VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POS...

A device that can clean teeth and pick locks
January 16, 2006 10:00 AM PST

Leaving aside any legal and ethical questions that might arise by its use, we found this purported invention to be interesting for the mechanical parts it uses if nothing else.

With detailed instructions, the inventor claims that a simple oral hygiene tool can be turned into an effective device for picking locks.
Posted by Mike Yamamoto



Often when it comes to true invention and discovery, crossing the line of ethics of the day leads to great discoveries. There seems to be several areas of humanity that create social boundaries preventing discoveries of all types. Lets all take a moment to reflect on the nature of humanity.. Ok that was enough of that! Supposed ethical boundaries have often stymied the progression of insight both to our surroundings, but also into our self's. It is in one of these perceived dark recesses of humanity that I have felt like delving into with this project. Any type of project that effects perception of security and stability of life is never popular. While lock picking is nothing new, for those who know nothing about it, it often shocks and scares people with its ease and sharp reality.


http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/lockpick/lockpick.aspx

 

Not sure I want to know how this works, and my wife better stay away from ebay

December 13, 2005
Wow!



Like the wooden clocks below, here’s a mechanical ass chewer on eBay - You must watch the 2 videos on loud, and see all photos at the bottom of page!

This is a Hand Carved kinetic sculpture; Made from American Black Walnut. Height of the "Mechanical Ass Chewer" is just above 5' tall.

Perfect for: Parents of teen agers, Managers with high production quotas, Law Offices, or anywhere where additional motivation is needed.

This is a Brand New, Completely Hand Carved, #15 from the Artists Lot of A very limited supply. This is your exclusive chance to own an intricately designed device which caters to a broad range of uses, including Abstract Art collectors, Humor Connoisseurs and seekers of Stress Relief devices. (From quonsar)

 

Sony BMG DRM on military nets

p2p news / p2pnet: "Hundreds of thousands of networks across the globe, including many military and government networks, appear to still contain PCs with the controversial copy-protection software installed by music discs sold by media giant Sony BMG," says SecurityFocus, quoting security expert Dan Kaminsky.

Sony BMG was caught red-handed using Digital-Restrictions Management (DRM) MediaMax software from SunnComm and First 4 Internet's Extended Copy Protection (XCP) rootkit program. It hid the DRM on music CDs. When users played them, the spyware was installed without their knowledge.

Sony BMG is now being sued in a number of class actions and has also been forced to offer cash and product replacements to victims. The fall-out continues despite Sony boss Howard Stringer's efforts to downplay the PR catastrophe.

During an initial survey in mid-November last year, Kaminsky found 568,000 DNS servers had previously been asked to look up three different server addresses used by the XCP software, says SecurityFocus. "Another 350,000 servers had to be thrown out from the data set because they did not obey commands to only look in their cache, and instead asked for information from other servers on the Internet."

Between December 15 and December 23, another survey found 350,000 servers had the unique address in their caches, the story says, going on, "While other factors may increase or decrease the number, Kaminsky continues to stress that the experiment is about finding out the magnitude of the impact of Sony BMG's software.

"The data shows [sic] that this is most likely a hundreds-of-thousands to millions of victims issue," Kaminsky stated, also saying, "The global scope is the big mystery here. It is fairly likely that a lot of the discs were pirated."

Given that the Sony BMG DRM has affected US government and military computers, will the Department of Justice now become involved?

Not likely, SecurityFocus quotes Jennifer Granick, executive director of the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, as saying: "I don't see the federal government suing a big company like Sony. The fact that military networks have likely been affected by this won't change that."

Also See:
SecurityFocus - Researcher: Sony BMG "rootkit" still widespread, January 16, 2006
downplay - Sony boss on DRM spyware mess, January 9, 2006

(Monday 16th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7624

 

Cdn copyright lobby and government

p2p news view / p2pnet: While there has been great interest in the Bulte story for the past two weeks (which continues with Cory Doctorow's terrific op-ed yesterday on the dangers of U.S. style copyright reform in the Toronto Star, Rob Hyndman's great post on the impact of blogs, and the Globe's Matthew Ingram), I think it is important to understand that Thursday's fundraiser and the history of financial contributions is only a small sample of the link between lobbying and campaign contributions with copyright reform.

Using government records and information obtained under the Access to Information Act, my Law Bytes column (Toronto Star) reveals a process that is badly skewed toward lobby interests and in serious need of reform. From the column:

Industry Canada' s Lobbyist Registration Database includes dozens of registered lobbyists for copyright interests. For example, the Canadian Recording Industry Association currently has five registered lobbyists on its payroll, while Access Copyright' s similarly sized contingent of five registered lobbyists even includes former MP Paul Bonwick, a Bulte contributor who worked closely with her on a 2004 copyright report while both served on the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

Financial contributions to political parties and MPs are commonplace, which helps to explain Canadian Motion Pictures Distributors Association President Douglas Frith' s response to the furor over the Bulte fundraiser. Frith argued that the process was balanced by virtue of his organization' s financial support for both Liberal and Conservative candidates.

According to Elections Canada, in the decade from 1993 to 2003, CRIA provided campaign contributions to the Liberal party in every year with the exception of 2001. While during many years only modest amounts were donated, by far the largest contribution was made in 1998, which came immediately after the passage of copyright reform. That reform bill included the establishment of the private copying levy that has since generated more than $140 million in revenue for the industry and artists.

While the impact of lobbyists occasionally comes into public view through the presence of MPs at industry-sponsored events, most of it is evident only behind closed doors.

Greater access to Ministers and government officials is certainly one of the most important consequences. A March 2002 letter from then CRIA President Brian Robertson to newly appointed Industry Minister Allan Rock, obtained under the Access to Information Act, provides a classic illustration of this phenomenon.

