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Single-play DVDs a Hoax

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the don't-trust-anyone dept.

psy writes "Ed Bott's blog states that in relation to a previously posted slashdot story "a hoax can spread just as fast as a genuine news story. That's the lesson from the bogus story published in an obscure UK business magazine yesterday that claimed Microsoft is about to unleash a new single-play DVD format. Paul Thurrott reprinted the story without giving credit to the original source. Bink.nu picked up the story from Paul and reprinted it verbatim. Techdirt commented on the original story, with attribution but without any fact-checking. So did John Walkenbach. The funny part? There's no truth to the story. None whatsoever. In fact, the original story sparked a flurry of e-mails around Microsoft as people in different groups tried to figure out where on earth this story came from. After the head-scratching stopped, a spokesmen told me, they concluded that the story was not true. "It appears to be confusing an existing feature within Windows Media DRM that allows for single-play of promotional digital material. This has been an option for content owners to use for some time for the Windows Media format - it does not apply to MPEG2 content found on DVDs."

26 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Not quite a hoax by powerpuffgirls · · Score: 4, Funny

    After the head-scratching stopped, a Microsoft spokesman told me, they concluded that the story was not true.

    How do we know Ed Bott's comment is not a hoax too? He just said a MS spokesman told him so, but where's the source?

    I believe the real story is, MS did invent this Play-Once DVD, however due to huge amount of negative comments from Slashdot, they pulled a PR spin, and instructed that spokesman to tell Ed that it's a hoax.

    1. Re:Not quite a hoax by joeybagadonuts · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, I have noticed that trend too. Whenever there is a negative comment on Slashdot with regard to Microsoft, they change product strategy.


      You may want to consider the use of the sarcasm tag....please be sure to use it in the future so that people don't think you are serious.

    2. Re:Not quite a hoax by macdaddy357 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Maybe Windows Vista is a hoax, too.

      --
      How ya like dat?
    3. Re:Not quite a hoax by BottleCup · · Score: 2, Funny
      due to huge amount of negative comments from Slashdot, they pulled a PR spin, and instructed that spokesman to tell Ed that it's a hoax.

      As oppose to the usual MS bashing that happens daily in /.?

      Which planet did you come from...

      Hey, we all watched Mission Impossible. We know this has to be true!

    4. Re:Not quite a hoax by TallGuyRacer · · Score: 5, Funny

      We can only hope.

    5. Re:Not quite a hoax by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh yeah, Slashdot bent the might Microsoft. We'll really get 'em tomorrow, when the whole damn story is published again. Nothing like a dupe to get Redmond shaking in their boots. I even heard that Ballmer through a coffee table and shouted "I'll fucking kill CmdrTaco!"

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  2. Haha Slashdot got suckered! by Aaron+England · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't you all feel bright now for bashing Microsoft? Perhaps it isn't only the editors that should check the credibility of a story?

  3. Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot? propagating rumors? noooooooooooo..... must be some other blog....

  4. Behavior Pattern? by totallygeek · · Score: 2, Funny
    Uh, so this is just another instance of Microsoft vaporware?

    --
    Click here or here.
  5. Re:Shock by superpulpsicle · · Score: 3, Funny

    It was probably a real idea except the people on slashdot trashed it so fast, they cancelled all project plans asap.

  6. Re:Hoax? I think not by ArmorFiend · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's the spirit! Remember when they canned their internet portapotty, the iLoo? Yeah, sure, that's a hoax. There's one born every minute.

  7. Ummm.... by blackholepcs · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't saying that a story about a Microsoft "Innovation" is a hoax a redundant statement?

    /end troll

    Seriously though, think about it. It is. ;)

    --
    Halitosis - (n.) Halle Berry's Camel Toe.
  8. Monopoly Money by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey, now what am I going to spend that million dollars on, that I won from Bill Gates when I sent on the 1 millionth copy of the chain email he sent me?

