Re:Cripes, they're serious. (Score 3)

Here's my worry: DVDs will be judged as *software*, and not as *movies*. Why not? DVDs have a UI, APIs, input devices (remote control!), and a sorta-OS. Legally it could be good enough. This could be positive: If DVD movies are shown to be software, then reverse-engineering the software is no problem for interoperability. The downside: End User License Agreements for DVDs. I really, really think it's critical that the Judge in the case be well-educated on this: the DVD movie is the at-issue copyrightable content, but the CSS encryption system is *software*, and the deCSS utility is being used to provide for interoperability of said software, not a a means to harm the copyright rights owned by their respective holders. Otherwise, in the future... *everything* could be considered software. DVDs... eBooks... how about that electronic newspaper? And everything will have shrinkwrap rules governing the use of what's been judged as software, and THEN free speech is in real trouble. There are some very serious, broad issues at hand here. --Neil