I’ve been following the RealDVD vs MPAA battle, where the movie industry (MPAA) is trying to stop RealDVD, which lets you copy your own DVDs onto your own computer, (but not share them with others).  It’s like how the record industry (RIAA) tried for so long to keep people from being able to buy digital versions of songs…  There’s a big lawsuit where the MPAA is trying to keep RealDVD off the market, and it goes to court on April 24.

Yesterday at STF I wrote,  

A survey commissioned by the National Consumers League was released today and it found that an overwhelming number of DVD owners watch their DVDs on their computers (69%) and want to be able to save them on their computers (90%). Not only that but “more than a third said they’ve had to rebuy lost or damaged DVDs,” And for those with children that rose to 45%.

This is called a business opportunity. An overwhelming number of people want something and RealDVD has developed a product satisfies what those customers want. So you would think MPAA would be happy that a product is out there that promotes the idea of people buying DVDs and then using them the way they want to use them.

Daryl at MyDD writes, DVD Video Needs to be Portable

This is a prime example of how much power the Hollywood lobby has across multiple administrations, including President Obama’s. The MPAA is pursuing a harsh, and unnecessary jihad against people being able to back up DVD’s for their own personal use. Remember when the TV industry wanted to stop people from recording their television shows on VHS tapes 20+ years ago? Yep, they are pulling a page from the same playbook from then, adn the same playbook the RIAA is using to persecute 13 year old girls, et al, from backing up compact discs to their computers.

Texas Nate at The Agonist writes, And the Survey Says: Americans Want to Own the Media They Buy

As someone who’s purchased the entire videography of the Beatles at least twice, I really don’t want to have to purchase them again to share with my kid. Corporate America wants to make rental income by leasing us our cultural history, screw that, we paid for it, let us own it.