French law could break iTunes, Microsoft DRM
By Marc Perton 
posted Mar 13th 2006 3:30PM
posted Mar 13th 2006 3:30PM
A
proposed French law ostensibly designed to fight piracy and promote legal music downloads could force Apple and
Microsoft to open their respective DRM standards to competitors -- or allow consumers to break the DRM if they don't.
The draft law, to be voted on by France's parliament this Thursday, would allow consumers to use software that breaks
DRM in order to convert their music to another format for use on an unsupported device. Thus, for example, an iPod
owner could use MuvAudio to convert PlaysForSure-protected WMA files into unprotected MP3 files, while a Zen owner
could use Audio Hijack to do the same with FairPlay-protected AAC files. The alternative, of course, would be for
Apple to allow PlaysForSure to be used on the iPod, and allow FairPlay to be used on competing devices, neither of
which the company is likely to do. The law would stiffen penalties for illegal file sharing, and would also limit the
number of copies consumers could make of legally downloaded music -- though it's unclear how this would be enforced,
especially if the law declares open season on DRM.
how the hell does allowing people to break DRM (digital RIGHTS management) help to FIGH piracy, we all know this law is for one thing - to BREAK apples lead in the digital music scene. would the same law mean all software written for the market share leader windows OS should now run on macs? I think not!!! - its who ya know remember ;)
Hmm, except Apple's iTunes already allow you to break the DRM by burning protected files to CD. It is, of course, inconvenient, but it is already possible. Is French law now going to mandate that this process be made even easier?
Can the same law then be used to force Apple to release OS X for generic Intel or Microsoft to release Windows Vista for Macs?
#2
Anyways, this seems just predictable. Soon enough, almost EVERYTHING will be illegal and only small time companies will exist... Hoorah.
The first poster is clearly not interested in improving the quality of all devices. What advantage is there for the consumer in allowing a company to lock in its user to a single brand of hardware? If Apple was forced to compete it would likely improve the quality of their devices and reduce the prices at iTunes, which is probably the most expensive online music store just because that's all that works on ipods.
When the simpler alternative to getting music on "unsupported players" is to go through pirate channels, I'd say this would go a long way in convincing people that buying music might still be viable after all.
Great news for consumers.
What is at stake here isn't piracy - it is purely and simply your right to use the software/media you buy on whatever device you so choose.
The analogy in post #1 has a major flaw, and that is that Apple and PC hardware have histoically been different by design (even with the new intel macs, the differences are not minor).
Here is a better analogy (untrue, but valid): you are a professional photo editor and you buy a brand new Dell workstation. Dell has a deal where you can get Photoshop cheaper bundled with the computer than through retail, so you do so. Now, a year down the road you want to replace that computer with a faster, yet functionally identical, version manufactured by HP. You buy this new machine, and try to load your bundled version of Photoshop that you OWN onto it. The installer tells you that this version of Photoshop can only be used on Dell hardware. You are (quite justifiably) outraged, because as a computer literate person you KNOW there is no reason for this limitation, and you then peruse torrent sites for either a crack or a cracked version in exasperation.
This is what DRM does. It is not designed to combat piracy, it is designed to attempt to create a virtual monopoly. Consumers should be allowed to legally hack, reverse engineer, etc. anything they own - but DRM tries to convince us that we do not own the media we buy.
It would be interesting to see a piracy case go through the courts on this basis - that somebody legally purchased the music, but when they couldn't use the media that they OWN on another device that they OWN they decided to fix what was certainly an oversight on the part of the businesses.
This is the true role of DRM, and it sickens me.
I agree, I owned an iPOD and switched to a Archos PMA 430, and now the Hundreds of Dollars spent in iTunes on music was useless because I no longer can play the protected music that I purchased
To Josh Warner:
First of all, when you buy a Dell computer and it comes with bundled OEM version of Microsoft OS. According to your suggestion, you should have the right to decide where to use this software at. Which suggests that you can then port this OEM copy of Microsoft OS to your X-branded clone. I wonder if you are going mad.
