Something Random

[Mercutio]

Actually part of the fun for me is explaining what some of the terms mean. Bukkake. Heteronormativity. The Nietzschian Concept of the Ubermensch. Aaron Burr. Today someone played the printed card that says "(my real, full name)'s Penis." We had to stop for about five minutes because not everyone playing knew who I was and the rest wouldn't stop laughing since it was such a complete surprise.

 

[LunarMist]

I remember Aaron Burr. The rest sounds inappropriate.

 

[LunarMist]

My shoe was recovered, but not in good conditions, whatever that means. Unbelievable!

 

[snowhiker]

My shoe was recovered, but not in good conditions, whatever that means. Unbelievable!

CaU.

Cryptic as usual.

Wait. What?!?! WTF!!!!

Your shoe when flying out the window two weeks ago and you are getting it back now? Someone mailed it to you or you picked it up?

 

[LunarMist]

CaU.



Wait. What?!?! WTF!!!!

Your shoe when flying out the window two weeks ago and you are getting it back now? Someone mailed it to you or you picked it up?

I only received the texted message. Apparently she is actually Canadian.

 

[Stereodude]

I'm pretty sure she's a Russian spy posing as a Canadian.

 

[Stereodude]

So the next domino has fallen. Slysoft has ceased operation. :blue:

 

[ddrueding]

Unfortunate. Though I expected anyone actually trying to profit from DRM defeat to go down eventually.

 

[sedrosken]

Finally got a working DVI->VGA converter for my dual-DVI HD4650 so I can use the second monitor again. I could have just gotten another DVI cable (I'm currently out at the moment -- gave my last one to my friend who was trying to get his only monitor working) but the converter was cheaper and at 1440x900 on the converter I'm not noticing any fuzziness or artifacts.

With two monitors and being able to properly multitask again the 2GB RAM limit is really starting to bite. I'm going to have to remedy that soon.

Started messing around with this Syntax C3 1300+ board in my spare time. VIA C3 800MHz, 256MB DDR-266, etc. It's nothing I plan on actually using for anything, this is just something I have on the bench right now to keep me occupied.

My throat is on fire. I got that bug or whatever that's floating around.

 

[mubs]

I thought Slysoft operated in one of those areas where they couldn't be touched? Did they close down because they didn't make enough money or from legal action?

 

[Stereodude]

I thought Slysoft operated in one of those areas where they couldn't be touched? Did they close down because they didn't make enough money or from legal action?

They set up in Antigua. Basically Hollyweird used their lobbying powers to get the US to play hardball with Antigua.

https://torrentfreak.com/hollywood-escalates-dvd-ripping-case-to-international-incident-160213/

 

[Handruin]

So the next domino has fallen. Slysoft has ceased operation. :blue:

Yeah that's a bummer. I had a lifetime license and now the software won't read any discs because each time it connects remotely to their database server. Fortunately I was able to convert my DVD and BR collection before this happened using their utility and have all the original rips.

 

[LunarMist]

Unfortunate. Though I expected anyone actually trying to profit from DRM defeat to go down eventually.

It's nice to see the crooks get their comeuppance once in a while.

 

[Stereodude]

Yeah that's a bummer. I had a lifetime license and now the software won't read any discs because each time it connects remotely to their database server.

Uh, it still works fine. It just don't work for releases newer than their offline database bundled with the software. I think the last offline database is from Oct 2015.

 

[Handruin]

Uh, it still works fine. It just don't work for releases newer than their offline database bundled with the software. I think the last offline database is from Oct 2015.

Doesn't work fine for me. When I put a disc in the drive and it attempts to scan it, AnyDVD-HD returns an error and fails.

 

[Stereodude]

Doesn't work fine for me. When I put a disc in the drive and it attempts to scan it, AnyDVD-HD returns an error and fails.

So it turns out the answer is a little more complicated. It depends on the type of protection on the disc.

This depends on the disc / protection.
DVDs: All DVDs should continue work. OPD is only used to speed up things, it is optional.
HD-DVDs: All work.
Blu-Ray AACS: AnyDVD contains data for roughly 130000 discs, these will continue to work. Discs not included in AnyDVD will need the OPD. OPD results will be cached locally, if you copy the cache, you can move it to another PC.
Blu-Ray BD+, 20th Century Fox: Recent discs (1-2 years?) need OPD. Older titles work. OPD results will be cached locally, if you copy the cache, you can move it to another PC.
Blu-Ray Java protection (mostly Lionsgate): Recent discs (1 year?) need OPD. Older titles work. OPD results are not cached.
Blu-ray cinavia: Will continue to work with current players & software.

This nugget was also posted:

Note for the technical skilled: The servers are still running, probably as long as the bills are paid, but their DNS entries are removed.
If you have a router with a DNS proxy or can edit your Windows hosts file, you can add a key.slysoft.com with an IP address for one of the key server proxies.
I don't know how long the servers will continue to run.

I don't have the IP and I'm not sure I want to go through all my BD+ discs and run them through my drives.

 

[Handruin]

So it turns out the answer is a little more complicated. It depends on the type of protection on the disc.