The CRIA letter congratulates Rock on his new position and urges him to support ratification of the World Intellectual Property Organization' s Internet treaties. Rock is advised that CRIA has enjoyed a very productive dialogue with Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps "persuasive enough to have the Minister of Heritage publicly state. . . that it was now the government' s intention to ratify the Treaties."

The copyright lobby has also proven successful in obtaining greater representation before parliamentary committees as well as in securing meetings with government officials. During Bulte' s tenure as chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in 2004, the committee was perceived to be decidedly pro-copyright lobby with panels stacked against user interests.

That perception is borne out by internal government documents which verify that Bulte shot down a proposal to allow Industry Committee MPs, who are generally perceived to provide a technology-focused balance to the debate, to attend copyright hearings. Bulte's terse response indicated that "the chair of the heritage committee is not open to the suggestion of inviting industry committee members."

The copyright lobby also meets regularly with government officials. A document obtained under the Access to Information Act titled "List of meetings between Canadian Heritage' s Copyright Policy Branch and its stakeholders in copyright reform" indicates that in the nearly thirteen months between April 1, 2004 and April 25, 2005, government and policy officials from that department met or held teleconferences 15 times with Access Copyright, 14 times with music collectives, seven times with CRIA, and five times with publisher associations. Meanwhile, the document lists only one meeting with education groups, two meetings with public interest groups, and two meetings with technology groups.

In fact, the close connection between the copyright lobby and government can even extend to contracts. Last year, the Canadian Publishers' Council, whose executive director is one of the hosts of the Bulte fundraiser, obtained a $20,000 contract for a "copyright awareness initiative" whose goal was to develop an Internet-based social awareness campaign to "engage young people in a new conversation about copyright."

I conclude by arguing that copyright policy must be both fair and seen to be fair. It is time for a new approach that starts with a commitment from all MPs who accept funds from the copyright lobby not to serve in Ministerial positions or on legislative committees that involve copyright policy. The final week of the election campaign provides the ideal opportunity for Canada' s leaders to begin to clean up Canadian copyright.

Michael Geist
[Geist is the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. He can be reached by email at mgeist[at]uottawa.ca and is on-line at michaelgeist.ca.]

(Monday 16th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7623

 

GPL 3 draft online

p2p news / p2pnet: The Free Software Foundation has now made the first discussion draft of the forthcoming General Public License version 3 public.

Anyone can copy and distribute verbatim copies, but changing it isn't allowed.

To get you started, the preamble is below >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Discussion Draft 1 of Version 3, 16 Jan 2006

The licenses for most software are designed to take away your freedom to share and change it. By contrast, the GNU General Public License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change free software--to make sure the software is free for all its users. We, the Free Software Foundation, use the GNU General Public License for most of our software; it applies also to any other program whose authors commit to using it. (Some Free Software Foundation software is covered by the GNU Lesser General Public License instead.) You can apply it to your programs, too.

When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.

To protect your rights, we need to make requirements that forbid anyone to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender the rights. These restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for you if you distribute copies of the software, or if you modify it.

For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights.

Developers that use the GNU GPL protect your rights with two steps: (1) assert copyright on the software, and (2) offer you this License which gives you legal permission to copy, distribute and/or modify the software.

For the developers' and author's protection, the GPL clearly explains that there is no warranty for this free software. If the software is modified by someone else and passed on, the GPL ensures that recipients are told that what they have is not the original, so that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on the original authors' reputations.

Some countries have adopted laws prohibiting software that enables users to escape from Digital Restrictions Management. DRM is fundamentally incompatible with the purpose of the GPL, which is to protect users' freedom; therefore, the GPL ensures that the software it covers will neither be subject to, nor subject other works to, digital restrictions from which escape is forbidden.

Finally, every program is threatened constantly by software patents. We wish to avoid the special danger that redistributors of a free program will individually obtain patent licenses, in effect making the program proprietary. To prevent this, the GPL makes it clear that any patent must be licensed for everyone's free use or not licensed at all.

Go here for the full document.

(Monday 16th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7625

 

Napster to shut up shop or sell business? Job losses Looming?
Posted by Quakester2000 on 16 January 2006 - 19:59 - Source: The Register

Napster has denied claims that a major reorganisation of the business is in progress that could see a large number of employees losing their jobs. They have also strongly denied that there are any plans to shut the business down or sell it on. The allegations came from sources supposedly close to the action according to Digital Music News.

A Napster insider has said that these stories sound like New Year speculation and that this year Napster will be expanding with new products on the way. While this internal source paints a positive picture other sources in the industry have heard such allegations such as job cuts looming especially in their UK division.

While Napster’s financial results are not currently available for the 3rd Quarter which ended 31st December 2005 they will be next month. Unless Napster did some terrific business during Christmas it may suffer like it did in the 2nd Quarter where it made a net loss of $13.61m on revenues of $23.38m.

While Napster may be having a hard time Apple iTunes isn't with Steve Jobs announcing last week that the iTunes service had taken 83% of the US market. This leaves Napster,Yahoo, Real and the others to fight it out for the remaining 17% of the market. In the UK Napster's market share is just 10% according to research, while Apple iTunes has a 54% market share. While 10% sounds low it still gives Napster 2nd place in the UK market in front of Wippit.

Just last month Napster expanded into Germany the fourth market it has entered after launching in the US, Canada and the UK.

NapsterNapster has denied claims that the digital music company is on the verge of a major shake-up that could see large numbers of employees lose their jobs. It also rejected allegations that Napster's bosses are planning to sell the business - or shut it down. The charges were made this weekend by sources said a report at website Digital Music News to be "close to the situation".

But while one Napster insider said the claims sound like "idle New Year speculation... all the plans I know of for Napster in 2006 relate to new products and expansion", industry sources told The Register they too have heard such allegations, in particular that the company is making job-cuts here in the UK.

