(NB: This message has been modified by the hosting provider to remove the cell
phone number, as I am not at all certain Joseph Wecker still owns the original
number provided 24+ years ago…)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rod Underhill" <Rod@MP3.com>
To: "Joseph Wecker" <jwecker@joeysmith.com>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 10:31 PM
Subject: Re: DeCSS


| Actually, I didn't pull the song...but somebody here must have. As you 
| know, this is a hot legal issue right now. We're sorta being sued by enough 
| people right now, I guess we'd like to keep out of court for a while, if 
| that's okay....you'll need to fight the first amendment fight on your own 
| on this issue, if that's okay.
| 
| At 10:03 PM 9/11/00 -0600, you wrote:
| >I noticed earlier that you pulled our DeCSS songs.
| >I really like mp3.com and certainly don't want to cause you guys any
| >headache.  I realize the song is a little bit controversial, but I have been
| >assured even by Harvard professors, that writing a song with source code
| >lyrics is purely within my first amendment rights.
| >On a side note- if one were to construct the code from the lyrics, it still
| >isn't complete enough to decode a DVD.  There are tables missing and whole
| >procedures missing.  This, I hope, is irrelevent to the cause (it should be
| >legal in America to write a song even if you _could_ reproduce the whole
| >song)- but at least it assures you and me that the song itself will not (and
| >can not) be used to illegally circumvent any copyrights.
| >
| >If your concern is that we're playing the company- puting it up on mp3.com
| >for payback money or something- all I have to say is that's obsurd.  I'd
| >much prefer that you simply don't count plays of DeCSS on the payback then
| >actually pulling the song.
| >
| >Finally, I know you guys have been dealing with a lot of litigation lately,
| >and I really don't want to add to the problem.  I want you all to be a very
| >healthy company.  I realize that the posting of songs to the public remains
| >in your disgression, and I won't raise a ruccus if you decide that the songs
| >need to remain un-public.  Though- I might add- it's at that point that I
| >consider moving to a different country where you actually _are_ free ;-)
| >
| >I would ask, however, that you keep me updated with what's going on.  If you
| >have any questions or additional concerns about the DeCSS songs, please call
| >me at 801-xxx-yyyy.
| >
| >Joseph Wecker