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Those who can, do; those who can't, write. Those who can't write work for the Bell Labs Record.
Those who can, do; those who can't, write. Those who can't write work for the Bell Labs Record.
HERE is a good use for a firewall. (Score:3, Insightful)
PS 3 (Score:2, Insightful)
"legal"? (Score:1, Insightful)
^^^Well I guess this means I won't be buying myself a new VAIO anymore. This means I can't keep my (legal) CD collection on my computer anymor. How is a computer suppose to know what is legal? If I go to Denmark, does it then knw that its' all of a sudden legal for me to have copies of my own cds?
How could they say something so blatntly suptid.
I think it's time to buy a Gamecube (Score:5, Insightful)
In future, the following capabilities will be required for DRM (Digital Rights Management) in expanding the digital content distribution business.
3. Installation not only on PCs, but also on networked devices such as PlayStation 2, AV devices, and mobile devices.
I'm not eager to have Sony keeping track of the games and music I'm playing on my PlayStation. This is a good opportunity for Nintendo to distinguish themselves by embracing freedom.
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:So... (Score:5, Insightful)
So the end result is that the only people who would do something about it get marginallised, and can only avoid it by not playing. Whee.
This couldn't make me happier (Score:4, Insightful)
I applaud Sony for their recent contribution. Perhaps those proprietary memory sticks will be good for something, anyways.
Re:HERE is a good use for a firewall. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How do they know? (Score:3, Insightful)
This isn't what the corporations want. They want it so the DRM bits must be verified before you can use any media. You firewall the requests, you can't play. You use a non-DRM enabled format your player won't open it.
It may not be at this point yet, but I can see it quickly heading there.
Doesn't Sony realize.. (Score:5, Insightful)
What corporate america fails to realize is that the value of a CD lies not just in the physical device, but in the ability for the end user to enjoy the content as they see fit - to copy it to their computer, to make mixed CD's, etc... So my question to Sony is this: How do you expect to make money selling a product that nobody wants? Consumers DON'T WANT copy-restricted media or PC's. I, for one, won't be buying any Sony products in the future for fear that I won't be able to copy CD's that I have legimately paid for, or burn CD's of my own "copyrighted" original material.
How long will it be before running an unlicensed, unregistered software program will be illegal? This DRM scheme is just an incremental step in Corporate America's plan to levy a tax on everything done on a PC. Think about this folks - Sony is trying to take away our freedoms. Spend accordingly.
Re:No real danger... (Score:2, Insightful)
What if they put it into game discs? Seems like they could auto-deploy it without you ever having any idea about it...
Re:Firewall = DMCA violation? (Score:3, Insightful)
The DRM will need the feedback to function.
So... blocking the feedback in the firewall will just make it impossible for you to use the music/film/whatever you "own".
Re:I think it's time to buy a Gamecube (Score:5, Insightful)
Dreamcast Projects [nma.ne.jp]
Truely, the Dreamcast is one of the greatest little game boxes ever made. In my opinion, it was way ahead of its time, and represents some of the finest engineering ever seen in a game console. Even though the Gamecube and X-Box outpower the little Dreamcast in many way, the little DC could still handle most of today's games without a problem. It will live on as a legend, especially with all of the homebrew DC development that is keeping it alive.
Dreamcast Emulation Page [dcemulation.com]
I'm glad that I still have about 60 games, most of which I still haven't had time to play.
I love it. They're digging their own hole. (Score:5, Insightful)
Meanwhile, as DRM-enabled hardware starts making its way onto the market, consumers become aware of what's going on. News.com, NYT, WSJ, all the major media outlets start talking about how these new technology devices won't let you do things your old ones did. We're not just talking about PCs anymore, but DVD players, CD players, MP3 players, televisions, everything.
Consumers say, "Screw that, I don't want disabled junk." A year or two passes, the market for DRM-enabled technology is totally saturated, and nobody's buying. People hold on to their old stuff. Sales plummet. Whoops.
Meanwhile, pirates continue to find ways to circumvent copyrights. Sales keep dropping. The Supreme Court eventually shoots down key parts of the DMCA--and the DMCA is so screwy, this isn't a matter of if, but when--and suddenly we're allowed to _legally_ circumvent copyrights. Bye-bye DRM.
Honestly, I don't think this sort of technology has any chance for long-term survival. All the advertising might and political influence in the world cannot defeat a marketplace full of frustrated consumers.
The Van Gogh Solution (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, for you to be fully DRM and DMCA compliant, you will have to cut off your Left Ear, in the grand tradition of that Digital Rightion Visionary, Van Gogh.
After all, you might otherwise hear someone humming a copyrighted tune, and once that tune is stored in your brain's neurons and repeatable by your mind's software, only summary execution will make you Copyright Compliant once again.
And that would be trajedy, so take preventative measures now.
Do you own a DVD player? (Score:1, Insightful)
History has already shown that consumers are typically clueless and have already bought into this stuff. Just gimme my DVD's right? Region codes? What's that? Macrovision? Oh well.