Results for Napster's most recently completed quarter, Q3 FY2006, which ended 31 December 2005, are due to be made public early next month. The company's second quarter, ended 30 September 2005, led it to report a net loss of $13.61m (32 cents a share) on revenues of $23.38m.

iTunesLast week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs claimed the iTunes Music Store has an 83 per cent share of the US digital music download market. That leaves Napster battling the likes of RealNetworks, Virgin Digital, Yahoo! Music, WalMart and others for the remaining 17 per cent. UK-specific research put Napster's local share at ten per cent, well behind ITMS' 54 per cent share of the market, but still in second place, just ahead of UK digital music pioneer Wippit.

Last month, Napster set up shop in Germany, the fourth market the company has entered after launching in the US, the UK and Canada.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12956

if i was ye guys i would read the back posts of mine

 

A LITTLE ON HEALTH NEWS...I WOULD READ THIS IF USING VIAGRA AND CIALIS!!!!!!

Impotence drugs linked to eye damage risk -study

Reuters

January 16, 2006 04:09:39 PM PST

Impotence drugs such as Viagra and Cialis can increase the risk of eye damage in men who have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure, researchers said on Tuesday.

In a small study, scientists at the University of Alabama in Birmingham found that men who had suffered a heart attack were 10 times more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had been taking leading anti-impotence pills.

"For patients with a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), we did observe a strong and statistically significant association suggestive of a link between the use of Viagra and/or Cialis and an increased risk of NAION," Dr Gerald McGwin, who headed the study, said in a report in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), is the most common cause of acute optic nerve disease in people over 50 years old. It can cause permanent loss of vision in one or both eyes.

Viagra, made by Pfizer Inc and Eli Lilly and Co's Cialis, are leading impotence treatments.

McGwin and his team questioned 76 men, half of whom suffered from NAION, who were treated at a specialist eye clinic in the United States, about their smoking and drinking habits and use of anti-impotence pills.

The researchers found that men who had had a heart attack were 10 times more likely to have optic nerve damage if they had taken the anti-impotence drugs.

Tens of millions of men have used Viagra and Cialis since the treatments were launched.

In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States said it had received more than 40 reports of NAION involving impotence drugs but had not determined whether the treatments were responsible.

Pfizer said a review of 103 Viagra clinical trials involving more than 13,000 patients found no reports of NAION. But the company has changed the label on Viagra to note reports of

NAION.

"The labels have been updated," said a spokesman.

Eli Lilly has also changed its labels on Cialis. No one from the company was immediately available to comment on the new research.

McGwin and his team said patients with heart disease or high blood pressure should be warned about the elevated risk of NAION when taking anti-impotence pills.

"Though NAION is a rare condition, the large number of men using Viagra or Cialis suggests that, should an association truly exist, the incidence of NAION could rise dramatically," McGwin added.
http://health.yahoo.com/news/143137


Is Your Kid's Candy a Poison?
HealthDay

Yahoo! Health: Bioterrorism News

January 16, 2006 03:56:16 PM PST

(HealthDay News) -- For years, the public has been alerted to lead content in paint because of its potential damage to children.

A recent study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that certain candies from Mexico imported to the United States contain lead levels almost as high as those found in paint.

California has traced 15 percent of its lead-poisoning cases to candy.

So, to be safe, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips:

* If you suspect that someone may have eaten candy with lead in it, go to your doctor for a blood test.
* Buy only well-known brands of candy.
* Avoid tamarind candy packed in ceramic pots; tests have found high lead levels in the lollipops' wrappers.

 

Skype 2.0 looks like a virus

skypeI've been a huge fan of Skype in recent years because of their user friendliness and seamless encryption, but I was shocked to find that Skype 2.0 triggered a DEP (Data Execution Prevention) warning on my new computer running Windows XP SP2. DEP is a new security mechanism in Windows XP SP2 that makes use of the new NX and XD (No Execute and Execute Disable) technology built in to modern AMD and Intel microprocessors to prevent common security exploits from launching. While most people are not aware of the new NX/XD protection mechanism that Windows and other modern operating systems affords, it could easily save them from the next zero-day cyber attack before any other protection method is available. » Skype 2.0 looks like a virus | George Ou | ZDNet.com
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/index.php?p=148

Skype 2.0 looks like a virus
Posted by George Ou @ 2:02 am

I've been a huge fan of Skype in recent years because of their user friendliness and seamless encryption, but I was shocked to find that Skype 2.0 triggered a DEP (Data Execution Prevention) warning on my new computer running Windows XP SP2. DEP is a new security mechanism in Windows XP SP2 that makes use of the new NX and XD (No Execute and Execute Disable) technology built in to modern AMD and Intel microprocessors to prevent common security exploits from launching. While most people are not aware of the new NX/XD protection mechanism that Windows and other modern operating systems affords, it could easily save them from the next zero-day cyber attack before any other protection method is available.

In the most recent example, DEP when configured correctly easily stopped the WMF Exploit in its tracks even when no other protections were in place. Since then, I've made it a point to change the default Windows XP SP2 settings and turn on hardware-enforced DEP on all programs and services. The ability to preemptively mitigate known and future unknown malicious code execution is extremely valuable because we can't always hope that the antivirus definitions will be up-to-date or that people will update to the latest virus definition files. We can't even be certain that people will bother to install antivirus or patch their computers for the latest security vulnerabilities. This is why it's so important for people to only buy new computers with AMD NX or Intel XD enabled CPUs and turn on DEP protection for all programs and services.

Microsoft left the default settings for DEP in a half functioning state which only protected essential programs and services fearing it would generate a lot of complaints from incompatible legacy applications and result in a lower adoption rate for Windows XP SP2. In my experience, I haven't had too many issues with DEP incompatibilities which is why I was shocked that the latest version of Skype triggered the following DEP warning:

To fix the problem, I had to click on the "Change Settings" button in the warning dialog and then modify the DEP exception list. "Skype. The whole world can talk for free." was already conveniently inserted in to the exception list for you with an empty checkmark box next to it. All I had to do is check the box and hit OK and Skype no longer triggered the DEP warning as shown here:

While this may seem simple enough, it isn't always so obvious to the novice user who may not even be an administrator with the necessary privileges to modify the DEP settings. This is certainly out of character for an application that prides itself in ease-of-use. For all the user knows, Skype just looks like any other malicious code trying to infect their computer.