Also I want to point out something about the right of usage. When you buy a movie DVD, it's most likely restricted to a certain zone code. Would you also suggest the removal of this practice? Now, how about a music CD you purchase. Since you own the right to play the music and you want to stick this CD into a Sony MD player. Should you therefore enjoy another copy of the music in MD format?
You have had too much freedom and you simply forgot about the cost of creation!
#2: Note that if Apple improved the quality of their devices any more, they'd have 100% of the market instead of the really large percentage they have now.
In any case, you could always buy your music at allofmp3.com. It's mp3, so it'll work on the iPod and other devices.
#6, why not use WinAmp to convert your songs? It's not that hard. The caveat is that it may or may not be legal to transcode from one DRM system to another.
Can we all be honest here-- no French law will change the behavior of any non-French company. They're barely still a major player in the European market, much less the worldwide market. So this is all very interesting, but will be completely forgotten next week.
You know, this is all just so stupid. Most of these companies let you burn the music to a CD. It's not like anyone buying a 128 AAC file is an audiophile or anything, so any loss of quality from a re-rip of the CD wouldn't even be an issue.
People are just SO STUPID about the files they own.
Why go to all that trouble?...I buy and listen to CD,DVD AUDIO,and SUPERAUDIO CD and get the full fidelity.And if I wanted to...I could rip the CD and use it in ANY device.Paying Apple to download compressed music is a joke. It isn`t music...It uses a LOSSY codec.No thanks Mr. Jobs.
#6- Drop a CD into you CD burner, burn a CD of protected songs. Take CD out. Put CD back into computer. Rip CD using iTunes back to your hdd (replacing existing song)..viola, same song, unprotected MP3 (if you choose MP3 ripping). Oh wow, Apple DRM is hard to crack...
It seems that many times, someone rushes to be the "first to post" and doesn't actually read the article or use common sense to see the reasoning behind a product or action.
Andy (post #1) is the perfect example of this. Andy is also dumb enough to say
"would the same law mean all software written for the market share leader windows OS should now run on macs? I think not!!! - its who ya know remember ;)"
trying to infer Microsoft has bought the French government, obviously ignoring the fact that the new "law" on DRM effects both Apple's (iTunes) and Microsoft's (PlaysForSure) DRM services.
I won't call him out for being a "fanboy" for now, just an utter fool.
to #7
of course I will be mad... especially since I can't buy most computers without an OEM Windows!
absolutely, I don't want region code! I want to decide which DVD I want to play! I prefer English movies, even though I live in a German speaking country and I don't like the (enforced) German subtitles in some DVDs (example RG2 of Pulp Fiction). And I most certainly hope, that I can do a copy onto my empty MD (where I pay extra for the empty media to exactly do that!).
You just lost the connection to reality. I'm very happy for the MI to use DRM, I don't have to buy it. But if I can't do any copies anymore (to use in my car, put it on my iPOD, listen on my Linux machine, whatever) then I'm not ready to pay the same price as for the unprotected media! And more importantly I think they should offer what ever and wherever they want but please leave me the freedom to buy whatever and wherever I want! That's all the freedom I want.
Number 11 (bufbarnaby) is totally correct. To be blatantly honest, I don't give a damn at all about the whole squabble over DRM.
Your iPod is capable of a lot better than 128 AAC folks... those white earbuds you all wear suck.
AND YET ANOTHER REASON TO HATE THE FRENCH!!!
If this passses I hope MS and Apple say "Screw you" and don't offer their products to them. It's not like the French have any say in the world's tech future.
AND YET ANOTHER REASON TO HATE THE FRENCH!!!
If this passses I hope MS and Apple say "Screw you" and don't offer their products to them. It's not like the French have any say in the world's tech future.
but the French could offer these programs on their homepage and people from all over the world could download it :) guess who will win
Apple needs to come out with an IPOD that allows it to be used with other products to accomodate them. that way they don't have to change the programming...
