Yet another bogus DRM system from Sony

Submitted by Roland on Fri, 2005-11-04 02:01

Oh boy, what next? Boycott is the only answer.

From EFF: DeepLinks.:

QUOTE

Using a program called a rootkit, inserting a Sony BMG music CD will now infect your computer with a nefarious program, burying it deeply and obscurely within your operating system. The program will monitor your computer activity in the name of preventing the so-called epidemic of "piracy" that results from people making extra copies of their music CDs or favorite songs. Worse yet, there is no "uninstall" feature on these program. It's like the roach motel -- once Sony BMG's surveillance program checks in, you can't make it check out without completely wiping your entire system clean. Such practices have been widely condemned in the computer world, even by Microsoft's own research division.

UNQUOTE

Comments

David Janes (not verified)

Fri, 2005-11-04 03:01

Sony has announced a "patch" with a snarky message:

http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=173402819

If it wasn't for those meddling kids and their blogs...

A Nony Mouse (not verified)

Fri, 2005-11-04 09:23

I don't *think* it was DRM related but after I played a Disney movie on DVD on an old Windows 98 machine, which required me to install some software, I could no longer play some games that I had. Probably the usual Windows instability of interference between different applications and their dependencies.

Regardless though - if I play a CD or a DVD on a computer I do not want to be forced to install any software. Rather than click through EULA's how about clear labelling laws on CDs/DVDs on whether they require special software and details on what that software will do - and liability if that software causes problems.

The Enquirer has this story as well, written before Sony released their "patch": http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27426

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