With the DEP exception in place, an even bigger concern is the security implications of turning off DEP protection for Skype. Skype is an application that interacts with the wild and public Internet and Skype has had its share of vulnerability issues in the past so turning off a critical protection mechanism like DEP is the last thing I want to do. Having DEP enabled on Skype will at least give users some protection if Skype has any future vulnerabilities. Skype really needs to get their act together and fix this problem as soon as possible.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/index.php?p=148

 

Subject: Sad news from Crawford

>>PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY DESTROYED BY FLOOD
>>
>>
>> Crawford, Texas -- A tragic flood this morning destroyed the personal
>>
>> library of President George W. Bush. The flood began in the presidential
>>
>> bathroom where both of the books were kept.
>>
>>
>> Both of his books have been lost.
>>
>>
>> A presidential spokesman said the president was devastated, as he
>>had almost
>>
>> finished coloring the second one.
>>
The White House tried to call FEMA but there was no answer.

 

UK consumer watchdog calls for new laws to protect users' rights
Posted by Dan Bell on 17 January 2006 - 14:19 - Source: BBC

StarGhost used our news submit to tell us "It"s about time this was addressed. If record and movie companies continue in their current trend they will alienate people from buying traditional forms of media and may even push people into using pirated, unrestricted editions of their content."

The National Consumer Council (NCC) said anti-piracy efforts were eroding established rights to digital media. The NCC had little faith that industry self-regulation would adequately protect consumers" rights. It made its comments to a parliamentary inquiry into technologies that limit what people can do with CDs, DVDs and downloaded media.

No faith

In its submission to the inquiry, the NCC said many consumers were regularly running up against the restrictions record companies and film makers put on their products.

It seems that Starghost's comment just about sums it up for me as well! Thanks for the story, this is a most interesting article.
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12958


Fears raised over digital rights
CD being placed in PC drive, BBC
Consumers are being frustrated by digital locks on music and movies
A UK consumer watchdog has called for new laws to protect users' rights to use digital music and movies.

The National Consumer Council (NCC) said anti-piracy efforts were eroding established rights to digital media.

The NCC had little faith that industry self-regulation would adequately protect consumers' rights.

It made its comments to a parliamentary inquiry into technologies that limit what people can do with CDs, DVDs and downloaded media.

No faith

In its submission to the inquiry, the NCC said many consumers were regularly running up against the restrictions record companies and film makers put on their products.

The consumer group said people were finding that they could not make compilations for their own use or easily move digital copies between different devices.

In its statement to the inquiry it said the digital locks put on content were "constraining the legitimate consumer use of digital content".

Also being undermined were rights established by consumer protection and data protection laws, it said.

"Consumers face security risks to their equipment, limitations on their use of products, poor information when purchasing products and unfair contract terms," said Jill Johnstone, the NCC's director of policy.

She added that the group had little faith that self-regulation by media makers would protect consumer rights.

Sony woes

As a case in point, the NCC referred to the furore over the methods Sony BMG used to stop some of its CDs being copied.

The music maker suffered a long bout of bad publicity following the discovery that its anti-piracy system used virus-like techniques to hide itself.

The row led to Sony BMG being sued by many consumers and many US states. Eventually Sony recalled the CDs using the most controversial anti-piracy software and offer refunds to consumers who suffered.

It has also stopped using some copy protection systems following the row.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4617176.stm

 

Fastest DVD to iPod software launched
Posted by Dan Bell on 17 January 2006 - 14:46 - Source: i-newswire

The following text is a complete press release, unmodified by CD Freaks. If you don't want to view these kind of news posting you can disable them in your preferences page once logged in. Please send your press releases to news@cdfreaks.com

Makayama Interactive announces the availability of iPod Media Studio 2.0. This innovative software lets you watch home movies, feature films and TV-series on your video iPod in great quality, in full screen, zoomed mode. It contains new ‘cyberspeed technology’, that allows 300% faster conversions and only two clicks to get from DVD to iPod.

(I-Newswire) - The software installs an encoding package on a Windows XP computer, users pick any video file from their harddrive, CD or DVD and with only two clicks, the iPod Media Studio turns it into a compressed movie file, which will play on the MPEG4-mediaplayer on the iPod. The headset or the built-in speaker can be used to listen to the sound. Subtitled and foreign language DVDs are also supported.

The new version is 300% faster than other products and it adds greater flexibility to the user interface. In less than 45 minutes a DVD can be transferred to the iPod. The software produces an amazingly sharp picture and stereo CD-quality sound. The ideal solution for frequent travellers or to keep the kids happy in the back of the car.
The software captures all content ( AVI, MPEG1, DivX, XVID, VOB, ASF ) on all drives ( harddrive, CD, DVD, removable ) and encodes it to iPod.

The free tryout version allows users to convert 3 minutes of all content and doesn’t expire. Runs on Windows XP/2000/NT ( no Mac version ).

The online download price is USD 32.95 ( EUR 29.95 ). A free demo version is available. Existing users may upgrade for free.

Company Profile
Makayama Interactive is an innovative startup company. Mobile Media Studio is a family of products, which Makayama is developing. The products function as an offline hub between PC’s and mobile devices, allowing ( home ) movies, tv and downloaded content to be played on personal organisers, mobile phones, portable mediaplayers and game consoles. Makayama aims to make platform-shift of media content a zero config experience for consumers. Members of the Mobile Media Studio family include versions for Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson phones, Windows Mobile Smartphones and the Playstation Portable gaming device.

