This has gone far enough.

I feel that I'm a reasonably decent person, I don't use P2P networks for music "sharing," I'd rather spend $0.99 and download the song from Puretracks. I find this works well, since I usually don't care for most of the songs on an entire CD, so it would be a waste to buy the CD. I've been doing this for years with several different versions of my PC.

Well, last weekend I installed a new SATA drive on my machine, and in my diligent back-up pre-install phase, I back-up all my licenses to my external HD prior to a nice clean install. So I finally get to restoring my licenses and it seems the only way to do so is by using WMP. Well I don't use that to listen to music, but it seems pretty straightforward I point WMP10 to the location of my backup and then it tells me it needs to contact Microsoft. Huh? Okay...whatever

Then it proceeds to tell me that I've exceeded the maximum number of attempts to restore for the day and it's not going to. Well, this was the first attempt! Do you mean I don't get any attempts. I've tried every day for the past week and I get the same response.

After some research on the web, I learn that I can't restore any more because of exceeded the number unique PC's? WTF is this BS!

I legally paid for these songs, and now I can't listen to them. I'm being punished for legally purchasing these tracks, where as I could have easily stolen them with absolutely no repurcussions from the DRM Stormtroopers. How in the hell is this fair? Who's going to re-imburse me for the hundereds of dollars I've spent on what is now useless shite?

What's next? In ten years time is my toilet going to refuse my access because I've exceeded the maximum number of craps I can take in one day?

Related thread regarding Sony over at Oasis:

http://www.theoasisforums.com/yabbse...ic,4383.0.html

This is complete crap.

Why is it the innocent are punished, once again?

I think it't time to get the pitchforks and torches out. :D

I traded in my pitchfork for broomhandles. [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] Much more insidious, and they just don't see it coming. [img]graemlins/evilhaha.gif[/img]

What I don't understand is how the DRM advocates can expect to reduce piracy when the draconian methods they employ are basically driving people to it?

I always thought Sony was pretty decent, heck all of my home theatre equipment is Sony. No more, I won't support that.

<font color=8fbc8f>Hold on here a minute! Are you not the one and same Zebodog? The one who always flaunts and taunts about M$ and big corporate? The one is a DIE hard M$ fan?

Hmmpf! Nuff said!</font>

Figured you'd chime in on this one.

I have no problem with Microsoft (yes, it's okay to use their full name) when they stick to software that doesn't screw people.

This, however, is just bending people over the proverbial counter.

EDIT: Maybe if people would stop trying to rip off "big corporate" perhaps we wouldn't be in this situation with DRM?

[ 11-04-2005, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Zebodog ]

<font color=8fbc8f>You know, I've heard a great deal about M$. Something to the tune of: "If you play a windows (see, I can spell) :~) CD backwards, you can hear demonic rumblings. But if you play it forward it loads the OS. What could be more horrific than that?"

Checks HDD, Nope, no windoze, no copyrighted music, just free ware galore.

Hmm, freeware = no license = no big business = no price gouging = no corporate overhead = no getting bent over the e-counter!</font>

That has got to be a true bummer! What if anything, can be done to petetion?

So let's all get pissed off at "M$" for doing something none of us could. ;)

The only reason you're pissed with Gates, is because you're not him. Don't blame him for taking advantage of free enterprise. I admire him for doing what all of us want to do.

Oh, and while your screwing yith your freeware OS and freeware apps, I'll just fire up my machine and enjoy what it was designed to do.

Well you're a big help. The guy comes in here to ask a question and all you do is fuel the fire. Sorry, mate, but it seems that everywhere I see your replies they're either about "The army is the only place to be, and I served in the army so give me some kudo's" or this sort of crap. As if we're all waiting for that to happen.

DRM can be cracked easily - if you have a license. Its an encrypted format, so if you have the right software and the license, you can convert it to a good old fashioned .mp3 as easily as you can play it. Ive never been able to locate the software to do it though, then again I've never actualy bought a DRMed track to convert, so I've not looked that hard.

But, converting the file without a license requires you to brute force the encryption, and for that, were talking months or even years for most home systems. The only practical fix at this point would be P2P networks or similar. Youve paid for the music, the fact that the music company is violating fair use on you, is not your fault. So you will wind up uploading the files while you download them .. so what? If the music industry would learn not to screw its customers over, that wouldn't have happened.

Well you're a big help. The guy comes in here to ask a question and all you do is fuel the fire. Sorry, mate, but it seems that everywhere I see your replies they're either about "The army is the only place to be, and I served in the army so give me some kudo's" or this sort of crap. As if we're all waiting for that to happen. </font>[/QUOTE]<font color=8fbc8f>I did offer help, but you were to predisposed on another vignette to fully see it. "Kudos" That is what my 14 yr old likes for snacks after a 15Km hike!
But, if you feel obliged to jump into the fire, then by all means jump! Just understand, Zebo and I share a vision, thou they were different times and era's, the vision is still the same!

