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European DRM News
burgburgburg writes "Two new fronts opening in the battles over digital rights management. First: news.com is reporting how French authorities are investigating EMI France and music retailer Fnac over anticopying technology included on CDs that allegedly renders them unplayable on some systems. The investigation began after the Bureau of Competition's antifraud unit (DDCCRF) received complaints from a consumer group known as UFC-Que Choisir. Second: BusinessWeek reports that the EC is investigating Microsoft to make sure that they don't illegally dominate the field of digital rights management. Regulators have told Microsoft and its partner Time Warner that they are looking into their plan to acquire the company ContentGuard, which makes DRM software because of concerns that it will create or strengthen Microsoft dominance of the field."
The ones that break the redbook standard aren't called CDs (except by retailers). Look on the case, you won't find the Compact Disc logo on it.
I recently bought a CD from Fnac - "Face A/Face B" by Axelle Red. It says right on it that it incorporates copy-protection technology, though it also carries the official CD logo.
The results:
Linux: plays.
Windows: loads their CD player without asking, crashes system.
Car CD player: plays.
Portable Discman-style CD player: doesn't play. Each track plays about 9 seconds in then gets stuck in a loop skipping back a couple of seconds.
"My name is L...Laura..."
Sorry. Friday afternoon. A bit punchy.
...laura