More information
Makayama Interactive BVBA
Product page: http://www.makayama.com/dvdtoipod.html

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/12959

 

DVD Jon sets his sights on AACS

1/16/2006 4:42:50 PM, by Nate Anderson

Jon Lech Johansen, better known as "DVD Jon," has thrown down a gauntlet to the entertainment industry. As you probably remember, Johansen created DeCSS, the first product capable of breaking the CSS encryption found on DVDs. He was promptly sued by the entertainment industry in Norway, where he lived at the time, but was found not guilty twice. In late 2005, Johansen moved to San Diego in order to work with Michael Robertson of MP3tunes.com and Linspire. The move also put Johansen closer to the US entertainment industry, which has done everything in its power to stop the distribution of DeCSS.

Johansen doesn't appear worried by the Hollywood types to his North; indeed, on his blog he has issued a provocative statement about AACS, the next-generation content protection system that will be found both in Blu-ray and HD DVD.

"AACS, like CSS, will be a success. Not at preventing piracy. That's not the primary objective of any DRM system. Anyone who has read the CSS license agreement knows that the primary objective is to control the market for players. Don't you just love when your DVD player tells you "This operation is prohibited" when you try to skip the intro?"

We at Ars have been saying the same thing for some time—DRM is ultimately about control (and the money that comes with it), not about piracy. Johansen apparently has plans to do something about the situation, too. In the same post, he announced that he has registered the domain deaccs.com, suggesting that he will attempt to develop a program like DeCSS when AACS finally appears in a shipping product.

Such a move could land him in hot water now that he's in America. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it illegal to circumvent copy protection technology, regardless of whether the purpose is piracy or watching movies under Linux. When Johansen was acquitted in Norway, the laws there were not as strict, and one wonders how far he will go knowing that the entertainment industry has him on its radar screen.

Of course, he's in no danger yet because the AACS specification has not even been finalized. Though HD DVD players are slated to ship soon and Sony plans to include a Blu-ray drive in the PS3, the content control specification that both will use still languishes at version 0.9, and has since April of last year. The spec is controlled by the AACS Licensing Authority, who have an unintentionally hilarious page on their web site that outlines the many consumer benefits that AACS will bring to those living in darkness:

* Support a superior viewing experience delivered by next generation media formats
* Enable greater flexibility to manage distribute, and play entertainment content on a wider range of devices
* Enable groundbreaking home entertainment choices and the ability to use content on PCs and a range of CE devices
* Work across a variety of formats and platforms

It's hard to see how AACS could provide "greater flexibility" than, say, no encryption at all (think CDs), though it will provide marginally more flexibility than CSS because it allows for the possibility ofcontrolled copies on personal computers and other media devices. Because the spec is not yet finalized, it's hard to know exactly what it will look like. Next-generation video formats will probably prove much harder to crack than the current generation, though, because of schemes like Sony's BD+ (which will appear in Blu-ray), which will allow the encryption process to be changed even after players are released. Will such schemes be enough to hold out against DVD Jon and his like?
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060116-5989.html

 

Broadcast flag also coming to HD Radio

1/17/2006 10:31:15 AM, by Nate Anderson

Open letters have been flying back and forth between the RIAA and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) over the issue of protecting content on HD Radio. HD Radio, like satellite radio, will provide digital, static-free broadcasts of your favorite radio stations, and will do so in near-CD quality (actually a compressed 96 kbps signal for FM, 32 kbps for AM). The very thought of beaming unencrypted 96 kbps transmissions of The White Stripes into people's homes is enough to work the RIAA into a lather. The issue, they claim, is piracy: who will buy the CD when they can simply record a pristine digital copy of a song off the radio? (Answer: anyone who wants to hear something besides the 60 songs served up by Clear Channel.)

One of the RIAA's proposals for safeguarding content on HD Radio is encryption at the source, which means that the digital segment of radio transmissions would be scrambled and unable to be heard without special equipment. As you might imagine, the National Association of Broadcasters is not thrilled about the idea. Many of their members have already installed expensive equipment in preparation for the switch to digital broadcasting, and the first HD Radio sets are already on the market. Forcing broadcasters to encrypt their transmission at the source would render all of this equipment obsolete. Furthermore, the NAB doesn't believe that HD Radio is quite the boon to digital pirates that the RIAA says it is. In an open letter to his counterpart at the RIAA, NAB president David Rehr asserts that digital radio will have little effect on piracy.

"As a matter of initial discussion, NAB questions the degree to which HD Radio threatens copyright or will facilitate unauthorized, digital distribution of sound recordings. Those desiring to obtain and listen to pure, uninterrupted performances of sound recording in lieu of radio already have an abundant number of means to do so. Peer-to-peer file sharing and the hours of uninterrupted music that can be stored on CDs and discs are but a few such means. iPod uploads and digital music on the Internet would seem to present much larger and more immediate threats to copyright holders."

Rehr also points out that no free, over-the-air broadcast system (analog or digital) has ever been required to encrypt its transmissions, and that being forced to do so could set back the adoption of HD Radio by years.

So, a clear victory for common sense and consumer's rights? Not quite. While rejecting the idea of encryption at the source, Rehr ends the letter by making a proposal. He suggests that the RIAA and the NAB get together to agree on details of a broadcast flag that would allow radio stations to control what listeners do with their content. Mitch Bainwol, president of the RIAA, could not be more pleased about the idea. In a letter back to Rehr, he says:

"The RIAA has always been agnostic as to the technological method of protecting content contained in digital broadcasts. As stated in our FCC filing, while we agree with many in the information technology industry that encryption at the source provides robust protection, a broadcast flag technology similar to the solution you support in the video context would be adequate to meet our needs. We understand that for the reasons you mention in your letter, encryption at the source is not a technological solution that provides a viable option at this point and therefore support working with you to implement a broadcast flag solution for digital over-the-air radio."

