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Jesus Joshua 24:15 Home  »  Forum Home  »  Everything Else  »  The Tech Corner  »  Sony and its busted XCP

   

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AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster

USA
621 Posts

Posted - 15 Nov 2005 :  23:09:20 Show Profile
For those of you unaware of the recent news involving Sony and its latest attempt at a draconian copy protection scheme (that would be all two of you) here is a summary:

Sony is licensing a copy protection program called XCP from First 4 Internet Ltd., a British company. Essentially XCP is a "root kit", a program that hides itself from the OS and can't easily be safely removed. If you play an XCP CD you need to accept and install Sony's DRM (Digital Rights Management) software. Theoretically the software keeps you from making illegal copies of the CDs.... though it really doesn't work too well. It only works on a Windows PC (if you're spiffy with a Mac or Linux the software won't run and you can run your CD like normal). Its really only a bother for the average consumer - who wasn't the one pirating it in the first place!

Not long after the first few XCP CDs started rolling out a virus came along that piggy-backed on the program and hid itself too. The day after that Sony stopped including the program... for now.

Here are a few links to some articles that Computer World ran on the topic. They cover the issue better than I could in a short space like this.

Sony copy protection software raises security, privacy concerns (9 Nov.)
Hacker uses Sony’s anticopy software to install PC virus (10 Nov.)
Sony BMG pulls copy protection software (11 Nov.)
Devil's Advocate - Opinion by Frank Hayes (14 Nov.)

I put all this to ask: As independent artists, what is your opinion on the XCP fiasco? Is this the first death-knell for fair-use provisions? Is this the final knell for fair-use provisions? Or is it something else?

There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers

AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster

USA
621 Posts

Posted - 17 Nov 2005 :  19:11:39 Show Profile
And the story continues with Sony finally pulling the plug on XCP all together. Not only are they pulling the disks from the shelves, but they are exchanging disks with the XCP program for ones that don't.

Unfortunately that isn't the end of the story. They haven't said anything about the other program in the wings called MediaMax.... a program that (so far) exhibits the same problems as XCP.

You'd think Sony would learn by now wouldn't you?

Any thoughts?

There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers
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Captain Blasto
Cappuccino Junkie

USA
212 Posts

Posted - 18 Nov 2005 :  02:05:56 Show Profile Visit Captain Blasto's Homepage Send Captain Blasto an AOL message Send Captain Blasto a Yahoo! Message
Hey... that would be all three of us....


I'm a Gemini <<< see !!!


I hope I haven't violated any intellectual property rights ...
shut up...
no you shut up...


I guess I would need some intellectual property first...

President of the
Juan Valdez fanclub

Kirk Out
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Captain Blasto
Cappuccino Junkie

USA
212 Posts

Posted - 18 Nov 2005 :  02:17:00 Show Profile Visit Captain Blasto's Homepage Send Captain Blasto an AOL message Send Captain Blasto a Yahoo! Message
Personally I think it's somthing else... what I'm not sure but... maybe a virus incubator?

Don't listen to him he's always spouting some nonsense....

OOOPs... I almost forgot... third person

Steve thinks that public radio violates fair-use everyday... maybe...
sorta... NOT...

Is playing frisbee with a CD that you pirated before you listened to it and then you found out it was really... really... bad CD fair-use?

Aye Cap'n

President of the
Juan Valdez fanclub

Kirk Out
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Captain Blasto
Cappuccino Junkie

USA
212 Posts

Posted - 18 Nov 2005 :  02:25:48 Show Profile Visit Captain Blasto's Homepage Send Captain Blasto an AOL message Send Captain Blasto a Yahoo! Message
By the way...

I think the word draconian is soooo...


Well...



Draconian...



President of the
Juan Valdez fanclub

Kirk Out
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AXEMAN2415
Guitar Weenie

USA
740 Posts

Posted - 18 Nov 2005 :  09:15:37 Show Profile
Would using a burned CD as a coaster violate the fair usage laws for cups?I'm sure AOL feels that way!

Wait a minute...AOL has 'feelings'?


Captain, it must be crowded in your head...

"C'mon Dave, Gimme a break!"
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AnonJr
Absent-minded Webmaster

USA
621 Posts

Posted - 20 Nov 2005 :  12:00:45 Show Profile
You guys might want to check out today's cartoon over at UserFriendly.org

Sony isn't going to live this one down for a long time. Ironic coming from the company that gave us the Walkman and all sorts of means to copy cassettes and VHS, and a company that makes CD/DVD burners and ....

There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.
- Will Rogers
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