Tip: How to copy a DVD to your PC

— -- Q: Years ago, I copied a video from 8mm tape to DVD. Now I want to get it from that disc to my computer.

A: Although a DVD will show up on your computer's desktop like any other kind of removable storage, it doesn't work like a USB flash drive or a data CD. You'll only see cryptically-named folders like "Video_TS" holding files that the video software on your computer probably won't even recognize.

What you need is a specialized DVD-ripping program that will read the video information from the disc and save it in a file you can easily put on any other device: your computer, your smartphone, your iPad, whatever.

For that, I use a free, open-source program called Handbrake , a perennial favorite in this category. Select the DVD by clicking Handbrake's "Source" button, and it should automatically detect its video content and offer to export it in a standard format that will work on most devices — although you can also select more specific output options, such as tuning the file for an iPad.

The disc in question was a homemade item without the copy-prevention encryption applied to almost all commercial DVD releases — and I'll bet that many of you reading this wanted an answer about that.

Unfortunately, Handbrake by itself can't rip those Hollywood releases. Its FAQ suggests an alternative for Windows users, while Macworld reported last month that adding this capability to the Mac version only requires installing one extra file.

The legality of ripping an encrypted DVD is also a little tricky.

In the United States, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act bans circumventing encryption that "effectively" stops people from duplicating a copyrighted work. It's fair to ask if the easily-cracked encryption on DVDs still meets that requirement. Plus, in 2010, the Librarian of Congress decided that this DMCA rule shouldn't forbid users from copying short clips off a DVD for " fair use" commentary and criticism.

The DMCA requires this review every two years because its anti-circumvention rules can be exploited by copyright holders to squelch legitimate uses. In past proceedings, for example, the Librarian has allowed cracking the encryption on e-books to make them accessible to people with impaired vision.

As for the ethics of DVD ripping, to me they are straightforward: You bought the DVD fair and square, and it's now your property. If you make a backup copy of the disc — a good idea if you have a toddler at home who likes playing with shiny things — who, exactly, is harmed in that situation?

Tip: Make Facebook apps visible only to you

It's getting difficult to avoid all of the Facebook "Timeline" apps that automatically share your media consumption with friends on the social network. I am in general leery of this sort of thing; I don't think the songs I listen to or the stories I read are something all my friends need to know, and I'm not too interested in constant updates on your taste in music or news either.

But you can experiment with individual apps on a private basis. Go to your App Settings page on Facebook (you'll find a link to it on the left of your Account Settings page), select an app and click the "Edit" button to its right.

You'll see a list of settings open up; change the drop-down menu next to "Who can see posts this app makes for me on Facebook?" to "Only Me." You'll still see that app's activity on your own Timeline page, but if you select "View as…" from the little gear icon to the right of your name, you should be able to confirm that nobody else can.

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Rob Pegoraro is a tech writer based in Washington, D.C. To submit a tech question, e-mail Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/robpegoraro.