the smedley log - suburban scrawl

Why my next computer will not have Windows Vista

Coyote Blog explains a few of my worst fears pretty well.

(via Cziltang)

Demise of VHS (with fair use in tow)

NPR ran a critique of DRM wrapped inside a story about the death of the VHS format. (via Slashdot)

The more I hear about the ongoing closure of creative content, the more I loathe it.

Burningbird Debate on DRM

Shelley Powers has one of the most fascinating DRM debates going (mostly in the comments section of the linked post).

The issue of DRM, in its totality, is far too large for me to wrap my tiny head around. This is probably true for most folks, so I’ll narrow my reason for opposition to this: to me the single most disturbing factor of DRM are its probably effects on fair use.

It boils down to the law of unintended consequences, made possible by ninnies (new word for me) who ignorantly insist the only opposition to DRM emanates from the lawless renegades with no regard for copyright laws. A narrow-minded idea, at the least. What great set of rights are they seeking to further? And at what cost to the rights of others?

We simply cannot allow a basic concept like fair use to be redefined by those whose essential aim is to eliminate it.

-found via paradox1x

More from the ‘Yes, you bought it, but it’s not yours’ department

Boing Boing has a caution for people buying the new Coldplay CD, including a screenshot of the insert that tells you what mustn’t be done with the CD. Yes, the things you can’t do with the disc include returning it (which you won’t find out until you’ve purchased and opened it).

I have a couple mental wanderings about this: (1) Have they (record companies) learned nothing about alienating consumer good will? (2) Which CD is the Boing Boing post referring to? I have a copy of X&Y purchased last year, and it’s not possessed by the copy-protection demons. Maybe it’s just an additional production run of the existing album.

Finally, EMI another record company enters into the DRM wars with more condescending, invasive tactics, like those that gave Sony a black eye.

UPDATE: As Heliologue noted in the comments, the disc inserts in question are apparently from Indian copies of the CD. That explains why some other people were mentioning their loathing for Virgin Records, while I was more likely to associate Coldplay with EMI. Either way, it’s still a bad way to treat your customers.

Schneier on layers of rootkit concerns

Anyone who’s as obsessed as I’ve been with this whole Sony rootkit controversy (all three of you) will probably be interested in IT security expert Bruce Schneier’s analysis at Wired. He digs through the layers and finds that the initial answers lead to more troubling questions.

The Sony bunker continues to cave in

Woohoo… a recall, finally. Now let’s see what new monster Sony can find to replace the old one.

Wired News: Boycott Sony

-don’t mean to harp on this Sony/BMG DRM debacle, but when I see a worthwhile cause, I have to show my approval. Wait, would this apply to other Sony ventures (like movies and such), or are we just talking about the recorded music portion of the empire?

DRM (Die, Repugnant Malware)

I came across the hopeful news while reading Cziltang’s post on new DRM developments, which sent me searching for other stories, just to be sure it wasn’t my imagination:
Sony BMG Pulling Controversial DRM

Rootkit rage?

No, not really. In fact, I think Cziltang’s on the right track as he rails against the dreaded DRM bandits from Sony/BMG. In his latest post he offers some infuriating information about the Sony/BMG EULA, courtesy of an analysis from the EFF.

(And if you glossed over the preceding paragraph because you mistook it for some techie drivel, please note, if you buy newer CD’s from Sony-related artists, it probably concerns you more than you think—for more of what I think, read “Give the Music Back.”)

Give the music back

I felt the presence of a kindred spirit as I read Jonathan Takiff’s piece on digital copy protection in today’s Philadelphia Daily News. And I assume, as far as the nuisance of “digital rights management” goes, I have many other kindred spirits out there. Takiff notes some particular difficulties with a new DRM program called “First4Internet”—past the drain on his hard drive:

… There was no “uninstall” option on the disc to get rid of the program. Online, I discovered that even savvy computer whizzes have been flummoxed by the computer crippling. To boot, they’d discovered that the First4Internet program includes something called a “rootkit” – a sort of software Trojan horse that hides how this DRM program functions and continues to monitor your computer’s operations (hmmmmm… ) even when no CD is installed.

Because a rootkit is also invisible to antivirus and security software, it actually opens doors for malicious hackers and viruses to invade your computer undetected, leading Sophos senior technology consultant Graham Cluely to dub the First4Internet program “ineptware.” … (source)

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