My five seconds of fame [last two paragraphs]. Just to clarify, I don't think the average user is going to break the DRM on the Sony CD. But as long as somebody can, and put the music on a P2P network, it doesn't matter — or at least it matters much less.
Sony has released a software update that appears to remove the rootkit portion of their music player, but there is some controversy surrounding it as well.
On a brighter note: Remember Harvey Danger? They were, and continue to be, a Rock and Roll band from Seattle, Washington. Of course you remember them. Who can forget their irreverent hit Flagpole Sitta? "Paranoia paranoia everybody's coming to get me just say you never met me" they sang to a nation looking for direction in the midst of a presidential sex scandal.
Harvey Danger have just released a new album, Little by Little. It is good, and it can be downloaded for free from the band's website. They explain:
In preparing to self-release our new album, we thought long and hard about how best to use the internet. Given our unusual history, and a long-held sense that the practice now being demonized by the music biz as “illegal” file sharing can be a friend to the independent musician, we have decided to embrace the indisputable fact of music in the 21st century, put our money where our mouth is, and make our record, Little By Little…, available for download via Bittorrent, and at our website. We’re not streaming, or offering 30-second song samples, or annoying you with digital rights management software; we’re putting up the whole record, for free, forever. Full stop. Please help yourself; if you like it, please share with friends.
Of course, the CD will also be for sale on the site, as well as in fine independent record stores across the country, in a deluxe package that includes a 30-minute bonus disc that serves as a companion piece to the record proper (retail price for the package is $11.99).
Other bands have tried this, I believe, and I won't hold my breath waiting for this to become the norm. Still, it's pretty cool.
Posted by cradle at November 3, 2005 09:28 PMTook me more than five seconds to read... You're now a CELEBRITY!
Should I start lobbying for your cause?
Seriously, though, I sent the article to a friend in Brazil who is a techie journalist, just in case he didn't know about your declarations. Announcements.
See you soon, at Domingator!
Helo.
I don't think the average user is going to break the DRM on the Sony CD.
I dunno -- if you read Krebs latest blog article on the subject, the guy from F-Secure shows how basically any end user can get around the copy protection with little technical knowledge. Just don't install the DRM, and copy the disc while it is sitting in the drive with the right copying software . . .
And there is now the whole bit of hackers using the rootkit themselves . . . which I'm sure you've seen, but if not, check my LJ.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/dallendoug/97119.html
Posted by: doug at November 4, 2005 11:33 AMWhen I say "average user" I was thinking of my dad (in fact, the first edit used "my dad"). My dad isn't going to know about any of this. He's going to insert the CD (without holding down the Shift key), and click click click all the way.
Dad: if you're reading this, I'm sorry.
Actually, my parents use Rhapsody and are pretty happy with it.
Posted by: David at November 4, 2005 12:15 PM"David Eisner, a blogger and software developer at the blah blah blah...."
Wow, I didn't know you were a blogger! That means you're, like, famous and shit, right?
Posted by: Bob S at November 5, 2005 12:15 PM