http://www.snarkpit.net/forums.php?forum=1&topic=6480&9
I noticed that the reason the "DVD back-up" thread was locked because
it was implied that copy theatrical movies for privatly backing up was
illeagal. It is actually legal to break the encryption and back
up yourprivate copies of movie. Many people seem to missinturpret
that, though. It was settled with the dispute companies had over the invention of the VCR.
Copyright law states that you can leagally copy an owned copy of
another persons work for the purpose of making back-up's, as long as
you own the origanal copy. (example: you don't want dvd to get
scratched up from age, so you copy it and place the origanal in safe
storage.)
It is illeagal once you start to share or give the copy to friends or
extended family . In many cases, the sharing of recorded tv shows
with nearby friends is often ignored.
What was being discussed in the locked forum was not vague about
copying, the title clearly stated it was intended for the purposes of
"back-up". Orpheus was not discussing anything illeagal, by law.
(The entertainment companies, however, really hate the "back-up"
exception in the law because they want you to by more instead of
replacing one back up with another. That's why they go through
the trouble of licensing copy protection software.)
Hope that clears some things up.
[edit]
I don't want to point the blame finger, but Gwil was in the
wrong. However, Gwil is a moderator so he has the right to close
whatever thread he deams unacceptable. He and the other
moderators don't want this forum closed. However, I just hope
this forum doesn't end up like others were moderators censor everything, without fully think it through.
You know, I've actually got nothing to say