Slashdot Mirror
Sony Rootkit Allegedly Contains LGPL Software
Deaths Hand writes "According to this Dutch article the Sony DRM software (or rootkit, if you may prefer) contains code from the LAME MP3 encoder project, which is licensed under the LGPL. However, the source code has not also been distrbuted, hence breaching the license. Here is an english translation of the page." So apparently Sony violates your privacy to create a backdoor onto your machine using code that violates an Open Source license. This story just keeps getting stranger.
They're not stealing code, they're infringing on the author's copyrights by not respecting the license under which the code is be distributed (in exactly the same way people who "share" Sony/BMG music via p2p etc infringe on Sony/BMG's and the the artists' copyrights).
Donate free food here
IANAL, but judging from the RIAA's press releases when they sue grannies and kids, it's per copy and per work. So let's do the math. 20CD * 1 million copies each * $150,000/copy = $3 trillion dollars. That's if there's only 1 work on each copy. If they also infringed on several other projects, then you would have to multiply the damages accordingly.
"But I didn't know my Internet connection was being used by my son to download Sony BMG artists' songs!"
"I'm sorry sir but you're the owner. You owe $500,000 in damages."
They don't allow the "but I didn't know" explanation. Why should they be allowed to use it? I say try to nail them. They've done far worse to others.
So is the Slashdot crowd going to complain and moan about Sony being a servant of the devil, and then happily go to Best Buy and get ther shiny new PS3?
Not that it lessens their tresspass, but Sony is apparently pulling the "infected" CDs:y /2005-11-14-sony-cds_x.htm [usatoday.com]
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurit
Are they also pulling all of the infected PCs in for free repairs?
No? Then let's not help these wankers by helping to spread their desperate PR pieces.