By making their initial suggestion (encryption at the source) a draconian one, the RIAA's love for the broadcast flag idea now looks like a reasonable compromise. With both the RIAA and the NAB on board, it's looking increasingly certain that the broadcast flag will become a reality for HD Radio. What does this mean for you? Back in November we pointed out that the RIAA was pushing the HD Radio Content Protection Act of 2005 (HDRCPA) in Congress, and that the legislation gives us a pretty good idea of how the RIAA would want such a broadcast flag to function. Under the law, equipment capable of receiving HD Radio would be required to abide by certain limitations, among them:

(A) permit recording only of specific programs, channels or time periods as selected by the user in increments of no less than thirty minutes duration, where no more than 50 hours of recorded material is stored at any one time, and recorded material is deleted or otherwise made inaccessible on a first-in, first-out basis;

(B) do not permit recording or playback based on information concerning specific soundrecordings, artists, genres or other user preferences;

(C) do not permit the automated disaggregation of the coumpyrighted material contained in any recording of a transmission program;

(D) effectively prevent access to the recorded material other than as described in this paragraph; and

(E) do not permit the redistribution, retransmission or other exporting of recorded material from the device by digital outputs or removable media.

Digital transmission of television and radio will bring us better picture and sound, but it will also bring the RIAA's idea of fair use into our living rooms. Is this the sort of houseguest we want?
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060117-5992.html

 

DJs unaware of digital playback restrictions

1/16/2006 4:48:40 PM, by Jeremy Reimer

According to a story by the BBC, disc jockeys are unaware of a law that prohibits them from playing digital copies of music they already own from their laptops or portable music players. This applies not only to rips from physical media (such as CDs) but also music that had been digitally downloaded over services such as Apple's iTunes Music Store (iTMS).

Previously, it was illegal for DJs to play digital copies of their own music in public, but few people were aware of this restriction. The UK's royalty collection agency, PPL, introduced a new law last September in an attempt to reach a compromise. Under the new legislation, DJs can play digital tracks that they already own as long as they pay an additional £200 annual fee. The money collected is distributed among the record companies represented by the PPL.

PPL Business affairs director Peter Leathem attempted to explain the new law:

"Rather than saying stop it, don't do it, we've actually tried to embrace what people want to do and come up with a licence to be able to do that. You don't actually have to DJ using a laptop. You can use vinyl, you can use CD, so we're saying that if it's not worth your while spending £200 then don't do it."

Laws requiring licence fees for public broadcast of copyrighted music are not new. For example, most aerobics instructors pay an annual fee to a company that produces sped-up, techno versions of popular songs. The fee covers not only the cost of creating the new tracks but the licence fees to the record companies that sold the originals. However, the DJ law is strikingly different because it makes a clear distinction between playing an original copy of a song that you own and playing a digital copy. Previously, DJs needed only to purchase the record or CD in question and then they were perfectly licensed to play it in public. However, as soon as they make a digital copy, suddenly all their existing rights are removed.

According to a BBC Radio 1 DJ, most jockeys are just as unaware of the new law as they were of the old one. They are also unaware that they could face penalties including legal costs and breach of copyright damages if they are pursued by the PPL, which Leathem admitted would start happening in the future. Venues could also be pressured to check to see if the DJs have paid the license before they hire them.

Is this a legitimate licensing issue, or is it closer to extortion? The question is an interesting one, as it raises the issue of how digital technology continues to conflict with traditional media's idea of control. If you purchase music one CD or vinyl record at a time, the record companies get to decide what songs you will pay for. A DJ that can mix and match digital copies of songs has a much more flexible approach to his or her job, and apparently this does not sit well with the record companies. Perhaps they have read the stories about nightclubs where patrons are encouraged to select their own mixes from a pair of iPods. Will similar laws make their way across the pond?
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060116-5990.html

 

FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,FREE,


AVG Anti-Virus Free 7.1.375a691
...One of the best damn freebies out there....

AVG Anti-Virus offers maximum virus protection, product customization, and free virus database updates and technical support. The core of the testing engine is a Virtual Device Driver which loads into memory on Windows startup.
Screenshot:


Released: January 16, 2006
Publisher: Grisoft
Homepage: AVG Anti-Virus Free
Downloads: 192,272
License: Freeware
OS Support: Windows (All)
Uninstaller?: Yes

FileForum download
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/AVG_AntiVirus_Free/1028312263/1

 

Let's hear it for porn!

p2pnet feature: The first photograph ever was taken by Nicéphore Niépce. He'd been mucking around trying to invent a working camera and one day, got a decent shot of the view from his workroom window. It was pretty boring but encouraged by his success, Niépce dropped his pants, pointed the camera downwards and took the world's second photograph.*

God I love the adult industry. They're so with it!

If you ever needed proof that some people would never, ever buy the content they download from the p2p networks, just look at porn (as an example, although you can take that literally if you want - blame it all on me if someone catches you). Porn producers have always been at the forefront of advances in technology, often infulencing the technology itself and it's adoption by the general public.

Want to know how we ended up with VHS instead of Betamax VCRs?

The equipment for manufacturing stuff on Betamax was expensive. The VHS gear was cheap. Adult film producers didn't have the cash to spend on Sony's Betamax, so they put all their blue movies out on VHS. Guess what people did? They bought VHS players because there was more content available for that format.

VCRs were fantastic! It was no longer necessary to sit in a big dark room with dozens of other people in a raincoat with the inner pockets cut out - you could watch people getting it on in the privacy of your own home! All you had to do was make a quick dash into an adult video store, grab the video with the sexiest cover, pay your money while avoiding the checkout guys gaze and run out onto the street again. Then someone decided you could skip that all together and get your porn posted to you, no face to face contact required!

"Woohoo!" said all the people embarrassed about being seen buying racy movies. "Woohoo!" said the pornographers as they pocketed enormous amounts of cash, (quickly followed by "hey, maybe we could spend a few extra bucks on the set next time...") Then the internet came along and helloooo new marketplace!