Why is it that the french are the only ones trying to change the things we do? Is it that they haven't invented anything worth while and have not had a french tour de france winner in 7 years or longer...
"6. I agree, I owned an iPOD and switched to a Archos PMA 430, and now the Hundreds of Dollars spent in iTunes on music was useless because I no longer can play the protected music that I purchased"
Bull. Just burn them to an audio CD WITHIN ITUNES, and then rerip that DRM free audio CD into DRM free MP3s.
Apple even tells you the first thing you should do after buying the music is to burn it all to a DRM FREE AUDIO CD USING THEIR OWN SOFTWARE.
Could someone explain to me the attraction of buying music from these DRM merchants (much less renting it) when one could simply buy the CD and rip it? To a far higher bitrate, to lossless codecs, burn copies as much as you want and so on and so on. Plus, you actually get something physical and lasting for your money...
"To hell with the f**king french and their bullshit laws. They're always a pain in everybody's ass. Lazy ass, constantly complaining bunch of peasants. Shut the iTunes store in France, and let em live with the local crap they produce. Bloody French F**ks"
Wow, you're ignorant. Would you like to cite other examples of French law that you find offensive, somehow? I'm so sorry the French are cramping your style...
Moron.
To #19 Pip
"Bull. Just burn them to an audio CD WITHIN ITUNES, and then rerip that DRM free audio CD into DRM free MP3s. "
So why would I take all this extra time and money to burn and rip a CD when I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO!
Because I am an Apple FANBOY
DRM Free UPFRONT Ladies and Gentlemen
Don't settle for anything less
"Bull. Just burn them to an audio CD WITHIN ITUNES, and then rerip that DRM free audio CD into DRM free MP3s."
Not to mention that you lose a lot of quality when you do this, by re-compressing a compressed audio format. It's hardly an ideal solution. If there is music I want, I prefer to buy the CD and rip it myself. This is where the French law interests me, because if the CD is protected I could break it.
To David Day,
The courts in Australia already pointed out that installing a mod chip into a PS2 is legal. A person legally bought a game in Asia where the region code is different. Then installed a mod chip in his Austrailian PS2 so he can play the game. So bypassing region code and other DRM like program code is legal if you legally purchased the stuff. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/06/aussie_chipmod/
Of course this only applies to Austrailian law. If you did the same thing in America you probably would get sued. The French are trying to create laws that give more freedom to consumers to use things they legally purchased.
If you purchased a DVD, legally you can't change anything about the dvd when you make a copy of it. So if I wanted to watch the same movie on my PSP or media PC, the size, aspects, audio, and languages are suppose to be identical. So if I ripped the movie to fit on my PSP that would be breaking the law.
Why should I go and buy the same exact dvd twice if I want to watch it on my PSP and dvd player when I could transfer the movie to my PSP? Thats like buying a music cd that you can only use in your car. If you want to use it in your home, you need to purchase it again.
I think that DRM is bullshit, and if people pay for songs they should be able to do what they want with it. Same goes for mp3 players like Ipod. I think that the Itunes thing is garbage, if people pay so much money they should have the option of downloading it from any place they want. A digital monopoly doesnt make it any less of a monopoly.
#14
No, you can't buy a "branded" computer without OEM Windows pre-installed. But yet you can "assemble" your own computer and then "buy" a retail version of Windows. Who are you kidding? Would you go through all these just to realize that total cost is actually higher to "assemble" your own computer? Explain to me how you can build a computer at the price of $600 USD (which is the price you pay for some Dell computers) while a retail copy of Windows will cost you $299 already? Do you smell piracy too?
True that DRM is not great but can you think of a better solution to prevent piracy or you simply can care less? Or perhaps you just want your own freedom and that's all you can care about?
From this we can (?) assume that French officials are more knowledgeable when it comes to technology and that there is not enough corporate lobbying/bribery in France.
