Sony-BMG caves after DRM uproar - bit-tech.net Forums

The_Pope · 3rd Nov 2005, 08:36

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/11...mg_drm_u_turn/

DivineSin · 3rd Nov 2005, 08:57

That link doesnt work, the correct one is http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/11...mg_drm_u_turn/

mclean007 · 3rd Nov 2005, 09:48

Given that Sony's anti-piracy software appears only to affect windows, wouldn't it be possible simply to throw the disc into a Linux / OSX box and rip it with impunity? Does anyone have any experience of this, and does anyone know of any so called anti-piract measures which aren't defeated in this way (i.e. ones which also affect Apple / Linux boxes)??

Lynx · 3rd Nov 2005, 10:12

They havent caved they have just made it so you can see the files now. You still cannot remove them without making your CDROM drive unusable.

The_Pope · 3rd Nov 2005, 10:14

There are any number of ways around this (potentially) so again - why are they aggravating their paying customers by blocking them copying music they PAID FOR to their iPod, while at the same time doing very little to stop any pirate with half a braincell?

You really have to wonder who advises companies to do stuff like this...

mclean007 · 3rd Nov 2005, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynx

They havent caved they have just made it so you can see the files now. You still cannot remove them without making your CDROM drive unusable.

The BBC appears to think otherwise - they claim that there is a tool available on Sony's website to allow the removal of the software:

Quote:

Mr Gilliat-Smith said Mr Russinovich had problems removing XCP because he tried to do it manually something that was not a "recommended action". Instead, said Mr Gilliat-Smith, he should have contacted Sony BMG which gives consumers advice about how to remove the software.

Getting the software removed involves filling in a form on the Sony website, visiting a unique URL and agreeing to have another program downloaded on to a user's PC that then does the uninstallation.

blackerthanblack · 3rd Nov 2005, 15:01

Fill in a form to 'allow' them to take some programs off you computer which should never be there in the first place???

So this time they actually inform you that they're going to install some useful software, rather than not tell you they're installing some evil stuff.

I reckon those affected should surprise Sony with a lawsuit anyway, since that's what Sony would do if they suspected you of ripping them off (not that I'm usually a fan of lawsuits).

-EVRE- · 3rd Nov 2005, 15:12

I felt like leaving my $.02 on the sony "DRM". Im still outraged that they even considered it. I still will not be purchasing anything labled with SONY now. The amp for my stereo, my sisters stereo, my dvd player, my 6 disk changer in my turck..... A ps3.....

I have to wonder, how many peoples computers this will effect that dont even know about the malware. think about how much press this gets and how many people check sites that publish this kind of info. the problem is still far from over. sony should put the program that removes its BS program on other cds. that way the poor saps that dont know not to buy sony cds get their computers fixed!

DreamTheEndless · 3rd Nov 2005, 16:42

Sent this link to MacDailyNews - if you're curious, they posted it here:

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/7456/

pman · 3rd Nov 2005, 21:48

DRM supporters should be taken out and shot...

The_Pope · 3rd Nov 2005, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamTheEndless

Sent this link to MacDailyNews - if you're curious, they posted it here:

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/7456/

LOL - nice. You can do that as often as you like

I mean, don't blatently spam people, but we encourage all bit-tech readers to spread the word

DreamTheEndless · 3rd Nov 2005, 23:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Pope

LOL - nice. You can do that as often as you like

I mean, don't blatently spam people, but we encourage all bit-tech readers to spread the word

It was a perfect article for them - They are a little mad at Sony because of all the fights that sony and apple are having right now and because mac users can't listen to sony CDs on their computers at all.
- and - not only did they link back to bit-tech - They also said thanks to little ol' me...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacDailyNews

[Thanks to MDN reader "DreamTheEndless" for the heads up. If you have an article, you'd like to see, click "contact" above and send us the link and the name you'd like us to use to thank you below the article.]

