[SGVLUG] semi-OT: DRM rootkits et.

[Emerson, Tom]

BMG sounds familiar -- wasn't this "done" a few years ago, and the way around it was to hold the SHIFT key down when loading the CD so that the "autoplay" function wouldn't execute? [whups, probably broke some anti-DRM law just for writing that -- oh well...]

As I recall, the older software installed a device driver that "did something" to your system so that you couldn't read the disk "as data", but could play it "as audio".  This time around it sounds like they are "including" a convenient audio-player application that coincidentally happens to be the only player capable of reading & deciphering whatever the actual "digital" content of the disk might be.  And further, by agreeing to the click-thru/shrinkwrap license, you are "agreeing" to install the trojan'd components [ironically, I recently came across a wikipedia definition of "hobson's choice", which fits this case: you don't /have/ to agree to the terms and install the software, but if you don't, you can't play the music either...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobson's_choice

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sgvlug-bounces at sgvlug.net [mailto:sgvlug-bounces at sgvlug.net]On
> Behalf Of John Riehl
> Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 2:10 PM
> To: SGVLUG Discussion List.
> Subject: [SGVLUG] semi-OT: DRM rootkits et.
> 
> 
> 
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2092&tag=nl.e539
> 
> If you havent heard some sony music cds installs a rootkit under that 
> system from m$, to limit what you can do with the music.
> 
> Its not clear if you rip the music in linux.
> 
> jr
> john riehl
> x3-1008
>