and I didn't think DVD rippers are illegal.
Well they can be......
Like I said, anything that involves breaking the DECSS encryption on DVDs is illegal in Great Britain. It is currently illegal in the United Kingdom for people to “rip” content from a CD or DVD to their personal computers or other devices, though more than half of all British consumers have done so at some point, according to the National Consumer Council.
It is illegal in all countries which have ratified the EU Copyright Directive, as well as the United States. It may be legal in the latter country to make personal copies, but it is illegal to use dvd-ripping software to do it. "Go figure" as the Yanks say.
I don't know about other countries.