[vdr] Re: OT: copying ISO images (WAS: anything else than Suse?)

[Stefaan Coddé <stefaan.codde@pandora.be>]

Rene Bartsch wrote:

> > But with music (and maybe videos) this is another story: you may make as
many
> > private copies and even give these copies to as many friends as you like
as
> > long as you don't demand any payments (demanding just the price for the
blank
> > CD is OK though).
> > And I'm pretty sure that there is a legal definition for "friends" ;-)

Correction
This counts for Europe only and some small  changes might be applied in
different countries.
The US rules might be different.

Data Cd's :

You may give a copy of a linux distribution to a friend as long as the GNU
license files
are located on that disc. On the other hand... your friends can download the
distributions too
but here also ... follow GNU rules.  Be carefull here :
If a linux distro contains commercial applications then it might be that You
have to remove those
on the copy.
Commercial software : read the license. If it says 'copying/renting' is not
allowed then you may
not give a copy to a friend. A backup copy is still allowed tho..


Music/video Cd's /DVD's: same principle : backup : okay... giving a copy
away is illegal, even just playing for
a few friend IN your house might be illegal (depending on how many people
there are listening/viewing tho)

The law makes a difference between giving a copy or selling a copy tho.

Mp3: there's nothing wrong with the Mp3 format, it's just the contents of
it.
If You download commercial music as mp3 then You are violating the law.

Copy protection : It's still legal to crack a copy protection if used for
personal backup.
That's still a problem but will propably solved with the new DVD standard.

General rule : read the license agreement and it's still alowed to make a
backup copy for PERSONAL
use no matter if the disc is copy protected or not.

note : personal use means: you and you alone.


Stefaan