What help have you offered?</font>

Well you're a big help. The guy comes in here to ask a question and all you do is fuel the fire. Sorry, mate, but it seems that everywhere I see your replies they're either about "The army is the only place to be, and I served in the army so give me some kudo's" or this sort of crap. As if we're all waiting for that to happen. </font>[/QUOTE]<font color=8fbc8f>I did offer help, but you were to predisposed on another vignette to fully see it. "Kudos" That is what my 14 yr old likes for snacks after a 15Km hike!
But, if you feel obliged to jump into the fire, then by all means jump! Just understand, Zebo and I share a vision, thou they were different times and era's, the vision is still the same!

What help have you offered?</font> </font>[/QUOTE]Let me start by saying that I don't give a rat's ass about me making spelling errors. The fact that I actually try to type grammatically correct English as a non-native speaker makes your abbrevations ("thou"?!) seem even worse than mine. I have yet to come across a single American who comes to the Netherlands(*) trying to talk Dutch(*).
(*)=insert random European country and language here.

On our little discussion-topic; I mentioned before that it irks me to see people who glorify the army, the service to their country and the likes. Just two days ago I was watching this program on Discovery Channel about the top-10 of 'Most Powerful War Machines / Weapons". They even bothered to illustrate the destructive force of one of the Apache's missiles (costing over 40,000 USD a piece). Don't take me wrong, though, I don't bear any grudge to you personally. It's just because you are Ironworks shining star when it comes to this matter that I turned to you.
The fact of the matter is (in my opinion, anyway) that your posts seem to contain a black and white vision most of the times, never settling (quite enough) for the large grey area in between. Frankly speaking, I'm beginning to think you don't believe in compromises.

Thought you'd like to know.

If memory serves, Felix was in the service of his country for a good many years up until recently. Having been in the US military myself, I can confidently state that the US military (and most any other military in the world, for that matter) is very black and white.

Granted it has been many, many years since I was in their service and I imagine that things have changed considerably, but orders are followed. There is no grey area with regards to orders and there is no compromise. Although I am very hesitant to use the term "brain-washing" it is a very similiar concept.

It can be quite challenging for one who has lived under the black and white umbrella for so long to accept compromise when that word hasn't been in your vocabulary before. Transitioning to a civilian lifestyle isn't easy.

I fully expected Felix to respond as he did, and would be quite surprised had he not given our previous banter in various different threads. Perhaps given that batter, I could see the sarcasm and humour in his original post for what it was; not an insult or intended to be more fuel to the fire but targeted more at my MS-supportive nature. (Of course, I could be way off base on that, but that's what I chose to take it as)

Anyway, I'm still pissed about the whole DRM issue, but I still have no intentions of using P2P to re-aquire the music I have already purchased. Call me stupid or dumb, but I just can't do it.

And Felix, I'm still supporting M$ (see, I can abbreviate :D ) In this case, they are not the root cause of this problem, merely supporters.

Agreed, Microsoft isn't responsible for the need for the technology, they are merely on the bandwagon, along with everyone else. The root cause would be people like the original Napster, and any of the many "get this music for free" sites. While I agree with, and wholeheartedly support people being able to use the stuff they buy as they see fit, I do not hold with the "steal it instead" sites. For any that think musicians should not be paid for their work. As an artist, I can tell you, people need to be paid. That said, I strongly disagree with the methods that some of these companies are using, such as Sony, in the link that Timber provided. This is bs, in the grandest since of the word, and the same goes for DRM's in general, anything that denies fair use of the product is wrong.

Are they any legal pay-for-music sites that allow you to download content that isn't DRM'd?

The music industry has gone beyond demanding money for Cd's. And that you can't copy the music you buy tells me that they have gone beyond demanding money for information, the music itself. You purchase a licence to own a music track. a licence you already own. Download the music. You already own it.

A Reg article pointing out that removing Sony's DRM software actually cripples Windows. Read to the bottom of the article and the scope of the changes it makes to your OS is actually quite appalling.

Apparently they are releasing a patch that will uncloak the files (but will still leave the rootkit on your system). If you have anti-spyware programmes that pick this up, don't remove it or you could lose access to your drive. Linux and Macintosh users are, of course, unaffected.

Also a few letters on the subject.

[ 11-06-2005, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

Some interesting links, but I doubt it'll be going anywhere soon.

Take a look at Software protections such as Star-Force, Safecast et al. Star-Force actually installs hidden drivers on your PC, and uses system level access. Any trojan/virus/bad stuff could just piggy-back in, and Safecast IIRC actually writes to your boot-sector.

The scary thing is that the EULA doesn't enlighten the user to any of this. :(

<font color=8fbc8f>Far from it for me to be the one to ridicule anybody, anywhere on spelling. Be it in public, in class, or on an International forum. The word you used has dual meaning. You used it to the pretext of an accolade, I used it as the name of a snack bar.</font>

<font color=8fbc8f>Sadly, a 40K missile can hit and destroy the wrong target. Where as a $1.99 RPG, may hit and destroy the correct target!</font>

<font color=8fbc8f>You are SPOT ON. I will allow, my last 10 evaluations all stated, from 10 different supervisors, almost the same thing. He has an uncompromising can do attitude!
That is me, unless I'm jesting somebody, I mean what I say, and say what I mean. Take it, or leave it, that's it! That's probably why I hate Liberal politicans the most, because they cannot for the life of them, say the truth!</font>

<font color=8fbc8f> Well thanks!
Again, if you took it wrong, my apoloigies, for I would never accuse anybody for incorrectly spelling a word or phrase on this forum.</font>

FYI:
<font color=8fbc8f>Now, Zebo and I have a certain understanding, and if the roles were to be reversed, I would expect no less of an outcome. </FYI>

Sadly as his last post states, e-commerce has become more the problem of late, than an actual direct attack from a spammer.

