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Gary Patterson wrote:

On a related note, I picked up the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy the other day. My DVD player broke the day after the warranty ran out so I went to the iBook and found that the disc is protected. I can't even see it on the iBook, let alone play it. There's no warning on the box either, just a copy protected logo.

Apparently protecting their film is so important that purchasers aren't allowed to watch it. I wonder what DNA would have thought - he was an avid Mac user after all.

Return it, it's defective.

Ok, here's what I've found from the Copyright Act 1986 website:
The main point, I believe
Duration of copyright

Link for Aus copyright law?

Well, there's always the fun of searching the .gov websites...

The Copyright Act 1968 section 85, para 1a notes that making a copy of a musical recording is the exclusive right of the copyright holder. That alone indicates we can't go from CD to mp3.

But the Issues Paper released by the Attorney General's dept implies that it's being looked at for review...

The Government is aware some common personal uses of copyright material infringe copyright.  Examples include transferring music from a CD onto an MP3 or iPod player or copying a television broadcast to view later.  Those engaged in such uses do not believe they are or should be considered copyright pirates.

Also referred to from IP Australia's site (point 1.38)...

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has let loose the dogs of copyright war, with the release last week of an issues paper on what we'll dub the iPod Question: should we be allowed to convert our CD collections to MP3 format and enjoy it while we ride the rails to work in the morning? This, as we noted in an earlier column when the issues paper was just a glint in the Attorney-General's eye, is illegal in Australia today.

There used to be a really nice guide to Copyright Law in Australia, which actually used the CD to mp3 ripping process as an example of what you cannot do. I can't locate that now, but the links above, as well as many others you can reach from Google, indicate that it's illegal here. Maybe after the FTA the whole situation is changing. It'd be nice to get one good thing out of that deal.

edit: yes, I just realised I linked to the same bit of the Copyright Act you did... It's 'Google-blindness' (the feeling you get after using Google for 30mins or more to search dull legal websites)

Last edited by Gary Patterson (2005-09-28 10:06 am)

Zombie.

If people can't pay by Visa/MC - there will be other ways.
Personally, I don't think Visa/MC have any business refusing them. I do not want my CC institution to decide what is ethical for me to buy and what it is not.

That crosses a line.