If people accepted that, they'll accept DRM.
Re:HERE is a good use for a firewall. (Score:3, Insightful)
In truth, this doesn't bother me at all. Technology is good. It promotes innovation and research. Laws, on the other hand, are what stifle innovation and research. The way technology is used also stifles innovation and research. If this technology is used to:
- a) charge per use,
- b) track data about me for the purposes of selling or giving that data to someone else,
- c) make my life difficult by using it to restrict my activities,
- or otherwise inflict hardship upon me,
then you know what, I'll stop using the technology (if I have the option) and complain to those people in power (the RIAA, MPAA, etc) about how their use of this technology sucks and I'm not going to stand for it and my money is going to go elsewhere.Sound futile? probably is. Until you get into significant fractions of percentage points of the population doing the same. Then those in power will probably take note. Will they do anything? Probably not until you have at least a full percentage point.
People saying that this technology is bad should think about what they say. Rather than saying that the technology is bad, point out the ways it can be used constructively (allow companies to see what sells and what doesn't) and point out the ways it can be used in bad faith (selling data, etc). Come up with constructive, cogent, and coherent reasons for why the ways listed as 'bad faith' are in truth more harmful than good, and v.v. Take those points to the people wanting to implement the 'bad faith' practices. Take them to the media (all media, not just niche media points).
<Wishful Thinking>
Example: Imagine a group of people banding together to go to the RIAA and complain about the various policies that the RIAA wants to implement. Imagine that group of people contains artists who don't agree with the RIAA. Imagine you have the data to prove it. You get enough of them together and the RIAA has to take note and realize they are hurting themselves and the artists that agree with them.
</Wishful Thinking>
Heaven forbid you actually PAY for something! (Score:4, Insightful)
As for privacy, so what? What if Sony finds out that you listen to Neil Diamond's greatest hits 10 times a day? What are they going to do, haul you into a dungeon and torture you? Are they going to take out a full-page ad in the NY Times, proclaiming that Joe-LOTR-Geek-Smith listens to Neil Diamond 10 times a day?
I don't like this either, but how about a reality check every now and then?
Re:Doesn't Sony realize.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Unfortunately not everyone feels the same way that you or I do about copy protection. Hell, it's probably only 3 or 4 percent of people that even understand the issue, and the number of people boycotting media they care about is going to be a fraction of that. How many people do you know that don't rent movies because of MacroVision?
The sad truth is that if 90% (or more) of the population doesn't care about copy protection, the media conglomerates can pretty much implement whatever DRM they want and the consumers will eat it up. And Sony, as a hardware manufacturer and a media outlet, is in a perfect position to do so.
Re:So what happens if... (Score:2, Insightful)
Inform (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Screw spoofing - rip the stream (Score:4, Insightful)
As in, the FCC requires digital tuners in TV's. And so the Hollywood Cabal shoehorns in DRM into those tuners, which Sony will have NO problem doing. They are already lobbying for embedded DRM, and Microsoft and Intel are helping with Palladium.
Re:And they'll call it: (Score:5, Insightful)
I relate this story to warn everyone that Sony is tenacious, arrogant company that will follow through on their threats. Think about how long they stuck with Beta or now they are trying to jam SACD down everyone's throats.
Re:Heaven forbid you actually PAY for something! (Score:5, Insightful)
A fair enough question, and one that many people don't understand the answer to.
Here is "so what:"
(1) I don't have to justify my want for privacy. You have to justify your taking it away from me. I don't want Sony to find out that I listen to Neil Diamond. That's all the justification I need to give.
(2) I have a question for you, Simetra. How many times have you masturbated in the last month. How many orgasms have you had? What does your wife or girlfriend look like when she climaxes... does she grimace or smile? Please tell me and all of slashdot. Go ahead and tell - we're not going to haul you into a dungeon and torture you. Or do you think that its just none of my business?
(3) Profiling: One of the current trends in "profiling" is to ignore causation and emphasize correlation. For example, in order to get some jobs, you have to take a "personality test" and the answers you give are translated to a chance you will commit employee theft. Some of the questions are hardly relevant (most, actually) but they have found that "I like chocolate" people are three times more likely to rob than "I like strawberry" people. Nobody, not even the psychatrists, are claiming causation- they don't need to.
The United States is now requiring many data-gathering places (like libraries) to turn over their data so they can test for "potential terrorists." If it turns out that the music you like is also liked by the White Christians who were responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing, you may find yourself on a list you don't like. It seems farfetched... but it is not. And even if you think that it is a farfetched idea, it is not for you to make that call for me.
I have the right to privacy.
Re:So... (Score:3, Insightful)
It appears you haven't tried to return software (or music or movies) to some stores. Many of them will tell you "because of current copyright laws" you can only exchange them for the same item. Even if the product's design is defective, and it doesn't work with any of your equipment!
Re:Heaven forbid you actually PAY for something! (Score:5, Insightful)
I hope that someone will moderate you up because your comment is interesting, even if I disagree with it.