Sex is such a great analogy for recorded media: you can enjoy it by yourself, or with other people. Some people will pay for it, some people won't. For those that do pay, you can watch it live, or watch it on a screen. You can get it free if you know where to go. You can buy lots of gadgets to make it more interesting.

And there's something out there for everyone.

The adult industry understood this all a long time ago, which is why you'll never see them jumping up and down about losing revenue from p2p. Can you imagine for a minute what would happen if the Free Speech Coalition (how's that for a cool sounding trade organization?) went around suing people for downloading? We's be seeing court cases like F@@k Me Films vs. Does 1-25.

If you thought being sued by a record company was bad, imagine having your name stuck on that public document! It would be bloody effective of course - millions of people really would stop downloading then, but at the same time none of them would be going out and buying their smut instead of downloading it - the only reason people are downloading Leather & Chains Lovin' Volume 9 is because they wouldn't be seen dead buying it in public.

Even in some parts of the western world, being caught with that kind of film would be cause for losing your job, moving house and perhaps changing your name as well.

People selling bootleg porn DVDs (ie, real pirates) actually do get busted for it which is all right an proper, but in general the adult film industry is pretty chilled about people copying for "private home viewing". Sure it would be nice for them if all the internet pornoholics started handing over their credit cards for some hot and horny hardcore action but they figure that if it ain't gonna happen, why try and force people? After all, there's way too much rootin', tootin' fun to be had just going to work every day to waste time complaining about some spotty teenager ripping them off.

Perhaps one day Hollywood will wake up and realize the porno makers are actually pulling in more money than they are, even with all their content flying freely across the net (Yes, sales and rentals of adult movies brought in more cash than the mainstream movie business did last year).

People didn't suddenly stop buying porn when the internet started getting popular - overall they bought more.

People also didn't stop buying regular content - overall, they bought more and they'll keep buying it too, provided it can be delivered to them in new and creative ways like the adult entertainment industry has been providing over the last few years.

As much as a lot of people hate to admit it, the adult entertainment industry has been a consistent leader in recorded media and has a huge impact on the shape of the world.

So, if you're wondering who'll win the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD battle, find out what type of next-gen player Jenna Jamison is buying.

* I have absolutely no proof of this whatsoever.

Alex H, p2pnet - Sydney, Australia
[Alex is an operations manager for an ATM (automatic teller machine) supplier and he specialises in infrastructure development and maintenance, and logistics. He’s also an[other] active member of the Shareaza community who's just started his own blog called Tech Loves Art where you'll find past p2pnet posts, together with other goodies to come ; ]

(Tuesday 17th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7630

 

p2pnet talks to mininova

p2p news special / p2pnet: Peer-to-peer, person-to-person, people-to-people, p2p, is here. And it's not going away. Nor will it be scarfed up and regurgitated by vested corporate interests as a wholly commercial technology meant to keep cash-cow consumers mindlessly swallowing whatever the music, movie and software cartels care to dish out.

Rather, p2p is allowing the Net and the people who use it to be truly free, sharing with each other in a way that's never been possible before.

Bram Cohen's BitTorrent is a primary p2p technology that's now been locked up solid by the Hollywood establishment. But that's OK because it continues to thrive as ever was, outside of corporate bottom line constraints, and in original form.

Given that, directories are of obvious, and vital, importance and mininova has become firmly established as a leading torrent site.

It had its first birthday a couple of days ago and we checked in with Niek, Erik, Jos, Matthijs and Rob >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

p2pnet : Running a torrent site might be considered by some to be an occupation fraught with risk. What makes you do it?

mininova : We run mininova because we believe in the future of p2p file sharing technology and we want to provide a extensive and easy to use torrent directory for users.

p2pnet : There's a perception that what you do is illegal - that it's in some way against the law. What's your response to that?

mininova : Hosting torrent files and providing a directory of torrent files is 100% legal. Google is indexing warez and serials sites, so does that make their service illegal? Of course not. The technology is completely legal, although it'll take some time for people to get used to new technologies. Remember the first days of audio casettes? The music industry was afraid this would destroy their market, but the opposite was true.

p2pnet : The major movie and music cartels are trying to nail BT sites. Do you expect mininova to eventually be targeted? Or do you have a survival plan?

mininova : We don't suspect mininova to be ever taken down by legal actions. Unlike most BitTorrent sites, we've got a strict copyright policy. And we've got a quite good relationship with companies like Microsoft regarding copyright issues.

p2pnet : The RIAA, MPAA, BSA and other 'trade' organizations claim sites such as yours in effect feed criminal counterfeiters whom they've labeled 'pirates' Do you think these kinds of people really do use torrent sites to find material they can they sell illegally?

mininova : The commercial-pirate scene is much more hidden. They get their stuff from different places - warez/fxp sites, etc.

p2pnet : What's your perception of mininova users and the users of sites like it?

mininova : Our regular visitor is a home user who visits mininova daily and looks for new content he or she likes, for example tv shows which only air in other countries.

p2pnet : When you were getting started, you had help from ThePirateBay and isoHunt. Did this surprise you?

mininova : Yes, it was a nice surprise to see that the administrators of the (at that time) biggest BT sites were so helpful to starters like us. We still cooperate closely with those sites, of course in a whole other way than one year ago.

p2pnet : What's been your most noticeable high and most noticeable low in your first year?

mininova : In the beginning, our site went down quite often due to technical issues. Mininova simply grew too fast for our servers to handle the load. So we had quite some down time, sometimes several days. But that moment our site was up again, our forum was flooded by "thank you, you're still alive!" posts, that's something you're not going to forget.

p2pnet : What would you say to someone thinking about starting a torrent site of their own?

mininova : Don't start a torrent site just because it's cool to have such a site. Think about new ideas, listen to the community, try to discover what people actually want on a torrent site. If your site is unique, if it has new, cool features, if it is actually something people really want, then it'll be a guaranteed success.

p2pnet : What are your predictions for the coming year vis-à-vis p2p and the entertainment and software cartels?

mininova : We're sure that p2p is here to stay. Maybe the form will change, maybe an enhanced BitTorrent protocol will be the next big thing, but p2p is not going away. Hopefully, the cartels will realize they can't fight p2p by hiring expensive lawyers, but that they need to work together with the community to find a solution that's satisfactory for everyone.

p2pnet : So you'd like to be able to sit down and discuss ways to work with the entertainment and software cartels?

mininova : Definitely. We're always open for discussion and we'd say, Feel free to contact us.

