[Mos]

Originally Posted by jwilliams

I put a link after my quote.. read it... You might be surprised.

But no one has ever been sued over it.... But it's still illegal in most counties (Not all).

You're misreading the article. Section 1201 of the DMCA clearly states that it is illegal to circumvent copy protection or distribute software. It DOES allow you to circumvent copy protection on software that you legally own if the copy protection prevents you from using the software in a non-infringing manner.

(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title. The prohibition contained in the preceding sentence shall take effect at the end of the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this chapter.

(B) The prohibition contained in subparagraph (A) shall not apply to persons who are users of a copyrighted work which is in a particular class of works, if such persons are, or are likely to be in the succeeding 3-year period, adversely affected by virtue of such prohibition in their ability to make noninfringing uses of that particular class of works under this title, as determined under subparagraph (C).

The law then specifically prohibits distribution of the software.

(2) No person shall manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof, that—
(A) is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title;
(B) has only limited commercially significant purpose or use other than to circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title; or
(C) is marketed by that person or another acting in concert with that person with that person’s knowledge for use in circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.

It says nothing about the use of software that circumvents DRM, only the distribution of it or the use of software that has been circumvented.

Subsim is also protected so long as instructions on cracking the DRM are not distributed. This is by the First Amendment, but also by specific statuatory language. The instructions on cracking the DRM are probably illegal, too.

(4) Nothing in this section shall enlarge or diminish any rights of free speech or the press for activities using consumer electronics, telecommunications, or computing products.

That being said, it is completely understandable that Neal does not wish the forum to be a haven for piracy and such. It's a subsim forum, it's about playing the game. So I don't really want to continue this but I can't help but get drawn into a good ol fashioned legal argument.