[Gllug] EU council streaming petition

[salsaman at xs4all.nl]

> salsaman at xs4all.nl wrote:
>> Then it must be using different decoders than mplayer.
>>
>
> Yes.
>
>> Only until Microsoft uses encryption to encode the files. Then it falls
>> under DMCA/EUCD laws.
>>
>
> The streams under discussion are not encrypted,


Yet.

How easy would it be for M$ to add encryption to the next version of .wmv,
such that only Vista/Windows Media Player could legally de-crypt it ?

It would be technically very easy. Just a matter of marketing it as "Virus
secure" or some such rubbish.

It would then be illegal to decrypt it.

The .wmv format is also patented. Same problem as with .mp3, .gif and jpeg.

See also the Virtual Dub article I posted a link to. Microsoft could
threaten VLC with a lawsuit any time they wanted.

Or they could simply change the next version of .wmv to be incompatible,
like they do with .doc, and then it would require reverse engineering all
over again.

Gabriel.




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