From: Tony Williams 

Geo wrote:
> "Tony Williams"  wrote in message
> news:43506b6f{at}w3.nls.net...
>
>
>>See my reply to Rich. Region-free DVDs are mainly popular outside the US
>>where there's a significant advantage to owning them - not having to
>>wait in line behind the US for new DVD releases. This time around the US
>>won't be in such a special position so the rules have changed.
>
>
> Yes but unlike elsewhere the media companies are in control of the lawmakers
> here so it won't be easy to get region free dvd players or any other
> hardware required to escape their control.


My point was that that control hasn't really been challenged yet because
  there was no perceived inconvenience to US customers. If the new DVDs
have restrictions that people find unreasonable then there'll be a battle.
With a bit of luck we'll get a more workable definition of "fair
use" instead of the vague guidelines that are all which seem to exist
at present.

>>>Either that or the underground filesharing networks are going to become
>>>popular in a very big, very unstoppable way.
>>
>>I think that would be a bad outcome for everyone concerned.
>
>
> Like it or not, it's the future. The big media companies are history,
> product placement in the media is going to become the norm and distribution
> via the net will replace the media distribution channels cutting out the
> middleman. That's why the media companies are going after the file share
> networks with such vigor, it's competition (as in a distribution channel
> they don't control) they are trying to eliminate not piracy.

Understood, but if piracy becomes the norm then it will damage the industry
and everyone loses. By attempting to squash the competition from
filesharing networks instead of working with them the media companies are
being extremely short-sighted.

I was at a friend's house the other day and saw a demo of a file-sharing
system being developed by a local startup. Basically, you go to their web
site and browse through a set of movies which you can then play using a
BitTorrent style streaming system. The movies were high-def and played
without a hint of jitter/buffering on a bog standard cable connection.
That's the sort of thing the media companies should be supporting and
making money from, but instead they're more likely to try and shut it down.
Dumb, dumb, dumb.

--
Tony

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