FixVTS and Menushrink stopped

[MOVIEGEEK]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

[ntscuser]

They got RI4M also?

FixVTS is an integral part of RipIt4Me and needs updating at regular intervals.

[HemLok]

Again, they go for the freeware, while letting commercial applications/applications distributed for free but created by a company go. It's easier to scare an individual into submission than a company?

/Mats

As sad as it is this tactic is practical. By going after the smaller groups/people they [Macrovision, Sony, etc] have a better chance of winning the fight without even fighting at all. How many people will fight this and go to court. The legal fees will be enormous. So, Macrovision and their cohorts use the tactic of scaring the smaller people who can't afford it into walking away before they are targeted themselves. Psychologically speaking it makes sense.

Specifically related to FixVTS, I'm more than a little angry. As has been noted by others it did nothing wrong. It's purpose was not aimed at doing anything illegal. If jeanl had the money and this was a legal issue where the death of the program was forced then I'd have loved to see this go to court.

None of this bodes well for legitimate consumers who wish to protect their investment. We are quickly finding ourselves in a more and more fascist State. And what scares me most of all is that companies are gaining more and more power and the government just sits by and watches without really protecting their citizens rights.

[kush]

But with the FixVTS source in the wild, it can live on, albeit, only up to the v1.5 release (all that I could find). But anyone with the know how (and the brass ones to take it on!) should be able to duplicate the changes since well enough.l

I can't say that I ever used FixVTS, Menushrink, or RI4M, but I've made sure to get the most recent releases of all. They still have their (legit! as previously noted) uses and the cartels can go f*ck themselves. There's tons of temp file storage/upload sites like RS that can provide for storage. Once the genie is out of the bottle, you can't cap it again... Rather than screw your legit customers, go after the piracy cartels and wankers selling discs on street corners.

[lordsmurf]

It's not that you have, but that you could. Can't you see that ? Just having the tools means you are a potential movie pirate, and your potential piracy could potentially rob the movie industry of the potentially billions of dollars they won't earn because you might potentially not pay for your movies at some point in the future, potentially.

I could murder you with a steak knife. It has the potential. Does that mean we must now ban the sales and existence of steak knives?

Think of all the extra money butchers could rake in because they're the only ones allowed to cut meat.

[Rich86]

Desperate, clueless companies do desperate clueless things in their enthusiasm to get richer and feed their paranoia concerning copying.
I have already stopped purchasing Sony commerical dvd releases because of the autorun initiated executables they include in addition to all the defects and flaws they purposely include on their releases.
If other studios head down this same road - I'll stop buying those also.

[lordsmurf]

Oh yeah, your teeth are next, because those could potentially cut meat too, cutting into the sales of butchers.

[Noahtuck]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

Yes they got RipIt4Me awhile ago, maybe two weeks ?

[jman98]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

Yes they got RipIt4Me awhile ago, maybe two weeks ?

Actually, what happened was that the website went down and (I think) Digital Digest gave some mysterious announcement that said something like "We can't tell you why the site is down", which made everybody think that "they" got them, but the RI4M website has been up for at least a week now with no explanation for the disappearance.

[ntscuser]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

Yes they got RipIt4Me awhile ago, maybe two weeks ?

Actually, what happened was that the website went down and (I think) Digital Digest gave some mysterious announcement that said something like "We can't tell you why the site is down", which made everybody think that "they" got them, but the RI4M website has been up for at least a week now with no explanation for the disappearance.

April 1st?

[Baldrick]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

Yes they got RipIt4Me awhile ago, maybe two weeks ?

Actually, what happened was that the website went down and (I think) Digital Digest gave some mysterious announcement that said something like "We can't tell you why the site is down", which made everybody think that "they" got them, but the RI4M website has been up for at least a week now with no explanation for the disappearance.

what website? http://www.ripit4me.org/ ?

[Noahtuck]

They got RI4M also?Man if "they" get DVDFab Decrypter we are screwed!

Yes they got RipIt4Me awhile ago, maybe two weeks ?

Actually, what happened was that the website went down and (I think) Digital Digest gave some mysterious announcement that said something like "We can't tell you why the site is down", which made everybody think that "they" got them, but the RI4M website has been up for at least a week now with no explanation for the disappearance.

I was very speculative for the first few day's because site's do go down from time to time for various reason's, but i still can't access ripit4me's website Never have since it vanished.... unless they got a new URL ?

[Ai Haibara]

They got RI4M also?

FixVTS is an integral part of RipIt4Me and needs updating at regular intervals.

Actually, I believe they implemented their own version of FixVTS:

RI4M[/url] Changelog]Version 1.7.0.0 (28 February 2007)

* First version that integrates our adaptation of FixVTS. There is no need to have FixVTS installed anymore. Several options concerning FixVTS have been renamed/removed, including the FixVTS log, which is now included (and much simplified) into the RipIt4Me log.

