124 DEAR HACKER

124 DEAR HACKER

was writing this letter to ask you about an error I have found on your front cover. The error is in the Date Section. The date reads as follows. Volume Sixteen, Number Four Winter 1999–1900.

Now I was struck by this. A magazine of such elite skill would not let something like this slip past, but then again no one is perfect. I just thought I would point this out to you. Keep up the good educational work in the magazine.

AssMonkey

Dear 2600: Well, I just have to start out by saying that I am very angry about

Kaplan’s decision against you guys, but I really believe that this case can only be decided by the Supreme Court. I think we will prevail in the end. Now, while browsing the MPAA website today I stumbled upon a quote in the FAQ section: “DeCSS is akin to a tool that breaks the lock on your house.” Now what is this garbage they are posting? They make it sound like DeCSS is a tool which can (in their eyes) break into any home, but in reality, DeCSS would be a tool letting you break the lock on only homes that you own, as DeCSS can be used to only rip DVDs that you already own.

MaD-HaTTeR There’s no need to even accept any house analogy since it’s completely inappro-

priate. A DVD is a commercial product that, once purchased, should not be sub- jected to further restrictions on its private use. The MPAA has defined this as a piracy issue, which it most definitely is not.

Dear 2600:

I agree with you guys and gals, we should be able to copy DVDs. What sites can I go to to get the info to copy DVDs? Dan

It’s amazing how we didn’t get any letters like this until the mass media started reporting that the MPAA had defeated a bunch of DVD pirates in court.

THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE AS A HACKER

Dear 2600:

I just wanted to say that I appreciate the efforts that you are putting forth in your legal battles with the MPAA. You’re fighting a battle that is highly important for all of us and I thank you.

aUd10phY| If anything has shown the value of what hackers are about, it’s this case. It has

strengthened our resolve beyond description. Thank you, MPAA.

Dear 2600:

I don’t see this as a real problem, because there’s a simple solution: Get a site hosted in the UK or some other country. On that site they can have pages redirected to the pages with “illegal” material. Basically, use that site as a “proxy” for your link to the site with the offending material, and voila, you’re back in business with links and everything.

I mean, really, are they going to come after you guys for links to links of illegal material? Probably, but let’s see how far we can take it. Pete Davis

While many have suggested everything from leaving the country to operating our website off an oil rig in international waters, we think the best move is to stay right where we are and fight. Changing the playing field would be a temporary solution at best as oppression tends to go looking for new lands to conquer.

Dear 2600: Just thought you’d like to know that on the 10/25/00 episode of the

WB show Felicity, they had a character who wore a 2600 baseball cap. Of course, he was a whacked out sysadmin/tech support person who named his computers and thought they were female. Too bad they didn’t buy an anti-MPAA shirt instead. Now that would have been a statement!