Re: [dvd-discuss] More Copy Protection

[steve bryan <steve_bryan(at)mac.com>]

>On Thursday 27 September 2001 12:23, you wrote:
>>  I hadn't heard that it is not legal to rent audio CDs. Do you have a
>>  reference? What about attempts to stop sale of used CDs?  I can believe
>>  that somebody may think that they can pass a law doing both. In either
>>  case, it's hard to believe that there is a legal foundation for it since
>>  audio CDs are sold as personal property and one has a right to dispose of
>>  personal property as one sees fit (other than burning it to create toxic
>>  waste ;-)
>
>There's already case law establishing that used CD sales are legal.
>So all the shop needs to do is sell the CD, and accept returns for
>somewhat less than they sell for.  Deposit and rental all taken care
>of at once.
>

My apology if my observation that attempts were made to outlaw sales 
of used CD's were misinterpreted as a claim that such sales are 
illegal. That is emphatically not true. I go to used audio CD stores 
all the time. I buy used CD's (and DVD's and console game CD's) 
regularly. I'm certain many others are familiar with this market, 
especially if you live in a city with a substantial college age 
population.

What I was 'claiming' is that rental of audio CD's is illegal in the 
US. I wasn't certain of that so I was asking if anyone knew that 
claim to be false. The question arose because apparently it is legal 
to rent audio CD's in Japan and they actively encourage consumers to 
purchase blank MD's which could be used to produce accurate 
compressed digital copies. This has always left me with the feeling 
that the war on MP3's was particularly hypocritical. The same 
companies that question your moral fitness if you create MP3's from 
your own CD collection (and make no mistake, the RIAA claims this is 
illegal, they are simply refraining from prosecution) sells and 
profits from equipment used to similarly created MD compressions of 
the same CD's. Go figure.
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