Don’t Mess with that CSS – by “Daniel C”

Final Project Fall 2010

Don’t Mess with that CSS (feat. B-Rad)

Artists: MCSS and MC++

Don’t Mess with that CSS

Group Members: Logan Mohs, Jennifer Flynn, Jamie VanDyck, Adam Fishman, Maria Altyeva, Daniel Choi

Some background on the project:

Where we got our idea: We decided to make a modern version/parody of the original “Don’t Copy that Floppy” video from 1992.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up863eQKGUI)

Background on CSS:

CSS is a system incorporated into almost all commercially produced DVDs.  DVD players have a CSS Decryption system to recognize and allow the playing of these DVDs.  In 1999, Norwegian software engineer Jon Johansen created a decryption code called DeCSS that reverse engineered the algorithm.  DeCSS quickly became available to the public and DVD CCA (Copy Control Association) began suing individuals who helped distribute the source code and eventually arrested Johansen.  Some argued that DeCSS code belonged under First Amendment rights.  Ultimately, the Norwegian Supreme Court acquitted Johansen on all charges.  The court decided that Johansen was entitled to access information on a personally purchased DVD, and was therefore entitled to use DeCSS to break the code.  But don’t be mislead.  The bottom line is that DVDs should not be ripped for distribution, and should not be ripped if they are not your own DVD that you purchased.

Lyrics:

(intro)

[B-Rad]: Dude! Look what DVD I found! (Holding Along Came Polly)  Let’s copy it onto the computer!

[MCss]: (In agitated voice) Hey, man! Drop that DVD.

Verse:

Listen up B-Rad and be glad,

It’s only me mad, otherwise you’d find yourself in quite some trouble.

(B-Rad: Who are you?)

I go by the name of MCss,

My job is to make students like you second guess,

And realize that CSS is here to protect,

Before the Feds come and make you a criminal reject. (O-o-o-o background)

[MC++]: Um… wait a second I’d like to interject

[B-Rad]: Wow, another guy! And who are you?

[MC++]: (Rewind sound effect) Yo! Call me- MC++

When it comes to cracking code

I’ll show you wussup.

I run Clinics in linux,

I save Apples^© for picnics,

I deCipher DOS scripts,

like Ancient hieroglyphics. (Wow!)

I’m like the architect of the Matrix,

I’ll take you back to the basics,

my coding is tenacious—let’s face it.

[MCss]:

Alright I’ll face it, his logic is tasteless,

And at best, his rap skills are only nascent.

In defense of Anti-circumvention, I need to mention

Salaries and pensions are incentives for invention.

A lot of work goes into a movie production,

Directors, actors, in conjunction to function,

Stiller and Aniston aren’t the only ones to suffer,

Think Friends without Rachel ([B-Rad]: but I love her!)

[Chorus 1] (lyrical in a minor key)

Comp hackers- don’t mess, don’t mess with that CSS,

Code Crackers, protest- Fight for your rights, if you know what’s best.

(harmonized) DON’T! Don’t mess, (Don’t Mess!) Take your hands off the keys and avoid arrest.

Disk Jackers, don’t mess, Let the Beat rest (beat drops—a cappella) and take a Moment to process.

[B-Rad]: (beat drops) But what is CSS?

[MCss]: (beat starts again) CSS is an acronym for Content Scramble System,

It’s a protective 40-bit stream cipher algorithm,

When you rip the system making movie incomes victim,

You break the key used for DVD authentication.

[MC++]

But it’s so easy; just use that DVD Rippa-

Put the movie on your hard drive and I’ll give you a sticka-

Don’t worry the code is protected under the First Amendment, (Is it?)

Now you can save a trip to Blockbuster and not have to rent it.

First take the DVD and convert to AVI,

Then maybe I, with Richard Stallman can help to legalize,

Software defying government Tony Stark style,

So that you can convert movies to versatile files.

My homie Seth Schoen wrote a CSS haiku,

He threw some writtens down like a verbal tycoon.

(MCss: Huh, Programming, poetic? Man that’s pathetic!)

[MC++]: Man, if you’z smarter you’d listen to my rhet’ric.

Now the Curse has been lifted and the Power has shifted,

we’re unLocking the content you greedy Fuckers encrypted.

Oh, what was that? Your DRM has been breached? (THAT’S RIGHT)

And you can’t do shit, cuz my Code is free speech

Put yo’ hands up (echo, PAUSE) in the air for generativity,

Creativity in code is expressive novelty,

Sorry b, if I offended you, you will soon see,

that the tides are shifting for expressive technology.

[MCSS]: Don’t listen to him B-Rad it’s not worth it!

[Chorus 2]

Comp hackers- don’t mess, don’t mess with that CSS,

Code Crackers, protest- Fight for your rights, if you know what’s best.

(harmonized) DON’T! Don’t mess, (Don’t Mess!) Take your hands off the keys and avoid arrest.

Disk Jackers, don’t mess, Let the Beat rest (beat drops—a cappella)

[B-Rad]: I need a moment to process…

[MCss]:

He says he can decode DOS like hieroglyphics,

But really he’s not thinking about you and missing the specifics, ([B-Rad]: You’re right!)

Since you found this DVD and personally don’t own it,

I can’t condone it, If I haven’t shown it, already.

Don’t distribute this DVD, that’s the take home lesson,

An authenticated DVD in your personal possession,

Is the only case, in which you can deface, erase, (Okay!)

The CSS for yourself and copy what’s encased.

Think about it. Is Along Came Polly really worth it? (What, What on the offbeats)

26 (percent) on rotten tomatoes, I would rather jerk it,

Shirkin’ your responsibilities with law isn’t workin’

Fill the shoes of movie workers; your mindset needs reworkin’

**violin vs. guitar battle** (G-minor trade-off)

[B-Rad]:

All right thanks you guys, I think I’ve heard enough,

This decision was real tough, you guys made it rough,

I’ll start with MC++, wussup, (MC++: Wut upp?!)

I’ll go over what you said—without the fluff.

I see your perspective that coding isn’t wrong,

That under free speech is where computer code belongs.

But I should use reason, And I should be heedin’

The advice of MC double S…yours is misleadin’

It’s not benign any more when it’s a crime,

Is it worth it to pay a fine for what isn’t mine?

I probably shouldn’t cheat and make movie workers resign,

This DVD isn’t mine so I shouldn’t this time.

I found this DVD in professor Torrent’s class,

I was walking down the aisle when I saw Lawrence flash,

A bunch of DVDs and he took his cash sash and last

-ly told me fast not to tell anyone as he passed.

All this DVD ripping is making me hectic,

And listening to all this rap is really infectious,

I didn’t know I had such miracle lyrical rap tricks,

Who needs Blockbuster anyways, I hacked my friend’s account on Netflix…WHAT

(Beat fades)

Brad’s friend: Are you serious man?!

B-rad: Yeah man, you’ve had the same password since like the 2^nd grade…