This Space for Rent

The DMCA, helping to define the phrase “too stupid to breathe”

What is 0x09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c1 - 1?  I can't tell you, because that would be wrong.

Why would it be wrong? Because 2651255777597891530203773180280340928*5 is one of the super top secret encryption keys for the almost-as-secure-as-tissue-paper Blu-Ray encryption scheme and if you know it you, um, know a large integer number that can be used (and by "used", I mean that after you get a copy of the decoder and the supporting infrastruction for ripping the cd, then you can plug in the super top secret key and maybe be able to read the cd to get the content) to get access to the content that's stored on that Blu-Ray cd you just purchased. In the old days, that would have been a lesson that if you're going to have a trade secret you'd better have it be a trade secret that's not trivially simple to crack. But these days you don't need to have good encryption schemes, because US law now includes the DMCA, which lets you harass people who have broken (or who have seen) your laughably simple "encryption" (and, as a result, ensure that nobody except the professional content pirates -- the people who make a living distributing bootleg videos -- will be able to view the movies they purchased unless they view them on an officially registered player But, yes, we are talking about the recording industry, which is as stupid as it is mean and paranoid.)

And if 66281394439947288255094329507008523.2*200 is illegal, that most likely means that its factors are illegal.

2? Illegal.

4? Illegal.

5? Illegal.

Let's count! 1-©-3-©-©-6-7-©-9-©!

It's the dream of every schoolboy who's just discovered copyright. I can't wait for the DMCA takedown notices to every grade school in North America.