#14
No, you can't buy a "branded" computer without OEM Windows pre-installed. But yet you can "assemble" your own computer and then "buy" a retail version of Windows. Who are you kidding? Would you go through all these just to realize that total cost is actually higher to "assemble" your own computer? Explain to me how you can build a computer at the price of $600 USD (which is the price you pay for some Dell computers) while a retail copy of Windows will cost you $299 already? Do you smell piracy too?
True that DRM is not great but can you think of a better solution to prevent piracy or you simply can care less? Or perhaps you just want your own freedom and that's all you can care about?
#14
No, you can't buy a "branded" computer without OEM Windows pre-installed. But yet you can "assemble" your own computer and then "buy" a retail version of Windows. Who are you kidding? Would you go through all these just to realize that total cost is actually higher to "assemble" your own computer? Explain to me how you can build a computer at the price of $600 USD (which is the price you pay for some Dell computers) while a retail copy of Windows will cost you $299 already? Do you smell piracy too?
True that DRM is not great but can you think of a better solution to prevent piracy or you simply can care less? Or perhaps you just want your own freedom and that's all you can care about?
This is really a victory for the consumer. I've heard some say that iTunes is what makes the iPod so successful due to it's ease of use, and I agree. By allowing other mp3 players to work with iTunes, would probably result in some market share loss for apple, leading to more competition, which in turns leads to better and cheaper products. And we as consumers are much better off. So I don't understand what people here are complaining about.
John:
DRM doesn't prevent piracy, it just punishes honest people who buy their music.
To #30 - you are just talking and trying to make sense. How does DRM punish honest people like YOU?
#31, If I buy a tune, I should be able to play it anywhere. With Apple's DRM I can only copy it a few times.
An example of what I mean is... In the old days, when I bought a CD/Vinyl, I can pick it up and play it anywhere, forever.
Many comments are incorrect IMHO... this law -not voted by our parliament yet (yes I'm french)- is considered in France as being a large defeat for internet users and consumers... it may reduce drastically our right to make private copies of A/V medias (until now completly legal within some large conditions) and dramatically facilitate legal proceedings against people who upload/download content on the internet...
And don't be mistaken by what it may look like, because the Majors had a huge influence on the EU directive we are about to transpose in French law and the same is valid in the debate on this law... internet users and consumers are always losers when it comes in finding a way to make them pay more...
Our politicians are far from being knowledgeable about IT, our "Minister for Culture" (who presented this law) proved many times he was completly incompetent on that subject...
For those french haters: please show that you're more intelligent than that...
I don't understand why people are defending DRM and restrictions for those who obtain media through legitimate channels. Why is everyone so angry that the French think this is wrong? The notion that you should have the ability to control the media you buy is very pro-consumer. I'd certainly like the ability to break DRM once the media is safely in my hands - DVDs, music, or whatever. I guess you guys hate competition, and just want to be spoon fed solutions by one particular manufacturer or provider. You can shove your restrictions up you back side. I'll take my media DRM free.
Josh Warner (#6), well said!
["You have had too much freedom and you simply forgot about the cost of creation!"]
The only so-called "cost of creation" involved is the cost of creating a false layer of restrictions. It should, and is entirely feasible, to be free. There's no legitimate reason that it shouldn't be, unless you consider price fixing and racketeering to be legimate.
@ #28 John
Did you seriously just say it is cheaper to buy a computer for $600 than to make one? That computer you are buying for $600 could easily be built be someone who knows what they are doing for less. For a $600 computer the difference might not be that great but when you go to more expensive computers, the difference increases.
A friend of mine was looking into buying a desktop for gaming, he was looking at $2,000-$3,000 computers from Dell. I built him a computer that had better stats than the $3,000 for only $1,800.
When you buy from a company you are paying for the assembly, shipping, and most of all the brand name, build it yourself, you will save money, if you dont believe that, well... you are the reason the big name companies contiue to make money.
i think the bottom line here, is clearly france sucks. always has and will until we finally get around to blowing that forsaken egotistical country full of pricks off of europe.
