Is it legal to use a region free software?

[rebatyh]

I would like to know whether it is legal to use a region free software in U.S. and Europe. Can anybody tell me about that?
And what if I use a DVD copy/Ripping software?

[Batman]

They are illegal or fall in the blurry "Grey zone".

[vljenewein]

The region free restriction is BS in my opinion. I'm for no DVD having a region! As far as the others.. I own the DVD and if I want to make a copy, by God I'm making a copy and the folks that want to take that right away from me can just come right on over.. I've plenty of space left in the back 40 acres for them.. next to the IRS headstones.

[Batman]

Glad to see a man standing up for his movier....er...rights

[Enchanter]

I view region restrictions as something that should not have been there in the first place, and serves only to prohibit me from viewing discs from different regions (which I happen to own).

[SKD_Tech]

I do believe if it was really "illeagal" Admin wouldn't post firmware for drives in this forum

[megamachine]

Fair Use

Probably this is all exempted under fair use or educational use provisions in most copyright laws. I think the multinationals are more worried about mass producing and selling copies of DVDs, undercutting the market, moreso than individual uses. The same issues came up with photocopy machines and music recording. So, if my view counts, keep ripping and dodging those regions!