Should Hardware Drivers be Region/Language Locked?

An anonymous reader asks: "Recently, I have purchased Sony's new Hi-MD player. I popped in their driver CD, and instead of installer launching, I was greeted by the message, 'Cannot install for this Windows language.' It seems like it rejected installation, because my default language setting is Japanese, although I am using English version of Windows. I got the response from Sony stating that: 'If you are using a different language set up for your computer, you will not be able to use the software supplied with the product. Unfortunately, currently there is no workaround for this issue. The only option would be to change the language setting of your computer.' Now I'm asking for my money back. The hardware device is practically useless without the software installation, and it seems like they are going too far, especially since this may affect anyone who uses more than one languages on their computer. Isn't this discrimination to multi-lingual people living in the targeted market? And isn't it unfair to impose such restrictions on software that is required to use hardware?"

Comments

Bad programmer, bad company, bad customer

[billcopc]

It's simply really, the idiot programmer didn't bother i18n'ing his driver, so he just blocks out everything that's not US English. He does this because he works for Sony, whose corporate mindset is "Fuck them as hard as we can get away with". Now you, the customer, go out and buy Sony because you like the flashy colours and are led to believe that it's a better toy than Brand-X because of its heavy price tag, thus you just made "their" system work.

Return that piece of crap, I'll even drive you to the store at gunpoint if you're not convinced.

I used to be a Sony fanboy, heck I used to have a few shares in Sony stock, but I eventually learned that the grass is much greener on the other side of the megacorp.

Take my audio advice, if you want a nice tech toy, go with a company that has a proven track record with MP3 players, such as Rio, or a Creative Nomad or even an Archos if those things still exist. Don't waste your time with the TV-maker brands like Sony, Samsung, RCA, they pretty much all such in one major way or another. I am no expert on these devices, as my idea of a portable mp3 player is my car and its 3000$ sound system (screw headphones!), but I think a company whose main focus is computers and sound, is quite likely to build a better product than one who specializes in selling cheap electronics to the common ignorant majority.

Myself, I'd get a PocketPC or a tabletized notebook.. at least you can use those for other things than MP3, and you don't have to bust an artery when AAC or WMV or whatever-next-gen-format takes over.