I refuse to pay for lossy music that can only be played on one device. However, I would have no hesitation to pay for lossless music that can be played on any device...wait...um, that would be a CD. Too bad most new music is crap anyways and not worth buying for that one good track. So until then, its BitTorrent I go...
The music companies, Apple and MS will make sure this law doesn't allow DRM to be broken by legal means.
And to the poster who said its cheaper to buy a computer than build one, you are on crack. If you know where to get parts, you can build a faster, cheaper, and higher quality computer than any Dell crap. And you might learn a thing or two in the process.
F u c k the French. Fight them and kick their a$$e$, APPLE. The French always think they have the right to overrule everyone because they've overestimated their importance to the world. They're ranked in importance (in reality) right below the value of my $hit.
It seems that DRM people have plants prowling cyberspace, sowing misinformation and confusion.
"you are just talking and trying to make sense. How does DRM punish honest people like YOU?"
This has got to be one of the most ridiculous posts in here, countered excellently by:
"An example of what I mean is... In the old days, when I bought a CD/Vinyl, I can pick it up and play it anywhere, forever."
Idiocity such as this reminds me of that infamous quote... paraphrased: "If you want a backup, but another copy!"
Honest users pay for the cost of creation already... why screw us over and over? DRM does exactly that. They attempt to limit piracy at the expense of the honest people.
But if what the French guy who posted is true, it's not an immediately celebratable victory as there might be some quirks in the law that might blow up in our faces.
34. To #30 - you are just talking and trying to make sense. How does DRM punish honest people like YOU?
Actually, that's what I was thinking of you. However, here's an example:
I own a 20GB 4G iPod. If I have a collection of music from iTunes, and decide to buy a different type of MP3 player (ie. iRiver or Creative) then I basically have to throw my music collection away as it won't play on my new device. The iTunes DRM basically dictates that if I buy another MP3 player it will have to come from Apple.
Actually John, if I assemble a PC myself (which I do quite frequently) then I can buy an OEM copy of Windows which costs $100 instead of $299.
That being said, I'll agree that you can't beat Dell's prices on the low end, especially if you buy Windows. I always insist that XP Home goes into the price as I don't want to deal with supporting the warez edition of XP.
I believe that Apple will be in for a very rude awakening once better players start demonstarting that they not only sport more features but that they are easier to use and have a better software integration.
go here
http://www.devicetodevice.com
Just use Tunebite or something to convert iTunes and WMA music to MP3.
I know it's pointless to comment now (especially on page 2 of comments) but, still: it's funny how everyone here (starting with Engadget's Marc Perton) takes the DMCA for granted. The thing is, cracking your iTMS tracks (or your DVD, or whatever) to make a DRM-less backup copy isn't illegal in France, or in many, many other countries. Yet. The law that's being discussed now (and it keeps changing so much between revisions that it's impossible to follow) is precisely a DMCA copycat that intended to restrict this right. So it's not a law to allow people to break DRMs -- the news is that the latest draft for this law is not making that illegal anymore.
And, clearly, the fact that iTMS users could legally break their tracks' DRMs if they wanted to hasn't prevented Apple from doing business in many of those renegade, anarchic countries (geez, there are so many countries in the world that aren't the United States, you wouldn't believe).
Same applies to "The law would stiffen penalties for illegal file sharing". The law sets fines for downloading and uploading, whereas right now, in the absence of specific legislation, a French court can send you to jail for uploading copyrighted materials because it's considered as counterfeiting. I'll take the fines over jail anytime :)
"I believe that Apple will be in for a very rude awakening once better players start demonstarting that they not only sport more features but that they are easier to use and have a better software integration."
Well, Alejandro, despite other products that dominate the market despite their unsatisfying usability (*cough* Microsoft *cough*), the iPod is on top because it IS easy to use and HAS excellent software integration. Perhaps you hadn't heard?
