Sorry, Nat, but reading that is doing nothing much to restore the goodwill that has been eroded by this whole affair.
The DMCA works in much the way that its authors, the telcos and the MPAA and RIAA intended it to. To indemnify ISP's in return for their becoming enforcers for rights-holders ridiculously over-broad "anti-circumvention" clauses[0] which lead to outrageous abuses of the law (including anti-trust violations, attacks on the rights of consumers, academics, etc).
Now, Microsoft's lobbying machinery must have been in its infancy back then so the blame can't entirely be laid at their feet. But Microsoft don't seem to be doing anything to help either.
Fundamental to the problem is that youtube-dl (and many others) seem to be obvious candidates for exceptions to DMCA 1201. But the process around those exceptions seems not be working at all. Something which Microsoft appears completely tone-deaf and oblivious to[1].
So, with respect, I suggest you... get a grip to how you guys are going to be being perceived in this situation.
The DMCA works in much the way that its authors, the telcos and the MPAA and RIAA intended it to. To indemnify ISP's in return for their becoming enforcers for rights-holders ridiculously over-broad "anti-circumvention" clauses[0] which lead to outrageous abuses of the law (including anti-trust violations, attacks on the rights of consumers, academics, etc).
Now, Microsoft's lobbying machinery must have been in its infancy back then so the blame can't entirely be laid at their feet. But Microsoft don't seem to be doing anything to help either.
Fundamental to the problem is that youtube-dl (and many others) seem to be obvious candidates for exceptions to DMCA 1201. But the process around those exceptions seems not be working at all. Something which Microsoft appears completely tone-deaf and oblivious to[1].
So, with respect, I suggest you... get a grip to how you guys are going to be being perceived in this situation.
[0] Fritz Attaway, policy advisor MPAA. https://www.wired.com/2008/10/ten-years-later/ [1] https://beta.regulations.gov/document/COLC-2015-0012-0054