The passing of Slysoft and AnyDVD

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Slysoft, makers of AnyDVD as well as CloneDVD, CloneDVDMobile and VirtualCloneDrive has called it quits. Not only are they not making or selling their programs anymore, but the website has been reduced to a simple message thanking their customers for support over the years.

I’m deeply saddened by this news, not just because a useful program has been taken away, but that the bully tactics of the MPAA have claimed another victim. I still hold that we as consumers have the right to backup our movies and this is heavy blow to those rights.

Yes, there are plenty of people who collect and store Netflix on their hard drives, but as anyone who’s purchased a kids movie or a rare DVD knows, making a backup is essential.

While there are other products like Winx DVD Copy and DVDFab, it’s a damn shame that AnyDVD has crumbled. In my opinion it was the best and most reliable. I really hope the Slysoft assets "leak" to the web and get picked up by another group or company and the work continues. I think it’s vital we have a way to make a legal copy for DVDs we own.

Admittedly, the time of DVDs and Blu Rays is slowly coming to an end as streaming media takes over, but I still find the tactics to be rather shameful.

AnyDVD will continue to work for discs already on the market, but it won’t take long before a change to the protection scheme renders it obsolete. I still plan to use it make copies for as long as the ripper keeps working. Not only do I want my discs copied to my hard drive where it’s easier to access and load them, I don’t want the originals getting scratched. Make every movie I buy available as a permanent download and the problem would be solved.

It’s a damn shame Slysoft was ground out by the movie industry.

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