I don't mind exposing people to bit at all, and this was a well written article that was just right for mdn.

allforcarrie · 4th Nov 2005, 06:30

simple solution dont buy cd's.

smashie · 4th Nov 2005, 08:14

<rant> I really object to being treated like a criminal for buying a damn cd. Hell it would appear that the safest way to get music now is trough "other" sources </rant>

Breach · 5th Nov 2005, 18:53

I think its ironic that this "protection" is pushing more people like myself toward illegal downloads. I am an IT person myself, and there is NO WAY i would ever condone secret rootkits from any source. Im never buying anything with a sonyBMG label on it again. Apperently we are all criminials in thier eyes, whether you actually steal and pirate, or legally purchase a CD that they think you will probably try and copy. Hell of an assumption there. Ill stick to being an actual "criminal" and not guilty until proven innocent with thier garbage rootkits and copy protection.

steveo_mcg · 13th Nov 2005, 12:08

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4430608.stm

now they seem to have caved. A victory for common sense... Until the next wave of DRM

Colonel Sanders · 13th Nov 2005, 15:04

According to that BBC article, the only reason Sony stopped was not because they realized everbody knows what they doing is unethical- but because virus writers were using that technology? I do hope that is just BS from Sony trying to cover up their mistake instead of admitting they messed up.

L J

tm36usa · 14th Nov 2005, 04:48

[RANT]This just really makes me mad. If i choose to buy a cd insted of pay for a months worth of rent (crazy exageration but cds cost WAY too much {so do dvds for that matter too} I want to be able to rip that cd and put it on my mp3 player, play it in winamp, copy it to cassatte and 8-track and even make it my cell phone ring tone. I payed for the rights to let me listen to the cd and i *own* the rights to those songs for personal use. Before you know it, you wont be able to pay a cd in you car when your riding with your mates if they all dont have the cd or bought the rights to it.[/RANT]

With all that said, thats a low blow. Just because some people rip the cd and then give it to people dosent mean that everyone who plays it in winamp is doing it. Thats like closing all the roads because some people use them to get away from bank robberies (yeah crappy analogy i know but its midnight and im tired) Why wont they just give this a rest, its not like they lose that much money when someone pirates their cd, the people who buy them pay for all the people who pirate it, theres enough money there to do so.

Just as another side point, I think if cds and dvd's came down to a reasonable price ($5) then the pirating would be much lower. As the artical said, If you dont like your toaster you can take it back but if i dont like the dvd or cd i just bought im screwed out of my 25 bucks. Ludacris

3rd Nov 2005, 08:36	#1
The_Pope Geoff Richards Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2,089	Sony-BMG caves after DRM uproar http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/11...mg_drm_u_turn/ Last edited by The_Pope; 3rd Nov 2005 at 10:11.

3rd Nov 2005, 09:48	#3
mclean007 Officious Bystander Join Date: May 2003 Location: Nodnol Posts: 1,595	Given that Sony's anti-piracy software appears only to affect windows, wouldn't it be possible simply to throw the disc into a Linux / OSX box and rip it with impunity? Does anyone have any experience of this, and does anyone know of any so called anti-piract measures which aren't defeated in this way (i.e. ones which also affect Apple / Linux boxes)?? __________________ Demand Naked DSL in the UK!

3rd Nov 2005, 15:01	#7
blackerthanblack Multimodder Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Fife Posts: 209	Fill in a form to 'allow' them to take some programs off you computer which should never be there in the first place??? So this time they actually inform you that they're going to install some useful software, rather than not tell you they're installing some evil stuff. I reckon those affected should surprise Sony with a lawsuit anyway, since that's what Sony would do if they suspected you of ripping them off (not that I'm usually a fan of lawsuits). __________________ There is so a spoon

3rd Nov 2005, 15:12	#8
-EVRE- Supermodder Join Date: May 2004 Location: Idaho U.S.A Posts: 343	I felt like leaving my $.02 on the sony "DRM". Im still outraged that they even considered it. I still will not be purchasing anything labled with SONY now. The amp for my stereo, my sisters stereo, my dvd player, my 6 disk changer in my turck..... A ps3..... I have to wonder, how many peoples computers this will effect that dont even know about the malware. think about how much press this gets and how many people check sites that publish this kind of info. the problem is still far from over. sony should put the program that removes its BS program on other cds. that way the poor saps that dont know not to buy sony cds get their computers fixed! __________________ (Phenom II 940)(Foxcon A7DA)(8gb OCZ DDR2 800 )(8800gt aka hair dryer)(Big yellow case, CPU, GPU)(Enermax Liberty 500w)(lite-on DVD-RW w/LightScribe)(Seagate 300gb sata)(Seagate 320gb x2)(WD 200gb)(Dell 3007WFP 30"LCD, 19" Samsung, Acer 1280x720 projector) Last edited by -EVRE-; 3rd Nov 2005 at 15:21.

