Sony attempted to restrict the playing of its CDs to certain devices in code added to music released by the publisher (link). This was met with consternation by those in the know and used technology to hide itself from the average end user.

After the blogoshere highlighted this Sony released a patch to aid removal of this ‘feature’ within days of it being reported even though it had been in place for eight months.

Now, Microsoft has got in on the act and ruled that the code is spyware!

But CD copying is a serious issue. Many people think it is okay to steal music or video in this way because it does not involve the removal of a tangible good from a shop but this is patently not the case. Taking something you would otherwise have had to pay for is stealing no matter what justification is given. Of course people will download movies that artificial demand has been created for (delayed worldwide releases) and will download computer software and music that cannot be purchased for download (hence the success of iTunes).

The industry must take some of the blame for failing to keep up with customer demands and preferred methods of purchase. But systems like iTunes haven’t resolved the whole issue either. Why, for instance, is music on iTunes as expensive as music on CD from a highstreet shop? The overheads have been reduced for all aspects of the product’s creation; the physical CD’s cost, packaging, delivery, shop staff wages and shop rent have all been removed from the equation and yet Robbie Williams’ latest album Intensive Care is cheaper from Amazon (£8.49 inc. delivery) than it is from iTunes (£9.48). There can be no justification for this difference. Are consumers supposed to be left cynical as a result? Because this is surely the result!

And Digital Rights Management necessarily restricts the legitimate use of a purchased product and is overkill.


Posted In: News and Politics, General