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You forgot:

7.1. Burn new multisession CD-Extra disc with audio tracks and OGG files on it and file that away. Use 99min/900MB size CD-R if necessary. (Yes, they do exist.)

I always do this now because I can nuke a directory of OGGs if I don't really want to hear them and then easily find my custom cut CD again and copy them back easily without having to re-rip.

This is doubly valuable because when I make the backup CD, the audio tracks are from ripped WAVs. This means that all copy protection, autorun trojan horses, garbage, etc. are 100% removed and I have a clean backup in case the original gets damaged. Losing one out of production CD when the player malfunctioned was more than enough for me.

Wow I remember when Slashdot had cool nerds on it. Now It seems to be filled with nothing but Dale Gribble wannabes.

Holded up in their basements, bragging about how they cannot be tracked. How all of their packets cannot be tracked. While ironically their ISP logs every single request they make from behind there triple redundant firewalls. How when they go to Radio Shack they give a fake name.

This Bandlink thing is a non issue. But how about this. This is not some roving monster that sniffs out ever packet sent out by your CD player... (Since CD players can't send packets that would seem obvious)

This is not a Carnivore reaping all of the public's email.

If you want to install it do it. If not don't. But if you do it's nothing more threatening than a marketing survey. Since it only tracks what happens with Bandlink CDs and in the Bandlink Player, there are tons of ways to remain "hidden" from this "terror".

I find it sad really that so many people are trying to avoid marketers but feel free to place ads for "the best" firewall solution. I wonder how many of those posts come from zone alarm reps.

Anyway the site is really clear about how the software works, but if you don't wanna use it they tell you how to use your own player.

I've seen bigger issues such as, well, I don't know
AOL patents instant messaging

Where were all of the slashdot watchdogs on this one??? I guess to catch something this HUGE you would have to do some research and not just fire off a flaming post.

Get over yourselves. Get back to the big stuff. More posts about nextgen tech.

thanks.

http://www.bandlink.com/blink/players.cfm

Evidentally, you DON'T need to use their software to play the CD. Just another enhanced cd sounds like.

Didn't anybody read the link ?? (Now *that* was a stupid question !!!)

There is a small data partition on the CD and MS Windows will "autorun" a program on it. This program will present the user with the Bandlink license and the install the monitoring software on the user's PC. (Windows only).

Now take a look at the Slashdot story : your new music disc may be transmitting your listening habits in real time to the respective record company.

Bullshit !

Call this a technicality if you want, but I notice there is NO mention there of "read the license," just "Agree to the license"

Call this a technicality, but "Agree to the license" (your quote) implies that one understands, and thus has read (or otherwise interpreted) the license. But that's not what the instructions say -- they say "Click 'I Agree'", which does in fact prove your point. I'm just not sure how the quote morphed into something that counters the very point you were trying to make.

Just because there's a EULA doesn't mean it's not an invasion of privacy, even if it's legally OK.

Possibly, but that's not what I was pointing out. The point of my post stands: whoever submitted it didn't do much research, or distorted the facts to get a rise out of the Slashdot crowd. I quote:

There is no mention of a opt in/opt out agreement when the cd is inserted on the website...

Yet visiting the link in the article, and clicking on "New to Bandlink" gives the information I originally quoted. It's also mentioned in the FAQs (the same FAQ that his "favorite quote" comes from), and the Support area.

In my opinion, having to click "I Agree" is more than enough "opt in" here. From here, the fact that usage data will be compiled for statistical and marketing reasons is pretty much obvious, even if you don't read the EULA. It's common practice, and has been for quite some time (before the Internet). Anyone actually concerned about privacy and data usage will have read the EULA. Joe Sixpack won't, and doesn't care. Really, nothing new here.

Hard to imagine this person would have received a "personal demonstration" that didn't include the above procedure, or at least mention it. Having just read more of the web site, maybe the poster viewed the Flash demo (I have not), and decided to call it a "personal demonstration"? I wonder...

The company's privacy policy is listed on their site. From a quick read, the only thing that upsets me is that they pass along your info to the recording groups. It appears that only basic contact info is gathered and there is a fairly easy opt out approach. Of course, they can publish a rosy policy and blatantly ignore it.

From what I can tell, they are trying to impress recording labels with an avenue to add value to the CD. I read a lot of ranting about how the music industry is clueless and could leverage the Internet better. Maybe this is a positive more in that direction. It is hard to tell.

I'm a bit paranoid about it as well, but since I use Mac OS X I'll let the Windows people cut their teeth on this one.