CD Copy Protection Head Speaks

Vonatar sent us an interview with the guy who is running the company that designed the copy protection being used in CDs that nobody really buys, and preventing people from playing CDs in their computers and DVD players. The article also mentions the first lawsuit about the record label not providing notice on the package. Anyway check it out if you're interested. There are some interesting bits.

Go Vinyl!

[quakeslut]

Your records will still be playable long after your CD's have become obsolete.

Flame-On

[CyberGarp]

"Still, consumers have not warmed up to the idea of copy-protected CDs."

Hmmmm. I thought we were flaming this idea pretty heavy. Need to switch to Thermite.

Holy Shit

[BiggestPOS]

: The technology that we sell is a padlock to music. If you have a lock cutter, a bolt cutter, you can cut that padlock off. If you're determined to steal the music, the music can be stolen. Our technology is not thief proof. What it's meant to do is provide a speed bump to people who don't steal things, and wish to use them in the parameters that are suggested by the artists...If you give people what they want with respect to their ability to copy the music in ways that they think is reasonable, they will not ever attempt to circumvent the technology. Only hackers will attempt to circumvent the technology in order to prove that it can be done. We're not designing the technology for them.

Hes fucking kidding, right? The manner suggested by the artist? So when we listen to a Prince CD we have to wear womens clothing?

Re:Now this I don't get......

[frknfrk]

I'm still waiting for the RIAA and MPAA to go after the software and hardware makers next...

REUTERS - In a landmark case, Sony Corporation (SONY) won a USD $50M lawsuit against Sony Corporation (SONY) for violations of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act.

The lawsuit accused SONY of producing hardward and software, including but not limited to CD-ROM, Hi Fidelity car and home stereo equipment, and DVD players capable of being used to play standard CDs, thus allowing hackers to rob SONY of billions in CD sales by buying their CDs and then playing them in their computers or car stereos.

"Those stupid bastards," said Sony VP of CD-ROM and HiFi Audio equiment John Smith. "What were they thinking?"

"This will teach hardware and software makers that they will be held responsible if their products are being used illegally," said Sony VP of Music and Movies Fred Barber. "This sends a clear message: break your hardware before shipping or we're gonna get you. If you ship a functional product, you're going to pay!"

-sam

Lovely technical details

[dstone]

SunnComm embeds a technology, called MediaCloq, into a CD to make the CD's directory structure invisible so it cannot be read by a personal computer. For instance, the names of the tracks do not appear on a computer's screen, and as a result, the music cannot be ripped and transferred to a desktop.

I'm at a loss for words. Never before have I read such an elegant and technically accurate description of the ripping process. :-P

LOL... gotta love this guy

[naasking]

Only hackers will attempt to circumvent the technology in order to prove that it can be done.

Those nefarious, evil bastards.

We're not designing the technology for them.

Oh, good. So I guess it's ok if we break it then. Yoink!

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act prohibits users from circumventing copy protection. It's now a crime in America to do that. Having said that, it's certainly up to the record companies to decide how they're going to manage hackers that circumvent the technology in the future.

And all this time I thought that it was the legal system's job to deal with law-breakers. I stand corrected: I guess the record companies are now charged with handling our laws.

From our standpoint, we are designing the software for the 99 percent of the people who don't want to steal the music but instead (want to) use it for whatever means--for whatever personal use that's allowed by the artist and the record label.

Oh, so the law no longer governs the fair use of a purchased item, now the record companies have that power. Hm. This must be an extension of the fact that the record companies are now making and enforcing our laws. I guess this also means that a person no longer owns the items they buy. So what is the law now? Do we just pay for the privilege of using said items?

The software was designed for those people, not for the 1 percent who are going to take the lock cutters and cut the lock off and steal music in an unauthorized way.

Hey! You mean there's an authorized way of stealing music?

How many copies do you allow people to make?

It's up to the record company, but six is the standard right now.

Right, cause if I'm making more than six copies, I must be pirating it. And the record companies are really trustworthy, so we should let them decide.

Perhaps this is the source of the mental blocks people have when they stand against fair-use and creating technologies like this. They seem to think the record labels should have absolute power over what the user does with an item they purchased and now own.

Why are you in this business? It's not a market that would make someone rich,

Oh no, of course not. How many billions of dollars a year are music sales? How much would the music companies pay to ensure that they couldn't be copied? How many protection schemes have already been tried? How many have already failed? Do you notice how they keep trying? Uh-huh, this is definitely a losing market, no money here.

The problem is, if digital property just becomes public domain the minute it's released, then the whole incentive model for distributing that property goes away.

It doesn't become public domain, it's still protected by law and owned by the creator. If I create a machine and start selling it, is the design now public domain? No, of course not. Where is this guy from? Mars?

Re:Might this have happened anyway?

[Red Aardvark House]

I will not buy copy-protected CD's. I will take them back to the store and I will take my money elsewhere.

Since they do not play in certain devices, and there is no disclaimer indicating such, they can be considered defective product sold intentionally.

We can vote "no" on this with our many happy returns.

Authorized way to steal?

[Niles_Stonne]

The software was designed for those people, not for the 1 percent who are going to take the lock cutters and cut the lock off and steal music in an unauthorized way.

So what is the authorized way to steal music?

In other news: A competing protection scheme.

[Maul]

DefTonez Protection Inc. announced its new copy protection scheme for compact discs, which they claim is uncrackable and vastly superior to the protection schemes of SunnComm and other competitors.

DefTonez scheme is simple. They turn all of the tracks on a CD into static garbage. This makes it impossible for hackers to aquire listenable songs on their computers and distribute them online. In fact, this even prevents people from recording onto tapes or other media directly, as the sound waves themselves are modified.

DefTonez CEO, Maximillion Profitz, describes his technology as being designed for 99% of all music consumers. "Most people probably only listen to one song on the CD anyway, and are too hard of hearing from listening to all that heavy metal crap to tell the difference between static and the crappy Backdoor Boys stuff they are used to listening to."

When inquired about those who complain about the music being "defective," Profitz replied, "These people are not in the majority of 99% of all listeners. These people who complain about 'not being able to listen to the music' are nothing more than social ingrates who want a free ride. Our lawyers are already using the DMCA to make sure these people get 5 to 20 in ass pounding federal prison. Any responsible American knows that artists would never take the risk of allowing people to actually let people have a copy of their music that would allow them to play it in public, where many people who have not paid lisencing fees might hear it."

When asked if consumers would seriously spend $20 on a CD they couldn't listen to, Profitz answered, "People have been shelling out $20 on Michael Jackson, Prince, and other crappy CDs. Why should this be any different to them?"

DefTonez copy protection scheme will be featured in Britney Spears new album to be released later this month entitled, "You're CRAZY if you think my rack is real."

Re:They admit it's not perfect

[BLAG-blast]

A bit like wrapping a chain around a bike without really locking it - to deter the "casual bike thief".

More like hammering the wheels out of shape so that the bike would only works on out of shape roads which have been appoved...

If they want to stop people copying CD all they have to do is put country and western music on it......