That said, Patel labeled the CSS a “trade secret” after only a few moments of public discourse. Greg Sandoval, a gonzo scribe for CNET, stood up and objected to the MPAA’s move for closure. The judge, however, said she wasn’t about to waste the court’s time and parse, “bit by bit,” which pieces of the code have been cracked and published on the internet and which parts have not. So she closed the courtroom, despite every crack and hack of the code having already been slathered on the internet, on shirts and ties. Let’s not forget about all the underground software programs, free or cheap, that allow for the copying of DVDs. (Check out Wired.com’s how-to wiki for DVD copying instructions.)

Good thing she did too. There was a fly in the courtroom that hadn’t heard about the crack yet…