PRIDE AND PREJUDICE to be available as legal download
March 24, 2006
The BBC reports that AOL will soon be offering legal downloads of movies, and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE will be among the first offered.
Fans will pay £19.99 for a DVD of their chosen film plus two digital copies to keep indefinitely – one for their home computer and one for a portable device.
Universal said it could “completely revolutionise” how people watch movies.
There is a catch, of course.
However users will not be able to burn copies of the films to DVD themselves and the files will be compatible only with PCs and Windows software.
So how long do you suppose it will take for some enterprising young spirit to figure out how to work around that “can’t burn a DVD” feature?
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Judging by their success in creating and spreading computer viruses I think it would not take them very long to find a bug in the software that they can use to their advantage.
So buying the DVD this way you still get a physical disk AND the digital copies? I am a little confused, I think.
The problem with working around the “can’t burn a DVD problem” is that it would be illegal, violating the
Disney and Microsoft Cash ActDigital Millennium Copyright Act, which states that it is illegal to create methods to get around copyright protection devices. It’s quite Orwellian in some ways.However, for those who like to have LEGAL electronic copies for portable devices, this is a great idea, I think. It looks like you do get both–two electronic copies (one for your main PC hard drive/personal electronic archive, one for your video iPod/laptop/PDA) and your DVD for your regular DVD player. BUT–you still can’t make personal backup DVDs, which stinks, and you can’t make copies in case your hard drive goes kerblooey–and they always go kerblooey eventually–which also stinks. I sense the fine hand of Bill Gates’ you-only-can-reinstall-Windoze-eleven-times stable of legal talent there.
(Although if it’s Windoze-only, will it WORK on an iPod? You can use iTunes on Windoze now…)
No, the article says it won’t work with an iPod. It would be fun to have a miniature Mr. Darcy to carry around with you. He could tell you “I love, love, love you,” complete with puppy dog, love lorn look, whenever you felt the need.
Mags, since I create miniature projects and write articles for a magazine I tend to be very mindful of copyright infringement but, let’s face it, not everyone is, that is why I said some kid is bound to find a way around it (creating viruses is not legal either). It would have been nice if they allowed for a backup copy, though.
Julie B, thanks for the laugh.
Trying to envision a miniature Mr. Darcy is alright, but having him saying “I love, love, love you,” that is where I lost it! LOL I saw it last night in Spanish and Darcy was saying (thanks to the miracle of DVD) “La amo, la amo, la amo” … the words used throughout the movie were the formal address, which I feel is the correct manner of translating the dialogue. I know my mom will enjoy watching the movie dubbed. She read the book in Spanish and loved it. She started the book saying that she would read a chapter a day, but once she started she was hooked and could not stop at one chapter. It was so much fun discussing it, so I know it will be fun discussing her impressions of the movie adaptation. 
Okay Nertha–you’re not saying a LEGAL way. Got it.
Yep, most people don’t care much. But word about these things tends to get out, and then the lawyers swing into action.
Hi Mags,
Sometimes it seems that they let people get away with it, but then they figure it has been going on long enough and suddenly lawyers are picking someone to make an example of and drive the point home. I remember that last year a 12-year-old that got sued for downloading songs for free.
Yes, I meant the “roundabout way” —
Hope you all enjoyed the weekend. I sure did! I watched the David Rintoul version of P&P and it was a pleasure, as always.
My best friend has my Colin Firth version on loan, so I am beginning to feel the withdrawal … good thing I have the other copies!
I watched BRIDE AND PREJUDICE last night…I love that movie.
We laughed so much watching that movie! It is so colorful, too, especially the scene in the outdoor market. Their Mr. Collins is a gem! If laughter is the best medicine that movie should be prescribed by doctors.