Thursday, November 17, 2005

 

CD spyware

Sony is still having problems with the spyware they've been putting on their new CDs. The Washington Post quotes an industry security expert saying "What I'm most concerned about is: If nothing serious happens to Sony that's visible to other companies, then we run the risk of this kind of thing becoming standard corporate behavior."
As consumers we're capable of taking this punishment into our own hands. I'm already feeling cautious about obtaining any "legal" copies of the music I like. Why would anyone want to pay money for CDs that contain material you can't copy? If I buy a recording, I want to able to put it on a mix CD to listen to in the car, or just put it on my computer to listen to while I'm working.
There are more and more places that you can buy albums and individual songs online. I prefer to get stuff legally, but I'm starting to worry that the "official" versions will mess up my computer.
Haven't thought this through much yet, but I don't feel much sympathy for the bosses at Sony-BMG.

Comments:
Dana and I argue/discuss this issue-I really think the music industry needs to come up with a more creative way to make money on music. The world has moved on from just selling lps, then tapes, then cds...it reminds me of the issues facing online newspapers. How much should be free and what will people pay for-and what is the cost in lost readers when there is a fee? With music, obviously people will not lose interest, but you are right, there are endless illegal ways to get music. I really think we need to rethink how music is distributed to everyone.
 
As a librarian I have USUALLY thot that copyrights should be protected. But this is getting ridiculous. The companies arent being punished; the public is. Rethink is right. The whole legitimate use thing has gone down the toilet.
 
Mon, Nov 21-check out Fox Trot in the comics today...:) 1st panel is Jason saying, "Did you hear how Sony was outed for including nasty DRM software on certain music CDs? (next panel) If you play one on a PC, it invisibly installs stuff into your system that virus writers can use to hide all kinds of malicious code."
 
I personally think the government should distribute ipods to every citizen. All media should be relegated to ipods; music, news, everything. Then, they can manipulate everything we see and hear. Maybe we would be less depressed. It could be like Stepford World.
 
Dorothy? Where are you? Post something!
 
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