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Self-promotion…must not be above that…
MurDog OUT!!!

This is old news for people who stay on top of tech stuff, but for those of you who don’t, Sony has started putting Digital Rights Management (DRM) software on their new CDs (Including Switchfoot’s newest CD). This wouldn’t be so bad except that their DRM includes rootkit technology. (See my entry from 2 posts ago.)

For those of you who don’t know what rootkits are, and I know there are a lot of you, rootkits are hacker tools that allow a writer of a program to hide things on your computer so far down in the bowels of your computer that your Operating System cannot see it. What the Heck?!? To add insult to injury, it is a poorly written rootkit that will allow any script kiddie (a very unsophisticated programmer) to hide viruses and other malware on your computer. AND, the rootkit also “phones home” to Sony some absurd amount of times per hour to track your usage of Sony’s Music.

I hate DRM. I believe it robs us of fair use. I believe it punishes those of us who are law-abiding music lovers. The people who are really the problem in the stolen music market won’t be stopped by DRM. But, those of us who just want to listen to music that we have purchased on our iPods are left out in the cold.

Boo Sony! I will not by anything from Sony if at all possible. I just hate it that Switchfoot, a band that I like, is caught up in the whole debacle. If you agree with me, I invite you to join me in avoiding Sony products.

Rootkits… I mean really!!!!

MurDog OUT!!!

You have got to see this. Thanks to Google Video where I found this flippin’ Sweet video. GOSH!!

Rootkits are little applications that sit VERY deep on your machine… so deep that virus scanners and other protective applications simply cannot see them. These programs are used to hide spam programs that turn you computer into a spamming zombie or continually serve up unwanted advertisements. These rootkits are the domain of spammers and virus writers.

Well, on new CDs from Sony, including the new Switchfoot CD, if you want to play them on you PC, you have to install a program. I am sure it is in the fine print, but for the standard computer user, Sony installs a rootkit on your computer. This little program runs way deep in the bowels of your computer, and who knows what it actually does. I am sure it sends information back to Sony, and definitely notifies them of “suspicious” activities (even if these activities constitute fair use…).

Shame on Sony for taking these tactics. I don’t mind them wanting to protect their product, but rootkits are too far. Not to mention that it is nearly impossible to get the songs that you purchased onto you iPod branded MP3 player. If you want the new Switchfoot CD on your iPod, you had better purchase it from the Apple Music Store. Otherwise, you will be sunk.

Boo to Sony. Boo to harsh, over-protective/restrictive DRM. EFF, we need your help. This is rediculous….

MurDog OUT (See the Digg story below.)

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“So: if you’ve recently used CD releases from Sony BMG on your Windows computer, the “Scan for Rootkits” function in our product will detect this program on your system. Same happens with our free BlackLight beta that you can download from our web site.”

read more | digg story