Zorac (zorac) wrote,
Zorac
zorac
  • Mood: devious
  • Music: Carmen Twillie & Lebo M - Circle Of Life

Copy Protection Challenge

This evening I purchased something for online download from a website. To view it, you need a special app which allows you to view it as often as you like, but does some funky DRM stuff to stop you from printing it more times than you've paid for (in my case, once). Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to think of three ways of defeating this before you go into the <lj-cut> below...

OK, so here are my solutions:
  1. Display it on screen, to screendumps, paste'em together and voilà.
  2. Set up a printer driver that prints (say) postscript to a file. Print this at your leisure.
  3. Print. Photocopy. 'Nuff Said.
Note to publishers: Must Try Harder.

FYI, I have no desire to rip off the publishers by printing multiple copies, but my printer's on the fritz and Murphy's Law says it would screw up my 1 printout. Now I have a nice PDF file I can print off at work.
FYI2, the item in question is 3 pages, and does need to be in hard copy form to be of any real use.
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  • 5 comments
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Since when were photocopiers L33T?

zorac

October 7 2002, 14:56:39 UTC 18 years ago

No, I wouldn't.

As per my article the other day, I object to DRM if it stops me from doing what I'm legally entitled to do, not if it stops me from doing the illegal stuff.

I've seen some l33t photocopiers in my time, I can tell you

jiggery_pokery

October 7 2002, 15:28:13 UTC 18 years ago

Prontaprint has some r3d h0t machines, I can tell you. It's like a Norwegian scene party in there!

Re: photocopiers

zorac

October 7 2002, 16:01:39 UTC 18 years ago 

INT. CYPERSPACE - ZORAC'S LIVEJOURNAL

ZORAC and JIGGERY_POKERY are discussing the weighty
topic of Digital Rights Management.

                    JIGGERY_POKERY
          Truly you are a haX0r!

Zorac knows it, but puts on his best self-effacing
expression.

                    ZORAC
          Since when were photocopiers L33T?

                    JIGGERY_POKERY
          I've seen some l33t photocopiers in
          my time, I can tell you!

Jiggery_Pokery has an eager gleam in his eye.

                    ZORAC
                 (uncomfortable)
          Really?

                    JIGGERY_POKERY
          Prontaprint has some r3d h0t
          machines, I can tell you. It's like
          a Norwegian scene party in there!

Zorac starts to back away.

                    ZORAC
          Oh... That's nice...

He turns and RUNS LIKE THE CLAPPERS!

                                                 CUT TO:

A copier, a copier, a kingdom for my copier

jiggery_pokery

October 7 2002, 17:42:19 UTC 18 years ago

Not bad, but needs a bit of

          ZORAC
Oh... That's nice...

He turns and RUNS LIKE THE CLAPPERS!
(exit, chased by a bear)