An interesting read.

[longedge]

I came across this (http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html) link in a newsgroup. Although 50% of it is over my head, what I did understand I found very worrying. It sounds as if Sony have overstepped the mark in terms of what is acceptable.

Windows does a good enough job of slowly crippling itself without help from dubious software from what most people would think of as a trustworthy company :wow

[bnkrazy]

This has been on slashdot for a while now...I just hope Sony doesn't get cut any slack just because of who they are.

I'm all for paying artists for their work, but enforcing DRM using tactics like this should be illegal...if it isn't already.

Apparently to remove the rootkit, you must go to a unique url at sonymusic.com and install an ActiveX control (IE only) that will remove the 'cloaking' part of the DRM software...not even the DRM software itself. Yeah right.... :rolleyes

Also, with Sony/BMG and Universal doing this...how long before each manufacturer's software is fighting the other to have control over your CDROM/CPU/RAM... What fun.

I can see a future where a call to fix a client's spyware infected machine entails going through their CD collection. :rolleyes

[Corey]

Can't say enough bad things about Sony on all fronts, they'll never see another dime from my pocket. :yes

For the record, if you ever saw the payment scheme Sony uses with artists your jaw would hit the floor. A *lot* of top artists net less than one penny per CD. That's common. Many young artists don't even get that. :o

Here's a neat read by producer Steve Albini in regards to one aspect of this:
http://www.negativland.com/albini.html

And BTW these folks aren't even good at selling music. For example the grandfather of punk, Iggy Pop, sold only 6,000 copies of his new album!!! Yep, that's right 6,000. That's not near enough to even touch paying for the costs, let alone profit. And that's from a huge name in the business, just imagine how bad it is for unknown bands... :o

[Corey]

Uno podcastillo del Sony DRM:
http://thisweekintech.com/sn12

The truth is not pretty on this one. They intentionally designed it so that the rootkit names itself, "Plug and play device manager" for the purposes of deception. How does that differ from what virus writers do? Harumph. If some teenager had done this, theyd be facing jail time right now and Sony would probably be one of the parties prosecuting. Ironic. :o

"Well, we have met the enemy, and he is Sony/BMG. [..] The best thing to do at this point is stop buying Sony..."
- Leo LaPorte, 2005

I'm with Leo 100%. The time has come to take a stand. To make a change. To vote with our wallets. If we don't make a stand right now this will pale in comparison to the next one...

[Corey]

http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=14311&hed=Online+Music+Sales+Flatten&sector=Industries&subsector=InternetAndServices

Amazing how no one makes the connection between poor value and poor sales. Mind boggling in fact. They speak about the issue as though product and service quality have absolutely no bearing on sales. And these are the highly paid "expert analysts"... Flabbergasting. :rolleyes

My absolute favorite new tactic from these yahoos though is the new line about how "poor sales" equals "vast market potential". Talk about ridiculous. And the punchline is that it's their own deceptive double speak which sabotages their best interests in the end. The competitor who harms them most is themselves. :rolleyes

Compare the predictions from last May to actual sales since and you'll see these folks have absolutely zero ability to predict or analyze anything. Each time they end up completely off base, and each time they simply trot out a few tired euphemisms and swindle their way through. Amazing. I doubt you could find a less accurate source of info on digital music sales than an Apple analyst. If you tossed a dice you would get around 50%-50% which appears to be roughly double the accuracy you can expect from an "expert" these days. :yes