http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27426
"Caught with its pants down, what did [Sony] do? Make things right? Heck no" "If you read the Sony PR spin masquerading as a FAQ" "Number four tells you to consult the EULA when you want to copy the disc. Which madhouse did we step into that now means a CD needs a EULA?"
"So, at Best Buy tonight, I tried to consult the EULA before I bought the Van Zant CD.
It wasn't on the CD package, not on the shelves near by, and the blue shirted aisle trolls had no idea what I was talking about. No, they could not provide me with one, I did ask though. So, if you are dumb enough to buy a Sony CD, and don't want to rootkit your machine, you can't find out beforehand, have to agree to a one sided contract that you can't read before you say yes, and can't get your money back.
Wonderful, thank you Sony."
This is hilarious:
I can hear God/equivalent laughing every time I read about that. : D
"Russinovich also published further research showing that the [rootkit] XCP software appears to be in communication with Sony's Web site"
"The client appears to connect with Sony's servers looking for updates to lyrics or album art, but the way the software operates raises some privacy concerns, Russinovich said. "I doubt Sony is doing anything with the data, but with this type of connection their servers could record each time a copy-protected CD is played and the IP address of the computer playing it,""
"Sony is not using the software to gather information on its users", a Sony spokesman said.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,123438,00.asp
http://www.techworld.com/networking/news/index.cfm?NewsID=4745
"An Italian digital rights organisation has taken the first step toward possible criminal charges over the XCP software which, it was recently discovered, cloaks itself on users' computers and communicates with Sony servers over the Internet.
The group, calling itself the ALCEI-EFI (Association for Freedom in Electronic Interactive Communications - Electronic Frontiers Italy), filed a complaint about Sony's software with the head of Italy's cyber-crime investigation unit"
Sony halts production of music CDs with copy-protection scheme
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/13143677.htm
"WASHINGTON (AP) - Stung by continuing criticism, the world's second-largest music label, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, promised Friday to temporarily suspend making music CDs with antipiracy technology that can leave computers vulnerable to hackers.
Sony defended its right to prevent customers from illegally copying music but said it will halt manufacturing CDs with the "XCP" technology as a precautionary measure. "We also intend to re-examine all aspects of our content protection initiative to be sure that it continues to meet our goals of security and ease of consumer use," the company said in a statement."
> "...our goals of security and ease of consumer use..."
Did anyone else read that as a load of shit? "We want to stop you from playing your CD more than twice a day, or three times if you are good looking, and only if you use CD players authorized for use with our DRM (of which there is 1) mmmmkay?"
Sony's spyware seems to infringe on copyright too:
http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/05/11/15/1250229.shtml?tid=117&tid=188&tid=17
(linking slashdot because the real article is slashdotted at the moment)
This thing is such an incredible hackjob.
Can we say shitty programming?
What a mess.
what will come next:
Playstation 3 that reads your creditcards and uplods them.
TV that record you and send them to sony HQ.
ETC
ETC
Chony