Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Let's hope Obama doesn't try to give Rudd some DVDs


"Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was recently given a gift of 25 DVDs of classic American movies by US President Barack Obama.

"When Brown sat down to watch one of them, he found he couldn't --
because Obama had given him Region 1 DVDs, unplayable in Brown's Region 2 DVD player.

"The pointless Digital Rights Management didn't stop any piracy, it prevented an absolutely reasonable use of legitimately purchased content.

"Maybe this experience will help the British government understand how many of the entertainment industry's efforts to strengthen intellectual property controls do little more than irritate legitimate consumers."


TechDirt

Memo to Obama: Australia is Region 4 - a distinction we share with Mexico, South America, Central America, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

We may have a "Free Trade Agreement" with you folks, but we can't watch your DVDs.