(NB: This message has been modified by the hosting provider to remove the cell phone number, as I am not at all certain Joseph Wecker still owns the original number provided 24+ years ago…) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joseph Wecker" To: Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 10:03 PM Subject: DeCSS | I noticed earlier that you pulled our DeCSS songs. | I really like mp3.com and certainly don't want to cause you guys any | headache. I realize the song is a little bit controversial, but I have been | assured even by Harvard professors, that writing a song with source code | lyrics is purely within my first amendment rights. | On a side note- if one were to construct the code from the lyrics, it still | isn't complete enough to decode a DVD. There are tables missing and whole | procedures missing. This, I hope, is irrelevent to the cause (it should be | legal in America to write a song even if you _could_ reproduce the whole | song)- but at least it assures you and me that the song itself will not (and | can not) be used to illegally circumvent any copyrights. | | If your concern is that we're playing the company- puting it up on mp3.com | for payback money or something- all I have to say is that's obsurd. I'd | much prefer that you simply don't count plays of DeCSS on the payback then | actually pulling the song. | | Finally, I know you guys have been dealing with a lot of litigation lately, | and I really don't want to add to the problem. I want you all to be a very | healthy company. I realize that the posting of songs to the public remains | in your disgression, and I won't raise a ruccus if you decide that the songs | need to remain un-public. Though- I might add- it's at that point that I | consider moving to a different country where you actually _are_ free ;-) | | I would ask, however, that you keep me updated with what's going on. If you | have any questions or additional concerns about the DeCSS songs, please call | me at 801-xxx-yyyy. | | Joseph Wecker | |