3rd Nov 2005, 16:42	#9
DreamTheEndless Gravity hates Bacon Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland Oregon USA Posts: 1,554	Sent this link to MacDailyNews - if you're curious, they posted it here: http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/7456/ __________________ Srenob is deader than dead, so check out my new blog instead: http://i-have-a-blog-now.blogspot.com/ (Note - there's not much there yet, but maybe there will be someday.)

3rd Nov 2005, 08:57	#2
DivineSin Ultramodder Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 1,251	That link doesnt work, the correct one is http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/11...mg_drm_u_turn/

3rd Nov 2005, 10:12	#4
Lynx Hypermodder Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Cambridge Posts: 858	They havent caved they have just made it so you can see the files now. You still cannot remove them without making your CDROM drive unusable.

3rd Nov 2005, 10:14	#5
The_Pope Geoff Richards Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2,089	There are any number of ways around this (potentially) so again - why are they aggravating their paying customers by blocking them copying music they PAID FOR to their iPod, while at the same time doing very little to stop any pirate with half a braincell? You really have to wonder who advises companies to do stuff like this...

3rd Nov 2005, 21:48	#10
pman Multimodder Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 88	DRM supporters should be taken out and shot... __________________ MacBook 1.83Ghz, 1GB RAM, 60GB HD

4th Nov 2005, 06:30	#13
allforcarrie Banned Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 414	simple solution dont buy cd's.

4th Nov 2005, 08:14	#14
smashie Cupid Stunt Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wing Posts: 544	<rant> I really object to being treated like a criminal for buying a damn cd. Hell it would appear that the safest way to get music now is trough "other" sources </rant>

5th Nov 2005, 18:53	#15
Breach Supermodder Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: WA Posts: 354	I think its ironic that this "protection" is pushing more people like myself toward illegal downloads. I am an IT person myself, and there is NO WAY i would ever condone secret rootkits from any source. Im never buying anything with a sonyBMG label on it again. Apperently we are all criminials in thier eyes, whether you actually steal and pirate, or legally purchase a CD that they think you will probably try and copy. Hell of an assumption there. Ill stick to being an actual "criminal" and not guilty until proven innocent with thier garbage rootkits and copy protection. __________________ Project :: SSC (Super Sport Computer)

13th Nov 2005, 12:08	#16
steveo_mcg What owl? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,975	http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4430608.stm now they seem to have caved. A victory for common sense... Until the next wave of DRM

13th Nov 2005, 15:04	#17
Colonel Sanders Ultramodder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Middle of nowhere(in USA) Posts: 1,193	According to that BBC article, the only reason Sony stopped was not because they realized everbody knows what they doing is unethical- but because virus writers were using that technology? I do hope that is just BS from Sony trying to cover up their mistake instead of admitting they messed up. L J __________________ "Play a Windows CD backwards and hear satanic messages. Thats nothing, play it forwards and it installs Windows."

14th Nov 2005, 04:48	#18
tm36usa I am a Dremel Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Deep Underground Posts: 1,593	[RANT]This just really makes me mad. If i choose to buy a cd insted of pay for a months worth of rent (crazy exageration but cds cost WAY too much {so do dvds for that matter too} I want to be able to rip that cd and put it on my mp3 player, play it in winamp, copy it to cassatte and 8-track and even make it my cell phone ring tone. I payed for the rights to let me listen to the cd and i own the rights to those songs for personal use. Before you know it, you wont be able to pay a cd in you car when your riding with your mates if they all dont have the cd or bought the rights to it.[/RANT] With all that said, thats a low blow. Just because some people rip the cd and then give it to people dosent mean that everyone who plays it in winamp is doing it. Thats like closing all the roads because some people use them to get away from bank robberies (yeah crappy analogy i know but its midnight and im tired) Why wont they just give this a rest, its not like they lose that much money when someone pirates their cd, the people who buy them pay for all the people who pirate it, theres enough money there to do so. Just as another side point, I think if cds and dvd's came down to a reasonable price ($5) then the pirating would be much lower. As the artical said, If you dont like your toaster you can take it back but if i dont like the dvd or cd i just bought im screwed out of my 25 bucks. Ludacris __________________ Project Double Helix 01110100011011010011001100110110011101010111001101 100001