New copyright law drives out CloneCD

[DaleDoe]

For any of you who use the CD burning software CloneCD, it seems the CloneCD sheep has gone the way of the dinosaur.  
see http://www.elby.ch/en/products/clone_cd/

I used to have it on my system, but thanks to windows XP detecting a new memory stick and trying to make me re-register:realmad:, I got mad and installed Windows Server 2003, but it removed all of my installed software.  .  When I couldn't find my CD that had CloneCD, I went to download it again.  I was horrified to learn that it has been made illegal.:-o

I don't know the details, but it apparently has something to do with the fact that CloneCD makes an EXACT copy of the CD, which other CD burning software doesn't do.  That allows people to bypass the copy protection measures put in place by many software companies by making an exact "clone" of the original CD.

What do you guys think of this sort of law outlawing products because they can be used illegally?  I don't see anything wrong with software that makes a perfect copy.  I think it's a fine line between illegal use by the consumer and creating a product specifically for illegal use.  This sort of thing has the potential to be taken way to far, in the fact that nearly everything can be used (or misused) illegally.:-(

[Josh]

Well this is sad news indeed. I totally agree we should not outlaw stuff just because it can be used illegaly. It's like let's ban computers because hackers used them to break into banks. Of course like machine guns some products only have one real purpose and that purpose isn't a legal one. I think all this copyright laws really stink. It an attack on our freedom...it like the ever changing gas prices around here. Big companies are trying to bleed us dry. Can we forget about making more money for one minute and do some useful to all humans---such as find a cure for aids? I just cannot belive all this stuff is really getting passed. It shows how messed our goverment really is.

[Jimbo]

i agree, and with technology improving as fast as it is, there will always be something developed that makes it easier/cheaper to do both legal & illegal acts than its preceding medium

anyone remember recording albums to audio cassettes?
there was a big rabble about that and now we have 52x CD-RW drives to do our illegal copying!

funny how most home equipment (all made by those overly greedy companies) now have "CD-R/RW & MP3 CD Compatible" listed on the box, seems like they're going for that 'pirate' market

[Jerry]

SnowWolf wrote:
 I totally agree we should not outlaw stuff just because it can be used illegaly. Of course like machine guns some products only have one real purpose and that purpose isn't a legal one.  

Unfortunately things are not quite this simple. Gun enthusiasts ("nuts") argue that they are only collectors. A day or two ago Chong of Cheech and Chong was convicted and sentenced to jail for selling drug paraphanalia. Given Chong's claim to fame I could see someone buying a bong autographed by Chong just as a collector's item.

Vinyl to cassette tape was very controversial too. I recall though that copying came under some "fair use policy". You could make a copy as long as it was only for your personal use. And I don't recall anyone being prosecuted for making a mix tape to give to friend for his/her birthday.

Technology, as it tends to do, has out paced both the law and business practices. It will eventually reshape both. How quickly depends on who we elect to office.

[DaleDoe]

I take issue with the wording "gun nuts."  My having a gun and being nuts are completely unrelated.

Seriously, firearms are a useful tool for defense, recreation, or keeping squirrels out of your sweet corn.  In fact, because of firearms, I can often eat squirrel with my sweet corn. :-D

(by the way, check your local laws and ordinances before discharging a firearm in your area)

[R. Andrew Lamonica]

My favorite example of technology being made illegal is DirectTV going after the customers of theirs who also own Smart Card Readers/Writers (http://action.eff.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=2764)  I even heard about a case in which DirectTV sued a man in California who never owned a DirectTV receiver.  I suspect this would make it hard for him to use his smart card writer to steal DirectTV.  Considering that smart card technology is still in its infancy, suing people who own the technology will probably kill it off entirely.  An argument could even be made that preventing people from owning smart card products through the threat of lawsuit is harmful to national security because the real use of smart cards is computer authentication.

[Chris Swingler]

It seems information regarding Elby's abandonment of CloneCD is skimpy at best.  I've basically only found this and this.  I'm on the lookout for more information, though it appears that CloneCD's death is attributed to the EU's version of the DMCA.

And does anyone else find it peculiar that Clone DVD is still available for download?

--Beanie

[Stiffler]

The CloneCD project was picked up by SlySoft, and they released a new version of it. It has many new enhancements, so go on over and pick up a copy.

DaleDoe: Your old product key will no longer work, but there is a trial period.

CloneCD Revision History

CloneCD 4.3.1.6
- New: CloneCD found a new home at SlySoft
- New: Can now emulate SafeDisc 2.9 weak sectors!
- New: Improved weak sector emulation!
- New: Shiny Look under Windows XP
- New: "Hide CDR Media" no longer needs to be disabled while using CloneCD
- New: added support for more CD-Writers
- New: New Online Keys
- New: Added RegCloneCD.exe for new keycodes
- Removed "Virtual CloneDrive" from Distribution, will be a separate download (or you can just use Daemon Tools)
- Removed ControlElbyCDIO from distribution
- Removed ElbyCrypt.dll
- Removed ElbyCheck.exe
- Removed support of CloneCD 2.x keycodes
- Removed "Send E-Mail about a Device" function
- Removed Microsoft HTML-Help
- Removed input window for old keycodes
- Fix: CloneCD Tray no longer interferes with Windows XP Task Bar
- Fix: Hanging context help
- Important Fix: ElbyCDIO reworked, many bugs fixed
- Important Fix: Fixed problems with VIA IDE Busmaster drivers

Jon