Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example. This is all OT anyways.
While you are correct to blame Sony/BMG. You make the very common mistake of lumping it in with Sony Corporation. Sony/BMG is a separate company that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (hence the (B)ertelsmann (M)usic (G)roup). Furthermore, the BMG side of the merger held (at the time) most of the top executive positions in the company, like Thomas Hesse who made the public comment about rootkits. The position of Sony/BMG is similar to Sony/Ericsson - separate companies formed from divisions of two individual corporations. This is unlike Sony Computer, Sony DADC, Sony Electronics, etc. which are part of "Sony".
Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example.
Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example.
It seems like a lot of comments don't understand the contradictory moves of Sony the technology company and Sony/BMG. This is because they are not the same entity. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann, with the top executives mostly being from the BMG side. They are to blame for the rootkit, and it looks like they still haven't learned anything. C'est la vie.
In fact, Sony/BMG is not a division of Sony, it is a separate entity 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (hence the BMG-Bertelsmann Music Group). In addition the BMG people comprise most of the top executives in the company, responsible for things like the rootkit episode.
No, Sony/BMG and Sony are not the same. Sony/BMG is a separate entity that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann, with former Bertelsmann executives in control of the top positions in the company. Unfortunately, Sony (proper) let them use the Sony name, probably for branding reasons. So all of the silly moves by Sony/BMG like the rootkit, are the responsibility of former BMG execs.
While he was astroturfing, I disagree that this is an anti-Sony article. This is an anti-Sony-BMG article. FYI Sony-BMG is a separate entity that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann. Furthermore, the BMG side holds the top executive spots. If anything, Bertelsmann is more to blame that Sony for the rootkit, since they promoted the executives that made the decision to use the rootkit.
That's because it wasn't Sony that did the deed, but Sony-BMG. Also Sony-BMG is not getting away with it, they settled a lot of lawsuits and I believe the top executive of the company resigned/was pushed out.
I feel like I finally have to create a user account to correct a misconception I see a lot on the internet. It wasn't Sony that put a rootkit on the music CDs, it was Sony-BMG which is a separate company that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (BMG stands for Bertelsmann Music Group). Furthermore, the top executives at Sony-BMG all come from the BMG side, like that guy Thomas Hesse who made those stupid remarks that consumers shouldn't care about rootkits. If anything, all the anger toward Sony should be directed at the entity involved, which is Sony-BMG. Just boycott their music.
Slashdot Mirror
Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example. This is all OT anyways.
While you are correct to blame Sony/BMG. You make the very common mistake of lumping it in with Sony Corporation. Sony/BMG is a separate company that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (hence the (B)ertelsmann (M)usic (G)roup). Furthermore, the BMG side of the merger held (at the time) most of the top executive positions in the company, like Thomas Hesse who made the public comment about rootkits. The position of Sony/BMG is similar to Sony/Ericsson - separate companies formed from divisions of two individual corporations. This is unlike Sony Computer, Sony DADC, Sony Electronics, etc. which are part of "Sony".
Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example.
Except that it wasn't Sony that installed the rootkit on CDs it was Sony/BMG. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann with most of the decision makers being from the BMG side. It isn't too much of a surprise really, given than BMG had such a crappy reputation previous to the merger. Sony does hold some blame being a major shareholder, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. If anything Bertelsmann holds more blame than Sony, but no one is suggesting a boycott of Random House, for example.
It seems like a lot of comments don't understand the contradictory moves of Sony the technology company and Sony/BMG. This is because they are not the same entity. Sony/BMG is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann, with the top executives mostly being from the BMG side. They are to blame for the rootkit, and it looks like they still haven't learned anything. C'est la vie.
In fact, Sony/BMG is not a division of Sony, it is a separate entity 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (hence the BMG-Bertelsmann Music Group). In addition the BMG people comprise most of the top executives in the company, responsible for things like the rootkit episode.
No, Sony/BMG and Sony are not the same. Sony/BMG is a separate entity that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann, with former Bertelsmann executives in control of the top positions in the company. Unfortunately, Sony (proper) let them use the Sony name, probably for branding reasons. So all of the silly moves by Sony/BMG like the rootkit, are the responsibility of former BMG execs.
While he was astroturfing, I disagree that this is an anti-Sony article. This is an anti-Sony-BMG article. FYI Sony-BMG is a separate entity that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann. Furthermore, the BMG side holds the top executive spots. If anything, Bertelsmann is more to blame that Sony for the rootkit, since they promoted the executives that made the decision to use the rootkit.
That's because it wasn't Sony that did the deed, but Sony-BMG. Also Sony-BMG is not getting away with it, they settled a lot of lawsuits and I believe the top executive of the company resigned/was pushed out.
I feel like I finally have to create a user account to correct a misconception I see a lot on the internet. It wasn't Sony that put a rootkit on the music CDs, it was Sony-BMG which is a separate company that is 50/50 owned by Sony and Bertelsmann (BMG stands for Bertelsmann Music Group). Furthermore, the top executives at Sony-BMG all come from the BMG side, like that guy Thomas Hesse who made those stupid remarks that consumers shouldn't care about rootkits. If anything, all the anger toward Sony should be directed at the entity involved, which is Sony-BMG. Just boycott their music.