This nugget was also posted:

I don't have the IP and I'm not sure I want to go through all my BD+ discs and run them through my drives.

I figured it was more complicated because I saw similar reports from others who claimed it was still working and others who claimed it didn't. I only tried the disc closest to me near my desk and it must have been one of the ones you described needing an external request.

I actually spent some time last night trying to watch wireshark to find out what IP address and/or hostname was being accessed and sadly I couldn't find anything in my scans. I'll see if I can hunt around and find anything.

I wonder if there will be a way to share the database or cache. Some posts asked for the source code to be shared to keep the project running. The timing of all this fits right in with the UHD Blu-ray discs knocking at the door. I might have to look into MakeMKV a little more but it'll probably be right up there on the hit list to be axed soon.

 

[sedrosken]

After a bit of finagling (I have no floppy disks to boot from) I managed to get the Syntax machine to take a Windows 98SE install. I'm currently installing the unofficial updates and drivers (it uses a SiS 630 series chipset, with 650 graphics and 7012 audio). After reading reviews for the C3 chip I was expecting ~Pentium II performance and it seems that for most uses this is actually roughly comparable to a lower-end Pentium III. The DDR memory helps a bit in that regard, I figure.

Again, this is just to occupy some spare time I have. I'm not planning to use this for anything useful. I might see if it can run certain games (Diablo/Diablo II, DOS games, The Sims, SimCity, etc)

 

[LunarMist]

I'm pretty sure she's a Russian spy posing as a Canadian.

The Russians have Korean spies?

 

[LunarMist]

Monday is leap day.

 

[Stereodude]

The Russians have Korean spies?

Why wouldn't they?

 

[LunarMist]

Why wouldn't they?

The Russians may have Korean women spying in Korea, but in North America? It makes no sense.
Anyway, that's not my sector.

 

[Chewy509]

Monday is leap day.

And why does that make you sad?

 

[LunarMist]

And why does that make you sad?

Most people have to work an extra day.

 

[Stereodude]

The Russians may have Korean women spying in Korea, but in North America? It makes no sense.
Anyway, that's not my sector.

What is your sector? :scratch:

 

[LunarMist]

What is your sector? :scratch:

It's not foreign espionage.

 

[Stereodude]

It's not foreign espionage.

That exactly what I would expect someone in foreign espionage to say. :rofl:

 

[snowhiker]

What is your sector? :scratch:

Wouldn't Lunar have to kill you after he tells you?

 

[ddrueding]

SD@8K! Sweet.

 

[Mercutio]

It's not foreign espionage.

So it's domestic espionage then?

Congratulations SD.

 

[CougTek]

So it's domestic espionage then?

Hummingbirds can kiss goodbye to their private life!

 

[LunarMist]

Hummingbirds can kiss goodbye to their private life!

They don't have much that is private.
I have over 10K hummingbird images, mostly from foreign countries. Many hummers migrate though.

 

[LunarMist]

WTF is the stupid Toyota Prion commercial with lame bank robbers?

 

[mubs]

Congrats, SD!

 

[Buck]

Oi. Bartender, no more Cognac.

 

[Mercutio]

Kind of an interesting Google Recruitment tool, narratives from its Engineers regarding the development of some of its products.

 

[Handruin]

It's enjoyable to read. I'd love to learn more about their challenges and how they solve them all. I bet it's an interesting environment of engineering work.

 

[Stereodude]

Okay, this one blew my mind...

The homeowner's association for the subdivision I live in wants to take legal action against the developer, but the bylaws for the association could be interpreted as forbidding them from doing that. The bylaws also forbid the modification of certain parts of the bylaws with the written consent of the developer. These statements forbidding modifications are in the sections they protect, so they're self protecting.

So, the association's lawyers have concluded they can't directly take out the sections forbidding legal action against the developer because that would be a violation of the bylaws since the restrictions against legal action are in a section subject to developer approval for modification. Instead, we're first going to take out the sections of the bylaws that forbid the modification of the bylaws without the consent of the developer, without the developer's consent, and then remove the sections forbidding legal action against the developer. :scratch:

I'm pretty sure courts don't look too favorably on unilateral modifications to a contract to remove the rights of another party to the contract.

And they supposedly have law degrees. :skepo:

 

[timwhit]

Sounds similar to employment contracts that forbid you being able to take legal action against your employer. Just because something is in a contract doesn't mean it's constitutional and any court will uphold it.

 

[Stereodude]

Sounds similar to employment contracts that forbid you being able to take legal action against your employer. Just because something is in a contract doesn't mean it's constitutional and any court will uphold it.

I think it's different from that. Either the clauses preventing changes without the developer's consent are binding or they aren't. If they aren't binding then you can ignore those sections and take out whatever you want. If they are binding, how can you remove them without the developers consent? The association President insists they got this same advice from every lawyer they talked to, but didn't offer any explanation as to why it's okay or not a violation.

Edit: The only thing I can think of is that the restrictions against making changes without the developer's consent isn't actually binding, but it makes somehow legally "better" to remove that language first before making other changes.