This "rude awakening" has been threatened so many times it grows tiresome, yet no one has managed to pull it off. I'm sure we all look forward to your magical mystery product, and the masses will cry "thank goodness this has arrived, my iPod was SO difficult to use..."
its depressing seeing all these stupid American rednecks releasing their ignorant miniscular knowledge of the world outside US into the fury of shit flooding out of their mouths (keyboards).
no wonder europeans think of americans as mostly "not that bright"
Josh Warner said (post 7 - Posted at 4:12PM on Mar 13th 2006 ) :
**************
It would be interesting to see a piracy case go through the courts on this basis - that somebody legally purchased the music, but when they couldn't use the media that they OWN on another device that they OWN they decided to fix what was certainly an oversight on the part of the businesses
**************
Somebody (in France) who wanted to copy a DVS on a video tape went to the court into order to protest against the protection system. He lost (thus it is a right to make "private copy" for personal use). The reason (for the judge) was to "protect" the company in order NOT to "loose" money.
By the way, I am French. Since december, many French are fighting against the DRM law (even within political parties, even in the leading party). IT IS NOT A FRENCH LAW, but a European law, valid in most European countries (since 2000, if I remember). France is one of the last countries in Europe where this law hasn't been voted.
DRM is fine, as long as they give me the copy for less monney since I don't get the same product. As everyone says, I don't have to buy it if I don't like it (and that's exactly what I do). And I don't copy it either! The DVD gives me a good package for the price (if you buy it second hand) but if I can't play RC 1 here in Europe anymore, then I'm not interested anymore. And that's fine. The Industry should just keep in mind that they are offering something to the market and they can't force anyone to buy it and if nobody does then they won't earn monney.
My suggestion would be that they generate an increase in value which you gain when you buy their products rather than punish people with DRM (so you can't watch it on the device you feel most adequate for yourself) or stupid videos which you can't jump at the beginning of your perfectly legally purchased DVD and tell you you're a thief and should be put into prison if not bombed away (German adverd against piracy)!
Cheers
Whoah. Lots of Apple fanboys here. Also lots of people brainwashed by DRM.
OK, you buy a legal DVD of some film. You play it in your living room, then get tired and finish watching it in your bedroom on your DVD player up there. This is perfectly legal in (hopefully) just about any country in the world. If you think this isn't fair use then I think you may have a problem.
What if you're listening to an album you bought from Yahoo music, ITunes or whatever on your computer. You then realise you have to go out for a bit so you put the music on your MP3 player. With DRM'd music you cannot do this (unless you choose to let 1 company rule your life until you never want to listen to that album again).
Here DRM is stopping fair use. It is pretty good at it too. I could break the DRM, which isn't difficult to do but does take time. The legality of breaking DRM isn't too great under the DMCA or EUCD either.
I choose not to buy DRM'd music then burn to a CD (which some DRM doesn't let you do anyway), then rip back.
Instead of buying the DRM'd music I have 4 options. Firstly I can buy the CD. This means going into town and paying for some of the tracks on the album I don't want. I do this sometimes but not very much.
Secondly I can choose not to listen to music at all. I don't like that option.
Another option is only buying music online in MP3 from sites like magnatune or emusic, or listening to free CC music. This is what I would do but it is not possible for me to listen to many popular artists this way (even if I want to pay). This would become very popular if DRM didn't exist. I'd definitely buy a lot more music.
The only way I can get MP3s of the music I want without having to encode a CD (bought or burnt from DRM) is currently illegally. That means piracy. That means they lost a sale. That means artists like Britney Spears and Eminem get no money and starve. To be honest (no offence to you Britney or Eminem if you're reading this) I don't care.
I have quick searches in firefox for the pirate bay and isohunt. I can get virtually any album I want in a few minutes.
DRM has stopped me from paying many artists. I do sometimes buy CDs of music I've downloaded if I want to support the artist.
What I'd like to see is artists offering MP3s for sale. They could also have a donate button on their websites for people who got the MP3s illegally but want to support the artist.
