Sony Settlement Start of DRM Protection Act?

An anonymous reader writes "Sony BMG and a group of class action lawyers have reached a provisional settlement in the U.S. Sony rootkit class actions. Sony will pay cash compensation and give away free downloads from a choice of music download services including Apple iTunes as part of the deal. The settlement includes a host of restrictions on future Sony DRM use, which Michael Geist argues provides the starting point for a future Digital Rights Management Protection Act."

Comments

Re:Punishing the Meek

[xero314]

I don't get how/why so called smarter, savvier people even have this crap as a possible choice of music to listen too. I buy a shitload (which is 32 for those that don't know) of CDs on a regular basis. I have never once worried about having any form of DRM stop me from listening to it, or infect my player. The majority of the population is to busy trying to figure out how to stretch a dollar far enough so they and their families can eat. It's only dumb rich kids being effected by these things, and they don't really care, they can always buy a new computer when their current one gets infected.

Again I say aren't their bigger fish to fry than Sony and it's singular DRM instance. You could always blame WalMart. I mean isn't, it their cheap ass prices that cause companies to need to protect as much other assests as possible. Or maybe blame the world goverments, must of who support intelectual property and patent rights.(Am I kinding?)

Re:Outrage!

[dangitman]

Well they have been infiltrated by "business" types, when they decided to distance themselves from the Mac and promote Windows and that god-awful Acrobat reader program to the corporate types. They used to be a highly respectable and trustworthy company. When it gets down to the actual image editing software, the meat of Photoshop and Illustrator - things are still done pretty well. It just seems they get a bunch of idiots to write the ancillary software like installers, Bridge, Acrobat. I hope they don't screw up the Macromedia acquisition.

My biggest worry is PDF, even though it's extremely useful to my business. Before PDF, it was difficult to get people to competently open graphics files and formatted typography. These days, even the stupidest office monkey or manager can open print-quality proofs delivered via email. But the thing is getting so bloated! i liked it when it was somewhat leaner. PDF will probably replace .DOC as the main format we all have to use, because there is little alternative.

Although I guess I could look at the bright side. If Adobe screws up the Macromedia acquisition, hopefully they will wreck Flash, so we see fewer fucking stupid Flash animations. But more likely, all our PDFs will soon be riddled with Flash banner ads. Oh crap, what if they turn Acrobat into a "free" service that is supported by embedded advertising in your documents? Sort of like how "free" email services put ads in the mail you send.

Re:More American Racism

[Shanep]

Cluetrain - this DRM fiasco was caused by Sony BMG. Blame American market culture, not Sony, you damn racist pig.

Ha ha, I am not even American.

How am I racist for punishing the French for taking a great big stinking fucking SHIT in MY backyard and the backyard of others?

Ohh, lets weigh this up now... Approx 167 nuclear bombs detonated in or above my ocean : Me choosing to not buy thier products as a result.

Oh God damn I am one fucken arsehole aren't I?

Moron. PS The French are FUCKING TERRORISTS. I painfully regret that my grandfather, a Spitfire fighter pilot, may have defended the French, given this is how they have repaid us.

Re:Outrage!

[Captain_Chaos]

I still refuse to buy French products 10 years after the nuclear testing in Mururoa Atoll

I'm sure you've also refused to buy American products for all the 60 years after the murder with atomic bombs of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians? That'll show those present-day bastard cotton farmers and wine growers for letting that happen!