I too have noticed a lot of traffic on my rig before prior to it being initiated. I did a scan from within my firewall (corporate) to see who was doing what.

Under my new configuration, I installed XP (digital darkroom) and that was it. I re-registered through the phone, and did not install the XP chipset driver, therby XP cannot connect to the internet. (Darn, that sounds like an uncompromising statement).

I run multi boot XP, Linux Kbuntu & Ubuntu (Debian based), and that is where my internet connection is. Amazingly there is no traffic until it is initiated!</font>


<font color=ggffcc>Zebo, what else might there be to do?</font>

Can I ask what you keep windows around for Felix? Just for games?

And what exactly is a digital darkroom?

<font color=8fbc8f>Well of course you can. Digital photography is my hobby, though a PC may seem to be the first, it's just a tool of my real hobby. Digital darkroom / XP= The only OS at the moment that supports a driver for my 4x6 digital photo printer. It is NOT supported under CUPS, and is considered a "paperweight" under the Linux driver module finder. I have forum contact with a fellow in Germany who has a very similar model. He tried the "Turbo-Print" downlaod, and was well enough pleased to order the license version. If all goes well, he is to post an update this week. If I could print full duplex on Linux as with the XP driver, then there would be no reason for it at all!</font>

Ah, interesting! Digital photography is actually something I'm just getting into, once the paychecks start mounting up I'm looking at getting one of those nice looking digital SLR cameras. I've been lucky enough to escape your printing woes, largely because I always buy HP. Do let me know how Turbo Print turns out - I've also heard very good things about it. You can download the free trial edition from that page if it helps...

The first trojan horse to take advantage of Sony's rootkit has been found in the wild.

<font color=8fbc8f>Wow! I guess the new version V(irii) I(nfections) S(pam) A(nd) T(rojan) A(ttacks). Takes on a whole new meaning!</font>

My, my Felix on a bit of a ant-Microsoft crusade this evening? :D

This is only the tip of the iceburg. From what I understand, Intel has been using DRM technology in its Pentium 4's and accompanying chipsets for some time now.

<font color=8fbc8f>Not any more than usual. BTW; I'm anti Intel as well, all of my rigs have AMD inside. So [img]graemlins/troutslap.gif[/img] 'Wintel!

This does interest me thou, as my 'teenager' might become victum of this crapola.</font>

If you feel a tingle @ 0600hrs Eastern time tomorrow, it's me. We are doing a "Reveille" ceromony at the Main Flag Pole!

At least we agree on AMD. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] I have no use for Intel. I find their technology to be sloppy and based soley on brute force.

You have to ask yourself: Where would the PC be without Windows. After all, it was Windows that brought the PC to the masses, and it continues to be Windows that powers the majority of home PC's. I would suspect that faced with Linux; most people would pack their computer in a box and be done with it.

As far as I'm concerned, Windows is basically the driving force behind the computer industry. ;)

The driving force behind the desktop computer industry ;)

With the possible exception of servers, don't most computers sit on a desktop of some sort? ;) :D

I'll give you that, but if you're talking about the driving force behind the computer industry as a whole would you not agree that historically it has been server-led? I think it could also be argued that most desktop innovation actually is derived from UNIX (including derivatives) and the Macintosh.

I'm open to contradiction of course, but I always struggle when I have to think of genuine Microsoft inventions ;)

Granted, but ask yourself how many servers need high powered GFX cards, sound cards, fancy keyboards, speakers, mice...How many games are installed on servers? The computer industry as a whole wouldn't be where it was without Windows. I used the VIC-20, TRS-80 and the original 8086, but it wasn't until Windows hit the scene did the computer generation really take off. Those old machines couldn't exactly be considered user friendly. Most 6 year olds these days know their way around a computer, but sit them down in front of a DOS based system from days gone by and they'd be lost.

Of course if it makes you feel better, Gates ripped off Windows from his former partner Steve Jobs. Gates just got it to market faster.

[ 11-11-2005, 06:30 PM: Message edited by: Zebodog ]

I'll concede [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'll admit that Microsoft has a monopoly, but you have to admire what they've (Gates) has done.

You haven't experienced frustration until you've tried to set up an ISA add on card under DOS. :D

I'm sure Felix is loading up on ammunition right now. :D

Yeah I saw an internal alert here this morning about the increased submissions of this varient in the wilds using this technology.

Sony could be in for a world of hurt.

EDIT: Looks like Sony have released a service pack to allow customers who have it installed to remove the rootkit.

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html

[ 11-14-2005, 01:16 AM: Message edited by: T-D-C ]