(1) Converting an audio CD from its native CD-DA format to MP3, AAC or some other compressed audio format. When the term was coined, it had a perverse meaning. Many loved the idea they were "ripping off" the music industry by making copyrighted works available in a compact format that could be quickly downloaded over the Internet. Ripping is also called "importing." See MP3, AAC and import.

(2) Decrypting a DVD movie and storing it on a hard disk. Ripping a DVD does not result in a smaller, compressed version of the original as it does with audio files. See DeCSS.

(3) Using a raster image processor, which prepares a page for display or printing. See RIP.