IP: more on : Apple invokes DMCA to block patch to DVD-burningapplication

[David Farber <dfarber@earthlink.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: David Adams <david@osnews.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 10:19:30 
To: <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
Subject: Re: IP: Apple invokes DMCA to block patch to DVD-burning
	application

There's some discussion of this subject at OS News
http://www.osnews.com/comment.php?news_id=1634

The gist of the issue as I understand it is that Apple Gives away the iDVD
software for free because it only works with Apple's "Superdrive" DVD
burner.  The patch lets owners of other DVD burners use the iDVD software.
Owners of other DVD burners are supposed to buy Apple's DVD Studio Pro
software, that costs $999, expensive like most DVD authoring software.

I think that the decent thing for Apple to do would be to offer a license to
iDVD for $99 or so that allows consumers to use it with non "Superdrive" DVD
players.  Invoking the DCMA is all take and no give.


> Subject: FC: Apple invokes DMCA to block patch to DVD-burning application
> 
> 
> 
> http://news.com.com/2100-1023-955805.html
> 
>   Apple: Burn DVDs--and we'll burn you
>   By Declan McCullagh
>   August 28, 2002, 3:04 PM PT
> 
>   WASHINGTON--Apple Computer has invoked the Digital Millennium
>   Copyright Act to prevent its customers from burning DVDs on external
>   drives.
> 
>   Earlier this month, the company's lawyers sent a stiff warning to an
>   Apple dealer, warning that a patch to Apple's iDVD burning software
>   ran afoul of the controversial 1998 copyright law.



David Adams
Publisher
OS News
202-321-2512
www.osnews.com

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