computer science

RedFox

RedFox is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand RedFox rather than just read about it. In short: RedFox (formerly SlySoft) was a software development company based in Belize. The company was most prominently known for its software AnyDVD, which can be used to bypass copy protection measures on optical media, including DVD and Blu-ray Disc media, as well as CloneCD, which were used to back up the contents of optical discs.

Key takeaways

RedFox belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect RedFox to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of RedFox from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

RedFox (formerly SlySoft) was a software development company based in Belize. The company was most prominently known for its software AnyDVD, which can be used to bypass copy protection measures on optical media, including DVD and Blu-ray Disc media, as well as CloneCD, which were used to back up the contents of optical discs. The company formerly operated as the St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda-based SlySoft. At some point in February 2016, SlySoft closed down, with its home page replaced by a message citing "recent regulatory requirements". On or around 16 February 2016, AACS LA had requested that the Office of the United States Trade Representative place Antigua and Barbuda on its Priority Watch List of countries that fail to prevent intellectual property violations, with specific reference to SlySoft. However, the company's online forum remained online, and had replaced the brand SlySoft with "RedFox". SlySoft developers also revealed that none of the company's staff was actually based in Antigua, that the company was not involved in legal settlements from AACS LA, and that key staff members still had access to SlySoft's technical infrastructure—including build systems and licensing servers—feasibly allowing development of AnyDVD to continue. On 2 March 2016, SlySoft reformed as RedFox, under a top-level domain based in Belize, and released a new version of AnyDVD. Since 5 June 2024, the company's website and its software are unavailable again.

Products AnyDVD/AnyDVD HD – DVD ripper and device driver providing on-the-fly decryption of DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray discs and removal of copy protection and digital rights management (DRM). Protections are removed transparently in the background, allowing direct access for media players or other software to read, play, or copy protected discs. AnyStream – to download and remove DRM from streaming video on Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu (USA), Paramount+, Peacock and Netflix CloneCD – to copy optical discs in raw format CloneDVD Mobile – to convert DVD files to mobile video players like the iPod or the PlayStation Portable Game Jackal – to create CD profiles so a disc isn't required when starting the game. The extended version Game Jackal Enterprise has additional features, such as automatic distribution of game profiles to client machines

AACS and BD+ SlySoft was the first, in February 2007, to offer AACS circumvention that worked for any disc available; previous programs only cracked "compatible" discs using a database of known keys. On 8 November 2007, SlySoft claimed to have completely cracked BD+. However, this turned out to be incorrect, as subsequent versions of BD+ security code have caused SlySoft to re-design its software. On 3 March 2008, SlySoft updated AnyDVD HD allowing the full decryption of BD+, allowing for not only the viewing of the film itself but also playing and copying disks with third-party software. A third iteration of BD+ was released in November 2008, and was announced to be cracked by SlySoft with the release of AnyDVD HD 6.5.0.2 on 29 December 2008. A fourth version of BD+ security code was discovered with the movie Australia on 17 February 2009, thwarting the effectiveness of SlySoft's software. However, on 19 March 2009, SlySoft updated AnyDVD HD to version 6.5.3.1 which allowed the decryption of the new version of BD+ used by Australia.

Licensing On 1 December 2008, SlySoft announced it would for the first time begin charging its customers for updates to its software. In November 2010, SlySoft initially announced via email and on their forum the discontinuation of the lifetime licensing option, beginning January 2011, encouraging customers to purchase the lifetime option "while it is still possible." In January 2011, announcements regarding the change were deleted, and a new structured licensing plan was put into place; including the lifetime licensing option for a steeper price. The software can still be used after the support date, but won't be able to be updated. In 2016, following the collapse of Slysoft, customers were required to purchase a new license to use RedFox software.

References

Further reading "Appapalooza", Computer Power User (CPU), October 2009 • Vol.9 Issue 10, Pages 60–70 "What's Happening", Computer Power User (CPU), January 2008 • Vol.8 Issue 1, Pages 6–11 "What's Happening", Computer Power User (CPU), March 2009 • Vol.9 Issue 3, Pages 9–16 "The Bleeding Edge of Software", Computer Power User (CPU), February 2009 • Vol.9 Issue, 2 Page 72

External links Official website Kerr, Justin (4 January 2009). "Slysoft Plays Cat and Mouse with BD+ DRM - And Continues to Win the War". Maximum PC. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010. Felten, Ed (27 November 2007). "Slysoft Commercializes Next-Gen DVD Circumvention". Freedom to Tinker. Murph, Darren (30 October 2007). "SlySoft claims to have cracked BD+, naysayers fall quiet". Engadget HD. Archived from the original on 30 October 2007. Demerjian, Charlie (29 December 2008). "Slysoft re-cracks BD+ That was mighty quick". The Inquirer. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Elaborate Bytes

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with RedFox

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what RedFox claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to RedFox before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about RedFox ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of RedFox

In research: RedFox appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses RedFox in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: RedFox is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2003 establishments in Belize, 21st-century disestablishments in Belize, Belizean brands, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for RedFox outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study RedFox in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what RedFox means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain RedFox out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is RedFox in simple terms?

Why does RedFox matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study RedFox?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on RedFox.