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  9. no way! by syrinx · · Score: 1, Funny

    Slashdot posted an unconfirmed story?? No way! Next thing you know, someone will be telling me that most people who post to Slashdot don't read the articles!

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
  10. The Real Truth For Sure by The+Amazing+Fish+Boy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft originally designed a single-play DVD. That much is true. It also had a new case. However, as time went by, they had to drop a number of features. The first to go was the 'DVD' part. Then they dropped the 'single-play' part. Now they just have a new case full of nothing.

  11. Another example of journalist's DOOPPPP by xmas2003 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Christmas Lights webcam hoax ran from 2002 to 2004 until I outed myself. I can tell you from first hand experience that the fact checking of the mass media leaves a bit to be desired ... and that is being generous. A noteable exception was the Wall Street Journal - it was actually hard to convince 'em that the hoax was really a hoax - they were (rightfully so) concerned about a double-dupe ... too bad this /. story doesn't appear to have that element.

    Having said all that, do you think it is "real" this time?!? ;-)

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
  12. PLAGIARISM by Jucius+Maximus · · Score: 2, Funny
    "This multiple format business is a mess. Look at the problems with SACD and DVD-A. Nobody is buying them (and if the music industry stopped suing people and promoted those formats that are so much better than downloaded music they would actually make more money because there is new value there.) But back to the topic at hand: The industry would benefit more from having ONE SINGLE TRUE UNIFIED STANDARD as opposed to a couple of standards, which would confuse people. The public at large (Joe Sixpack) gets all confused with this 2-format thing. They want to buy a movie and play it, not worry about if this disc will play on their type of player. When we have one unified standard, confusion is reduced, people can just buy and make the industry happy. The the industry focus can be put on actually releasing content and worthwhile stuff, as opposed to teaching consumers that they need a different player for their Fox releases versus some other studio and then wondering why people don't buy any of these confusing and conflicting products."

    If you're set on becoming a karma whore, try writing your own posts!

    And to think I was about to mod you up...

  13. Will the madness ever cease? by dynooomite · · Score: 2, Funny

    This has shaken my faith in the media to its core. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at the National Enquirer or The O'Reilly Factor ever again. I don't think my underworked heart can take the potential let down.

    --
    Linux Friendly since, like awhile.
  14. Bullshit by strcmp · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone remember when they tried to convince us that dihydrogen monoxide was a hoax too?

    --
    "Yields falsehood when preceded by its own quotation" yields falsehood when preceded by its own quotation.
  15. I, for one... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 1, Funny

    welcome our careless rumor spreading overlords :-P

  16. Uh-huh by jav1231 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Balmer: "ARGH!" (tosses chair, breaks glass, rips off tie) "I will OWN THE MEDIA MARKET! I WILL KILL THEM ALL! So, what did they think of our single-play DVD?"
    Assistant: "Uh...they laughed, Sir."
    Balmer: "Oh!...Ummm...Okay...well...uh...let's play it as a hoax."
    Assistant: "Yes, Sir. New chair, Sir?"
    Balmer: "That would be nice, and some decaf!"

  17. Re:That Paul Thurrott... by weighn · · Score: 2, Funny
    What a guy

    If he keeps pulling scoops like this, perhaps he should consider changing his first name to Deep.../*DUCKS*/

    --
    Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
  18. Re:Ears perking up by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Funny

    actually I thought of a really good way to do that.

    just make really, really, really crappy movies.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  19. How you know it's a hoax by toupsie · · Score: 2, Funny

    Slashdot has only run the story once. If the editors dupe the article, then you know it's genuine. A lot of you gripe about dupe posts but at least you know the story is real the second time. It's a feature, not a bug...

    --
    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
  20. Re:Ears perking up by KinkyClown · · Score: 2, Funny

    'Gone in 60 seconds', right?

  21. Re:Ears perking up by clonmult · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hollywood is already one step ahead of you on this one ....