[BC] CD's Recalled for Posing Risk to PC's

[Bruce Doerle]

I am far from a big fan of copy protection, and I think Sony did a really bad job of developing a product that they installed on you PCs without warning or knowledge; the legal system will bare out their responsibility of this issue.  But you have to give them credit for owning up to what they did and for trying to make good on a bad thing of their own fault.  At least, you can determine what CDs are infected with XCD: http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html.  After informing our music librarian earlier this week, he contacted Sony as there are a number of CDs with their DRM software in our library.  My concern would be for those who load the music files into their automation systems.  Anyway, Sony has promised to provide the station with new CDs not containing the XCD software. 

I understand Sony's concern about copy protect.  When I was stationed in Kuwait in the mid 90's, I could openly buy virtually all the US software I wanted at a fraction of the US price.  Most of it was made in Thailand and China complete with manuals printed on newspaper quality paper.  The US Embassy continually put pressure on the Kuwaitee government until it was off the shelves.  But you could still buy it by asking for it from under the counter.  However, I don't think that this was the right process.  It is like guns, when they keep taking them away, only the criminals will have them.  The same with the copies.  The copy pirates will find a way to defeat any copy protection that Sony or any other vendor my devise.  The harm only comes to the innocent.

rant on /rant off/ who knows,

Bruce



>>> DHultsman5 at aol.com 11/17/2005 4:34:21 PM >>>
 
In a message dated 11/17/2005 12:59:20 PM Central Standard Time,  
barry at oldradio.com writes:


The entire issue of "protecting  everything,
at all times" is getting  tiresome. Few
people - aside from the  true pirates and
disk jockeys - really  ever make multiple
copies of  anything....   And the people
who do can easily defeat all the
copy  protection devices out there.

It is  more of a PR issue, and one wonders
how  long it will take to blow over...  it is
likely Sony will give away free CDs
before they agree to allow a lawsuit ... and
you can believe EVERY big gun attorney for
the industry will be on board to protect
their "sneakwrap"  terms.




*********************
Isn't kinda interesting that Sony started the VHS/Betamax copyright issue  
over twenty years ago that resulted in VHS cassettes having a dollar added on to 
 the cost of a blank and now they are still trying work both ends of the deal 
 again... 
 
They control the music and the hardware )(software) that it is recorded  on.  
Also the have purchased the audio and video software company   Audio Forge 
and Video Forge  about 7 years ago to specifically record audio  and video to 
their CD and DVD blanks.
 
I just wonder how much they are really looking out for the writers and  
performers of their movies and recording labels and how much is looking out for  
Columbia  and Sony???
 
A friend of mine mentioed just the otjer day, after visiting China a year  or 
so back that he found all types of American movies in english for $1.00 US in 
 China.  Current movies recorded in NTSC and good quality.  The had  both 
Chinese and English labels.
 
I think the Pacific rim bootlegger companies are certainly more problems to  
the Video and CD industry than one copying a CD for your own use in your  car. 
 
 
 VHS tapes are so cheap now,  I seldom erase any programs I  record that are 
worthwhile,  I label and file them.
 
Oh well,  I am thinking about going back to cuttting vinyl for audio  and 
CED's for video.
 
Dave

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