophical implication" attitude.
-Legion
Screamers was a piece of shit that gave the finger to Dick's amazing story, and I get down on my knees every night and pray for God to smite me so I don't have to remember that awful movie anymore.
But back to the Matrix: it was a great movie. The CGI was integrated extremely well with the live action, and even if the acting mostly sucked (Keanu, I'm looking in your direction), the story was good (rehashed, but good) and the mood was compelling. The sequels might suck, but who knows?
-Legion
Oh, they're going to love me...
If it makes you sick, stop looking at it. I bet that won't stop them from looking at my site when I get the Salem PD rant up, though.
-Legion
-Legion
Only because our mayor and wonderful police force scared everyone into staying away from downtown due to "Y2K" concerns.
-Legion
-Legion
No doubt MS would enjoy that. They'd probably also throw me in jail for installing my (legal) copy of win98 onto a friend's computer, even though he bought the computer with a copy on it, got no "system" disks for it, and is, in my opinion, licensed to install a copy when something goes wrong with the original installation (as it did).
I really hope MS starts going after linux big time in their ads. What better way to get publicity than to let a company that spends billions on ads do your advertising for you. :)
As someone else mentioned, it's not like MS can put linux out of business.
-Legion
I see my original post was modded down as redundant, even though it was the second post in this article and the first was a link to goatse.cx. Nice to see the moderation system works so well, eh?
-Legion
"Has anyone else noticed the Windows coding in the screenshot?" No, not if you don't count the other 600 posters who have already mentioned it, I guess...
-Legion
[...] and PS2 is the reason for the half a billion dollar PR [...]
Either you're missing s few zeros above, or you meant "million" here. I'm guessing it's "million." :)
-Legion
Oh yeah, and to avoid the dreaded OT rating: er, playtesting would be nice, but I don't think I'm going to plunk down money on the Xbox. We'll see when it comes out, but I'm avoiding the hype.
-Legion
OK, then go sign up for the service. Don't forget to sign the TOS, right under the part that gives them the right to enter your house anytime they feel like it during business hours, without contacting you first.
Let me know how you make out.
-Legion
-Legion