The release of RealDVD by RealNetworks has put the company at odds with the almighty Hollywood who have requested a temporary restraining order that would halt the sale of the copying software. The Motion Picture Association of America, which includes Sony Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Walt Disney and Warner Bros. has already filed a suit for damages against RealNetworks.

Hollywood film studios already lose an estimated $11 billion each year from online digital bootlegging and are now concerned that the software will make the possibility to engage in the practice of 'rent, rip and return' all the more easier.

Surly the studios are barking up the wrong tree on this one, especailly given the failure of the music industry regarding the mp3 file sharing revolution. The software is meant to allow the RealDVD customer the opportunity to make multiple copies of content they have already purchased, now should the individuals then copy and distribute, well then that becomes another matter.

At the risk of dating myself, I seem to recall a similar reaction by the film industry to VHS and Beta video and look what happened then.