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Latest Toast Update Combats Fair Use

Posted by pudge on from the back-in-my-day-we-burned-cds-with-a-handheld-laser dept.

gsfprez writes "Apparently, demanding future DRM installations isn't just for Windows anymore. Roxio has added a very Microsoft-esque paragraph to the Toast 5.1.4 upgrade. In part, if you install it, you 'may affect your ability to copy, display and/or play Secure Content through the Software or other applications that utilize the Software.' I'm sorry, but this is a big reason why I'm sticking with Apple, but looking for new CD/DVD burning software..." Let me know when you find it.

5 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Re:ok, I am NOT spamming. trying to get spacing ri by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    OK, so I have two questions for you:

    - will the "protected content" unprotect itself, once copyright expires?

    - will the delivery medium for "protected content" last long enough, to be usable after copyright expiration?

    Both questions are important, because copyright protects published works on the premise, that they will fall into public domain. If the publishers don't intend to let the "content" fall into public domain, why should they be able to use copyright protection?

    If there was guarantee that answers for both questions are "yes", I bet there would be much less oposition to DRM schemes.

    Also, any publisher, who just want to make living, will be OK with limited copyrights. But anyone who wants to milk the audience, will push for maximum control.

  2. Use the built in stuff by Kevinv · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not sure about DVD burning but I got rid of both Toast and Charismac's Discribe and just use the built-in cd burning software.

    Does everything I need from burning files or whole .dmg images to cd to making audio cd's via iTunes.

    And I don't have to deal with Roxio's obnoxiousness.

  3. Re:What about by 13Echo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have been using a great new KDE-based GUI for CDRecord and many other programs, called Arson. I have been toying around with it a bit and it is loaded with features. It kinda reminds me of Nero for Unix machines.

    http://arson.sourceforge.net/

    Perhaps it could be compiled and used in MacOS? The program isn't finished yet, but shows a lot of potential.

  4. One word: Nero by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    We got new PCs at work a few months ago, and they came with Easy CD Creator. What a POS... system hangs, BSODs, 3 coasters for every successfully burned CD. We yanked it out (trick: you have to stop the background system tray icon process before you can use the uninstaller) and replaced it with Nero Burning ROM. Nero works every time, can take Mp3s (and several other formats) straight to audio CD (for those of us too cheap to buy mp3-capable CD decks for the car) and can also write *video CDs* from your real/windows media video files. Pretty cool. And we haven't had a single coaster yet.

  5. Re:How is this going to add shareholder value? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    If you were a shareholder in Roxio, you would realized that they are essentially fucked and you would sell.

    Roxio was one of those companies like QuarterDeck or Trumpet that only survived by selling functionality that MS hadn't got around to including in the OS. Now that CD/DVD burning software is included in Windows XP and all other major OSes, there's no need for Roxio anymore. (That's probably why Adaptec got them off their books in the first place.)

    So, they are in survival mode, and are basically for sale to the highest bidder. Along comes the record companies with a big pile of cash ... As a shareholder, I would say take it -- because becoming someone's buttboy is the only chance they've got.