321 Studios gives MPAA going away payout
11-08-2004
by The Register

The Motion Picture Association of America has managed to give DVD-copying software maker 321 Studios one last kick where it counts.

The software maker has agreed to settle a copyright infringement suit with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for an undisclosed sum just days after ongoing court battles forced it to close shop. Neither party had much to add about the deal other than to say it was recently completed.

321 gained fame as the boldest DVD-copying software producer around. The St. Louis-based firm not only vocally promoted its wares but also attacked the movie studios head on by filing a 2002 lawsuit, demanding that its products be deemed acceptable under the DMCA.

The MPAA, however, had more luck in the courts. The lobby group of the rich and decadent convinced the courts to halt sales of 321's software. A few video game makers later joined in the fun.

321 long argued that consumers deserved to make copies of their products -- a theory those missing an anal-retentive flair will appreciate. The kids tell us another firm has stepped up to keep scratched DVDs from causing too much emotional distress.

Movies companies, however, considered the 321 kit as a mechanism for making massive amounts of copies and abusing their intellectual property.

321 last week announced that it would have to exit the DVD protection market due to mounting legal costs.

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