You are right about the fact that some people deserve to be paid for their work. Let's skip the debate about whether the price of CDs and DVDs is right or whether the publishers reward the artists correctly. In the end, we (the consumers) should pay for the content that we would like to listen to or watch. If the artist or publisher did not intend to distribute their work for free, then copying it from someone else is stealing, plain and simple. This is wrong and should be prevented or punished appropriately. So I fully agree with you on that part.
But there are many problems in the technical implementation and in the privacy risks associated with this DRM method (and most others).
Here is an example: if I read the description correctly, OpenMG X requires the player to exchange some information with a server in order to allow the content to be played. Do you remember DivX? Not the video codec, but the company that tried to rent encrypted discs and is now dead. If the company goes bust, then the players cannot contact the server and you would probably not be able to play the content that you paid for.
I also expect some problems if I would like to listen to the music or watch the video while I am sitting in a plane with my laptop or in some remote area from which I cannot connect to the server.
Also, as noted by many others, there are many copies that are not illegal. The protection scheme will probably allow some of them (maybe only one copy to another protected device) but will not allow all of the copies that would normally be considered as "fair use". I buy lots of CDs but I always make a copy of them if I want to listen to them in my car (otherwise they could be damaged by heat or dust). I also encode them as Ogg or MP3 if I want to listen to them on my laptop (because carrying the CDs when I travel is not very convenient). Note that only one of these copies is used at a given time. I bet that most of these copies would not be possible with this protected content. So if OpenMG X is successful and if in the future most of the content is protected or if the "best stuff" is only released with OpenMG X protection (or released first in that format and much later in some unprotected format), then my choices as a consumer would be significantly limited. I know that these reasons are often used by freeloaders who shout "fair use rights" whenever they are afraid that they would have to pay for the stuff that they are getting for free from their friends, but believe me: I'm not one of them and I am really concerned about the choices that would be available to me in the future.
Regarding the privacy risks, you do not have to be paranoid to imagine some of the things that could be done with your listening habits or with the "criminal record" listing the the number of times that you attempted to copy something. Beyond the marketing tricks (more junk mail or e-mail about "related products" that I am not interested in) there could be some issues if your personal data is not suitably protected or if it is incorrect because someone else used your equipment. Imagine, for example, that a friend of yours uses your player while you are not there and attempts to copy some content that you bought. He will not be able to do it (e.g., because the owner of the target device would not be the same as the owner of the content) but this attempt may be logged. If this happens several times, you could be blacklisted and later you would not be able to play your music anymore. This could happen if all devices or content could be linked to their "owner" (correctly or not).
You can also think about what could happen to your personal data if the company that owns the server does not protect it correctly. Or if the management of the company changes or if it is bought by another company. Do you want a future employer to know that you have been listening to or viewing some things that are not politically correct?
There are many other risks and problems associated with this and other DRM methods, but I should probably stop here because this comment is getting a bit long already...
Re:And they'll call it: (Score:5, Insightful)
what are they claiming is especially open about this piece of software?
yes, i probably am nitpicking. but....
"As for Privacy, So What?"... farging iceholes! (Score:4, Insightful)
No. They are going to torture me in situ. Saves on the transport costs.
The are going to fricking SPAM the crap out of me every time a new album by an artist for who I own one disc comes out, and then once a week after that for the rest of my fricking life, until they see I've bought the damned thing by way of my player reporting the fact to them.
This will happen, even if the original disc was a present, and I played it *one time*, just to be polite.
If I play something multiple times, then every time before the player is willing to play the disc I already own, it's going to play a K-TEL commercial for the new disc or "if you like Bob Marley, you'll LOVE Jimmy Cliff!" or *whatever*.
Every time I pick up my Sony cordless phone, it's going to complain that I haven't called my mother in a while, would I please press "*" now, so that they can connect me "using their honorable partner MCI's new, cheaper long distance service". Only after three repetitions of this will I get a dialtone and be able to use my phone to call who I wanted to call in the first place.
If I don't buy anything from them in a while, they'll mark me "inactive" in their database, which means that I'm not making them money, so they will feel free to capitalize on the information by selling it; after all, if I'm not "loyal" to their brand, why shouldn't they turn the information they have into money some other way, since there's no risk of them offending me into not buyinf from them -- I'm already not buying from them?
The *ONLY* benefit to consumers in this case is that they *WON'T* SPAM me about things I already own.
Unless they are about to release a new album by an artist whose disc I haven't played in a while, in which case they'll remind me to play the thing to "prime the pump" so I'll be more likely to buy the new one.
Until they figure out how to convert everything to "pay per listen", at which point, they will SPAM me for *everything*, ALL THE FREAKING TIME, FOR THE REST OF MY SHORT, MISERABLE LIFE!
And as I lay DYING in my bathtub, the BLOOD running from my GINSU(tm)-KNIFE-SLITTED WRISTS,
finally escaping this horror... the Sony shower radio will come on and try to sell me MR. SPARKLE cleanser for my bathtub that is guaranteed to get out the blood stains I'm likely to leave.
AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
-- Terry