LEGAL-STATUS.txt
Version 1.1.5
(C) 2000 JBridge21

/// i. Purpose ///

This document is intended to provide the reader with information about the
legal status of files on this mirror site with regard to legal domains
around the globe. It is also intended to inform minimally about the issues
involved with each mirror.

/// ii. Table of Contents ///
i. Purpose
ii. Table of Contents
iii. Document Format

I. DeCSS and associated files
II. CueCat Software/Information
III. CyberPatrol 4 Information
IV. The Art Of Shoplifting
V. UK Judicial Corruption (story)
VI. ASF Recorder
VII. Streambox VCR

XYZ. Glossary of Terms
ZZZ. Epilogue

/// iii. Document Format ///

For each item there are three fields:
1. License (software)/Distribution Terms
2. Legality (mostly as judged by me, JBridge21)
3. Legal Action
4. Where To Go For More Information

/// I. DeCSS and associated files ///

1. Most (all?) of this stuff is distributed under the GNU GPL. In any case,
free copying and distributing is encouraged.

2. A small part of this software (some of the player keys) was allegedly
reverse-engineered after the user had clicked through a software license
agreement stating that they agreed not to. However, even if you believe in
click-through license agreements, this reverse-engineering was almost
certainly done in a country (Norway? Germany? Nobody but the one knows for
sure.) which does not honor click-through license agreements, has no
equivalent to the DMCA, and does not allow patents on algorithms anyways. This
software will actually probably be technically illegal to either posess or
distribute (or both, not sure) in the USA once the full terms of the DMCA come
into effect sometime in Fall 2000. However, those dreadful clauses in the DMCA
are probably unconstitutional, and will _hopefully_ be ruled as such RSN.

3. There are three lawsuits or somesuch in various stages in the USA --
one in California with the DVD CCA against 500 known and unknown
individuals, one in New York with the MPAA against 2600.com, and one in
Connecticut (?) with the MPAA against somebody (forget). The NY case has
resolved right now to be AGAINST 2600.com, and the court enjoined them
from hosting DeCSS and even linking to it. (That last part is particularly
scary. It's like saying I can't tell you WHERE to get a VCR to play your
own, purchased copy of a movie on.)

In any case, if you are going to do something which could get you in trouble,
talk with your lawyer first, or you could be sorry later.

4. More Information
http://www.opendvd.org/
http://www.eff.org/pub/Intellectual_property/Video/

/// II. CueCat Software/Information ///

1. Some of the software is specified as GPL, some of it does not have a
license on it at all. The documentation can probably be safely assumed to
be public domain. In any case, you are encouraged to copy and mirror any
and all of it.

2. For sure, this stuff sounds like it was 100% legal reverse-engineering,
USA or not.

3. The company sent out paper letters with vague intellectual property
claims -- see the following:

http://diddl.firehead.org/censor/cuecat/flyingbuttmonkeys.com/letter-1.jpg
http://diddl.firehead.org/censor/cuecat/flyingbuttmonkeys.com/letter-2.jpg

However, these claims I (JBridge21) think are total bunk, the DMCA probably
wouldn't even apply here. However, these threats were enough to make the main
sites take their programs down.

4. More Information
http://www.logorrhea.com/cuecat/mirrors.html
http://www.beau.lib.la.us/~jmorris/linux/cuecat/
http://www.flyingbuttmonkeys.com/
http://oss.lineo.com/cuecat_notice.html
http://oss.lineo.com/projects.html

/// III. CyberPatrol 4 Information ///

1. The analysis and code was intended to be distributed under the GPL; however,
under pressure from Mattel, the authors gave up their rights on the software.
The blocklist is most likely copyrighted by Mattel, but they can just take it
up the arse. You don't want to be using that shoddy blocklist anyhow.

2. I am pretty sure that the algorithm was reverse-engineered properly;
however, if it matters to you, go ask a lawyer. The blocklist is probably
not legally distributable (copyright), so I (JBridge21) might take it down. I
dunno.

3. I (JBridge21) don't really know much about this one. Someone care to fill
me in?

4. More Information
http://www.openpgp.net/censorship/index2.html
  --> scroll down to "Censorware, will they never learn?"
http://www.peacefire.org/
http://www.censorware.org/
http://www.zpok.demon.co.uk/CP4/

/// IV. The Art Of Shoplifting ///

1. Freely-copied document

2. This might possibly be illegal and/or simply censored in
Australia. Anywhere else it should be just fine.

3. I believe the Censors Office in AU managed to prevent this from coming
out in a print journal, which is what started its whole mirroring. This is the
only known (to me, JBridge21) action as of this time.