And there's one final thing we'd like to say: If you, as a BitTorrent user, want to see new features at mininova that you think might be useful, please contact us.

p2pnet : Thanks. And all the best for your second year : )

Also See:
first birthday - Mininova celebration, January 17, 2006
locked up solid - BitTorrent, Hollywood team up, November 22, 2005

(Tuesday 17th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7632

 

Well done, RIAA tells Brazil

p2p news / p2pnet: There'll be singing and dancing in the streets of Brazil.

The Big Four record label cartel's RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and a second Big Four faux trade unit, the IIPA (International Intellectual Property Alliance), have given the country a pat on the back for a good job well done, almost.

The RIAA amnd IIPA, "fully endorse" the "termination" of an American US GSP investigation into the country, says the RIAA.

GSP is short for Generalized System of Preferences, created to promote economic growth in the developing world, and provide preferential duty-free entry for more than 4,650 products from 144 designated beneficiary countries and territories, explains the US Trade Representative office.

The Big Four, Warner Music, Sony BMG, Vivendi Universal and EMI have, with the help of the movie and software industries, been able to elevate common-garden counterfeit activities to the level of major crime and they routinely use the USTR as a stick with which to beat countries which don't satisfactorily act against 'pirates,' as they've dubbed criminals who copy CDs and DVDs.

With that in mind, the RIAA and IIPA, "filed a petition with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in 2000 requesting the initiation of a Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) investigation into Brazil's failure to provide adequate and effective protection as required by the GSP statute," the two say.

Now, although Brazil's efforts, "have not yet had a significant impact on the Brazilian marketplace," the two Big Four-owned outfits, "nonetheless fully endorse the termination of the GSP investigation".

At the same time, "we extend our deep gratitude to Ambassador Portman and the entire U.S. Administration for their actions in defense of U.S. intellectual property rights," they state.

"We would be in a very different place were it not for years of dedication and vision from the U.S. government."

Truer words were never spoken.

(Tuesday 17th January 2006)
http://p2pnet.net/story/7633

 

Dangerous Windows wireless flaw

p2p news / p2pnet: A high risk wireless security problem exists in the Microsoft Wireless Client for laptops running 2000/XP/2003, says Mark 'Simple Nomad' Loveless.

Here's how it works, he says in his Nomad Mobile Research Centre advisory.

Alice has a wireless access point at home with an SSID of "linksys", which she has successfully set up and connected to with her laptop.

Alice goes to the airport (or train station or coffee shop) and opens her laptop.

Bob, who is sitting next to Alice, has a laptop configured with an ad-hoc network advertising an SSID of "linksys".

Alice's laptop when started looks for the SSID of "linksys", and attachs to Bob's ad-hoc network.

The next time Alice boots up the laptop when the Ethernet cable is not attached and there is no "linksys" SSID in range, Alice starts advertising an ad-hoc network with an SSID of "linksys".

It's lame, Loveless acknowledges. "I know this, don't email me with that info."

But, "I deem it serious due to the exposure in laptops with wireless. In field tests, it became apparent that if the laptop user fired up their laptop in the airport terminal and was advertising an ad-hoc network, when the same laptop user fired up their laptop during the flight, they would in fact be advertising the ad-hoc network during flight. This has a couple of ramifications.

"The first is that if wireless laptops with the wireless adapter enabled were capable of interfering with the navigational systems as claimed by the airlines then we would be having numerous in-flight incidents due to the high proliferation of wifi-enabled laptops used by business people on flights.

"The second ramification is that users sitting on a plane at 35,000 feet are not going to be suspecting a network attack against the laptop in the lap, and so any odd 'side effects' from probe and attack attempts (service crashing, blue screen or a restart) will be dismissed as a local system anomaly and not an attack, allowing the attacker to be a little more aggressive."

Loveless shows data collected from four US domestic flights in September and October, 2005. The data were collected using NetStumbler, NMap, and Metasploit Framework from a laptop running Windows XP. ["You should know these tool locations by heart. Netstumbler, Nmap, and Metasploit Framework can be found at www.netstumbler.com, www.insecure.org/nmap, and www.metasploit.com respectively."]

"Microsoft was contacted on October 13, 2005," says Loveless. "After numerous exchanges of emails and a conference call, Microsoft was able to reproduce and isolate the issue within their software. As there are multiple and easy-to-implement workarounds for the issue, Microsoft has scheduled to include the fix in the next service packs."

But until that happens, he suggests three workarounds:

Workaround #1:
Disable wireless when not in use. Simple, eh?

Workaround #2:
Use an alternate Wireless Client Manager, (e.g. for an integrated Intel Wifi connector, use Intel PROSet/Wireless) as all others tested do not seem to have the problem (this testing was not all-inclusive).

Workaround #3 (recommended):
1. Click on the Wireless option in the System Tray and open the Wireless Network Connection window.

2. Click on "Change advanced settings".

3. In the Wireless Network Connection Properties window, click on the Wireless Networks tab.

4. Click on the Advanced button.

5. Click on "Access point (infrastructure) networks only"

"This workaround prevents you from connecting to any ad-hoc network in the first place," says Loveless.

Also See:
Nomad Mobile Research Centre - Microsoft Windows Silent Adhoc Network Advertisement, January 14, 2006

(Tuesday 17th January 2006)
[ POST A COMMENT TO THIS STORY ]
http://p2pnet.net/story/7629