[HemLok]

Actually, what happened was that the website went down and (I think) Digital Digest gave some mysterious announcement that said something like "We can't tell you why the site is down", which made everybody think that "they" got them, but the RI4M website has been up for at least a week now with no explanation for the disappearance.

The page for download on VideoHelp.com still exists but not the original website. Even still have you read the information in the description on the page you linked to?

RipIt4Me is a freeware utility that helps you backup your copy protected DVDs. Recently released DVDs are now very often equipped with stronger copy protections - such as ARccOS and RipGuard DVD. Programs like DVD Shrink or DVD Decrypter cannot handle these types of discs. RipIt4Me is fully automated and the wizard will guide you through all the necessary steps involved. If you prefer, there is also a true "1-Click" mode that will perform all the involved steps automatically for you. Development stopped April 1 2007.

[GKar]

DVDFab Decrypter related products probably are safe as long as China keeps giving copyright hounds the middlefinger. (They have a $30 off sale on their Platinum version ending today, I hope it's not a fire sale)

[MOVIEGEEK]

DVDFab Decrypter related products probably are safe as long as China keeps giving copyright hounds the middlefinger. (They have a $30 off sale on their Platinum version ending today, I hope it's not a fire sale)

You are probably correct but to be on safe side Fengtao should watch his back.
Big money has no boundries.

[VegasBud]

A message to the creator of FixVTS:

jeanl,

I am very sorry to hear you were targeted by inept incompetents involved in the dysfunctional (but lucrative) "copy protection" industry. It's most unfortunate that your attackers are so blinded by greed, and frustrated by their obvious (and very public) inadequacy, that they are incapable of understanding that the sole purpose of FixVTS is to repair defective dvd structures..

Thank you for the time, effort and expertise you put into FixVTS, and freely sharing it with everyone. Please accept my condolences.

[bbanderic]

Do you guys think they targeted FixVTS only AFTER it was integrated into Ripit4Me? Up until recently you had to download FixVTS separately when using Ripit4Me.

[boldego]

I sure would like to know the details.

[Rich86]

Since both FixVTS and Menushrink disappeared, I'm kind of hoping someone bought them from Jeanl - along with an agreement to take down sites, not talk about it, etc. At least Jeanl would have gotten something for all the efforts and work done.

[jeanl]

Thanks for the good words guys! No, it wasn't bought, and no I can't talk about it. Usual story I'm afraid...
Cheers,
Jeanl

[boldego]

Let's get the ACLU in on it ............

[usually_quiet]

Looks like I might have missed my chance to try a potentially useful tool, FixVTS. Although I haven't experienced a problem myself, it would be nice to be able to check for errors. Maybe I'll try compiling the source code.

If this isn't a ripper or copy protection breaker, the only real excuse I can think of for taking it down is some kind of patent/copyright infringement related to the software itself. Oh well, this kind of speculation is kind of pointless anyway.

[Slowburn]

Can anyone explain the reason for the gag order? I really don't understand that. Is it before the courts or something?

[MOVIEGEEK]

Can anyone explain the reason for the gag order? I really don't understand that. Is it before the courts or something?

Usually but sometimes it's an agreement between two parties,for instance if you sign a contract not to divulge information.

Maybe adam can elaborate.

[Rich86]

What I don't understand is what FixVTS or MenuShrink have to do with the DMCA or digital copy protection at all. It seems to me that FixVTS addresses, bypasses and fixes flaws and defects on a dvd (intentional defects or not) - and MenuShrink has absolutely nothing to do with copy protection in any form at all?
It's a sad situation in this country where having enough money and influence to throw around is the determining factor to what is deemed legal and acceptable.
Kudos to Jeanl and best wishes going forward with this ridiculous situation.
And I hope we learn at some point what company/person/elected official, etc. is behind this so maybe enough of us can exert some pressure of our own.

[usually_quiet]

Slowburn wrote:

Can anyone explain the reason for the gag order? I really don't understand that. Is it before the courts or something?

The parties responsible probably want control over what is said about them publicly, and required the software creators to refrain from talking in exchange for dropping the suit against them. I am just a layperson, but I don't think that kind of thing is uncommon as part of an agreement like this.

[Noahtuck]

Looks like I might have missed my chance to try a potentially useful tool, FixVTS.

Ummm... just go Download it

Hmmm... the mirror site for DL is gone from the tools page.... I saw it there the other day...

[rvelez]

You can still get it here:
http://www.filepedia.com/video_software/dvd_tools/fixvts.cfm

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

Actually I already downloaded what I think is the most recent executable today without knowing for sure that it was. (The website didn't specify source or executable.) I didn't make a note of the website that had it though, so I can't help anbody else. Anyway, I guess we all have to be careful what we say online now to avoid causing trouble for people hosting these now forbidden programs.