4. http://rene.efa.org.au/censor/rabelais.html

/// V. UK Judicial Corruption (story) ///

1. Public Domain documents (not verified, but I would most CERTAINLY think
so.)

2. Oh come ON. All this is is the fair account and accusations of some poor
(not as in monetary) person in England. No WAAAY that could be illegal. Or
censored (well, should be...).

3. By direct request from a UK ministry relating to legal matters, this
person's ISP took down the original page. A mirror the same person put up in
the USA, and another mirror by another person in the UK, have remained up.

4. More Information
http://zat.freehosting.net/ (this just crashed my linux netscape...)
http://www.openpgp.net/censorship/index2.html
  --> scroll down to "UK Censors at Work"

/// VI. ASF Recorder ///

1. license and 2. legality
(excerpt from webpage, which is excerpt from README.TXT)
Q: So is it legal to download and distribute this tool?
A: Yes. This  is a very simple tool using a very simple internet protocol. It
does NOT break any encryption or authentification procedure. So I don't see
any point why this program could be illegal. Download, copy and spread as you
like, THIS PROGRAM AND ITS SOURCE CODE IS LEGAL.

Q: Is it legal to use this tool?
A: That depends on what content you actually download with this tool. If it is
copyrighted content and if the download is expressly prohibited by the content
provider, you are acting in an illegal manner.

3. Unknown legal action(s), I (JBridge21) don't think there are any, but
don't rule it out.

4. More Information (These are identical.)
http://www.geocities.com/asfrecorder/index.html
http://members.xoom.com/asfrecorder/index.html
http://asfrecorder.tripod.com/index.html
http://asfrecorder.virtualave.net/index.html

/// VII. Streambox VCR ///

1. Copyrighted product of Streambox.com. They probably don't like people to be
distributing it. If they contact me (JBridge21) with a legitimate request
to take it down, then I suppose it might be best to.

2. The underlying program, and its functionality, is believed by me
(JBridge21) to be completely legal. However, distributing it is likely not, as
it is a copyrighted program that I (JBridge21) think was under beta when Real
came down with their lawsuit.

3. A lawsuit was filed in Washington state by Real.com against
Streambox.com sometime in 1999 (December?). They got a temporary
injunction. Streambox says they will be releasing a new version of Streambox
VCR soon. UPDATE 2000/09/08: Real.com had an out-of-court settlement with
Streambox.com, in large part because they (Real) had made a strong case that
Streambox VCR violated the DMCA.

4. More Information
http://www.streambox.com/
http://www.streambox.com/Products/VCR/faqs.asp
http://www.streambox.com/RNvsSB/lawsuitfaq.htm

/// XYZ. Glossary ///

ASF - Microsoft's "Active Streaming Format"
A file format for encapsulating other audio and video data, similar to
QuickTime or other such file formats.

CSS - Content Scrambling System
A weak, 40-bit encryption system developed by the DVD CCA which is used to
scramble the audio and video contents of movies contained on DVD discs. Note
that scrambling the contents is NOT a requirement of making a playable DVD
disc, it is fully optional.

DeCSS - a program to defeat the encryption on files encrypted using the
Content Scrambling System

First published in October or November of 1999, DeCSS is a Windows-only
program that reads the scrambled contents of a DVD and outputs unencrypted,
playable audio/video files.

DMCA - Digital Millenium Copyright Act
A law enacted in the USA that has some rather nasty First Amendment
consequences. For a full listing see:
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/1201.html

DVD - Digital Versatile Disc (Disk)
A thin, circular (5.25 inch diameter) disc made out of plastic and some
reflective material, that can hold immense amounts of information. They can be
used to store either data or digital video.

DVD CCA - DVD Copyright Control Association
A consortium of motion picture producers and consumer electronics
manufacturers that sets standards for DVD discs as they apply to motion
pictures.
http://www.dvdcca.org/

ISP - abbreviation for "internet service provider"

MPAA - Motion Picture Association of America
A consortium of all of the major motion picture companies, created for the
purpose of advancing their common cause (more ownership of stuff they
shouldn't own, more control, and more PROFITS.)
http://www.mpaa.org/

RSN - abbreviation for "real soon now"

/// ZZZ. Epilogue ///

This document was originally written by JBridge21, who can be reached at
jbridge21 at earthling dot net

This document is Copyright (C) 2000 by JBridge21. This material may be
distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open
Publication License, v1.0 or later (the latest version is presently available
at http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/). If you find this document useful for
yourself, please drop me a line.

Thank you for reading.