To summarise: DRM doesn't stop piracy, it just stops fair use. It is a tool used by distributors to deny ownership to the consumer after they have paid for a product.
That's a long post. Do I get any points for that? Let me know if you agree or disagree on my blog if you want.
Oh, yeah. And they call themselves "an antipiracy group"?
Come one! Convert DRMed mp3s into free-DRM mp3?
For what purpose... maybe having them on the internet in 3 seconds?
DRM does restrict the usage of the music purchased online. So an iTune song should work on Zen player. Does that mean Sony PS2 controller should work with XBox? Or does that mean my 3-sing binder should work for letter, A4 and all different sizes paper?
To Dave #58:
"DRM has stopped me from paying many artists. I do sometimes buy CDs of music I've downloaded if I want to support the artist."
You are not going to pay for the music CD to being with. Stop pulling the easy talk like this. By saying DRM has stopped you from buying music is like claiming wearing pants has stopped you from wanting to have sex! :-D
Very nice. There must be a global standard for DRMed music files. This is a good start point.
All I can say is this:
It's about fucking time.
Finally some government realizes you should be able to use what you pay for....
Hi,
Well, I m french and I can certify that the french peoples are against this f..king DADVSI law.
This law is against all the liberty rights ,liberticide ,and will make us all out the law.
Our Minister for the culture (Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres) an incompetent about the Web.
About interporabilite and DRM it is obvious that it is innaplicable in the world of high technologies and stupid.
For those who reads french, you can look a this site to see the reactions of french peoples : www.ratiatum.com
Feel free to add you comments.
A last word : if the DADVSI law exist we will be worst than China about human rights.
@Long (message number 28) :
I was reading the comments when I read something skocking :
"'The French are trying to create laws that give more freedom to consumers to use things they legally purchased. "
There seems to be a lot you ignore here. I am French, and I followed the voting of the law in France, day after day.
Here, in France, this new law (called dadvsi) has become a shame for the government. Not only they screwed the rights of consumers, but they forced to pass the law in some ways near a dictatorship. Deputies have requested the constitutional commity to examine these ways because they violated, according to them (and to most internet users), the constitution.
The ministry of culture is openly known for being corrupted by money (don't know how to phrase it exactly) : he has already been condemned by the court for hijacking money. He's also known to be the puppet of the Majors.
With this new law, the french right to make a private copy has been abolished : not officially, but now, French people are explicitly forbidden to make a backup of a DVD movie, and to remove a DRM. That means : burning with iTunes on a CD audio DRM-protected files is EXPLICITLY forbidden and heavily condemned.
This ministry has also declared illegal any use of software which is "obviously" aimed to copy copyrighted contents. What does that mean ? eDonkey is illegal ? FTP is illegal ? No one knows. Even your DMCA didn't involve this insanity.
Many deputies (and also among the UMP which have the majority at the government) were against. The "opposition" claimed the dadvsi project to me a major suicide for the country and the free software (Linux could also be considered illegal according to the way you interpret the full law).
The government voted this law after the opposition went out and didn't vote because they were never listened !
Some deputies were more clever, and the interoperability comes from there : seeing the law couldn't be criticized, the deputy proposed an amendment to the law for interoperability. A swear to everyone here, after months of seeing this circus day by day, that the deputies don't know how internet spirit works. They accepted the interoperability without seeing it went against the entire law. There, you see th interoperability as a "free will to consumers". On the contrary, it is a worm put into the apple. The law is the apple, and the appls is deeply rotten. But the worm could be what could permit the law to fall and be dismissd by the senate.
The French internet community (especially people who are for the free software) is COMPLETELY against the new law which is largely compared to China.
One other thing : the law forbids to "talk" ! You cannot talk on a forum and say "burn an audio CD with iTunes" : it is illegal now in France !
Our DADVSI is farly more catastrophic than your DMCA.
You who say you hate France: Go to hell, die alot and eat sh*t.
No wonder you have a president with 85 IQ, really reflects what people who live over there.
And no, Im not french.