Microsoft's says: "By default... this feature is enabled... Reformatting the hard drive.... Since you did not back up and restore your... There is still a way to get these licenses back and it is pretty easy using our PLMS, just... connect to the internet... [press the OK box]... [If] this is still not working, it is most likely because they [used] an earlier version... and then upgraded. We... developed a tool... the Personal License Update Utility...[which] must be run before... Find out more at www.microsoft.com.... When you first run... it will ask if you want... you can turn it off... dialog box...Tools|Options menu. Click on the.... uncheck the... In previous versions, this box was called...
And so on.
Let me get this right.
Having spent 25 years trying to make VCR's as simple as a CD player (ie. usable when drunk, rather than requiring rocket science to set the clock), CD players as simple as toasters; and turn personal computers into appliances (take a bow Steve Jobs); the entertainment industry is now trying to turn CD players into (drum roll):
... personal computers. Devices only usable when awake, fully sober and in possesion of a captive guru or tame 12 year old.
Okayyyy. Sounds like consumer friendly to me.
Not
Seriously, the entertainment industry really needs to consider this aspect of things. We all know that Digital Rights Management is a usability nightmare, but do they?
How many of these devices are going to sell to consumers who are forced to 'manage' their "Digital Rights"?
A large part of the corporate software and services market revolves around tools and services to make management of assets (read rights-to-see-the-movie) easy.
Software customers purchase software and then find themselves spending much, much more on ancillary tools and services to remove the added cost and complexity from their lives.
In fact, a good definition of "service" is "cost to the customer". If a customer has to spend a lot of time/effort/additional money to deal with me or use my product, that's poor service. If it's easy for them, that's good service.
"Ease-of-use" is not a strong point of the software industry (in fact we should hang our heads in shame)
On the other hand, "ease-of-use" defines the entertainment industry. The key to their success is making discretionary purchase of luxury goods so easy we can't resist.
How much does it cost me to see a first run movie at the cinema, or buy a CD now?
My legs to carry me there and some loose change for the ticket/CD.
How much does Hollywood and RIAA want me to pay in the future?
A whole swag of licence management software, DRM-aware backup software, etc, etc, etc,
In other words, a distribution channel with extremely poor service characteristics.
Not really, read the whole thing. It's actually very positive.
It says:
[Region codes - illegal in Australia BTW] para 108 - The issue wasn't explored, and therefore the judge had to accept Sony's statements at face value, namely that the purpose of region codes is copy-prevention not access control, ie neutral but he is saying that access protection doesn't fly
[Effective Device] para 118 - Sony have to prove that the boot code is focussed on piracy "in its normal coarse of operation", and not something else. ie. if the device has other substantial uses and piracy facilitation is merely incidental it's ok. Sony didn't prove that.
[Reproduction in RAM] para 150 - Rejected. Legit copies are in RAM, copies from other regions are in RAM, pirated copies are in RAM, knock-off look-alikes from get-rich-quick-merchants on Mars are in RAM. Use is not reproduction. Illegal copying is something else (the martians)
[Game code in RAM is like a film] para 150 - Rejected. A few images in ram is not substantive copying.
[A mod chip is a circumvention device] para 166 - No it isn't. Sony are forced to concede (with their expert on the way to the airport) that their boot code restricts backups (ie. a legitimate use) and that mod chips assist consumers
Slashdot Mirror
Ever trodden on cat5? Twisted it? Yanked it out of the socket? (All common with guitar leads)
Did it survive? 10:1 it didn't
This is nuts, cat5 is inherently fragile, it's not made for the treatment guitar leads get.
And if we have to use a "specially hardened" version, it won't be cheaper than 1/4 cable for very long.
And so on.
Let me get this right.
Having spent 25 years trying to make VCR's as simple as a CD player (ie. usable when drunk, rather than requiring rocket science to set the clock), CD players as simple as toasters; and turn personal computers into appliances (take a bow Steve Jobs); the entertainment industry is now trying to turn CD players into (drum roll):
Okayyyy. Sounds like consumer friendly to me.
Not
Seriously, the entertainment industry really needs to consider this aspect of things. We all know that Digital Rights Management is a usability nightmare, but do they?
How many of these devices are going to sell to consumers who are forced to 'manage' their "Digital Rights"?
A large part of the corporate software and services market revolves around tools and services to make management of assets (read rights-to-see-the-movie) easy.
Software customers purchase software and then find themselves spending much, much more on ancillary tools and services to remove the added cost and complexity from their lives.
In fact, a good definition of "service" is "cost to the customer". If a customer has to spend a lot of time/effort/additional money to deal with me or use my product, that's poor service. If it's easy for them, that's good service.
"Ease-of-use" is not a strong point of the software industry (in fact we should hang our heads in shame)
On the other hand, "ease-of-use" defines the entertainment industry. The key to their success is making discretionary purchase of luxury goods so easy we can't resist.
How much does it cost me to see a first run movie at the cinema, or buy a CD now?
My legs to carry me there and some loose change for the ticket/CD.
How much does Hollywood and RIAA want me to pay in the future?
A whole swag of licence management software, DRM-aware backup software, etc, etc, etc,
In other words, a distribution channel with extremely poor service characteristics.
They must be mad.
Not really, read the whole thing. It's actually very positive.
It says:
[Region codes - illegal in Australia BTW]
para 108 - The issue wasn't explored, and therefore the judge had to accept Sony's statements at face value, namely that the purpose of region codes is copy-prevention not access control, ie neutral but he is saying that access protection doesn't fly
[Effective Device]
para 118 - Sony have to prove that the boot code is focussed on piracy "in its normal coarse of operation", and not something else. ie. if the device has other substantial uses and piracy facilitation is merely incidental it's ok. Sony didn't prove that.
[Reproduction in RAM]
para 150 - Rejected. Legit copies are in RAM, copies from other regions are in RAM, pirated copies are in RAM, knock-off look-alikes from get-rich-quick-merchants on Mars are in RAM. Use is not reproduction. Illegal copying is something else (the martians)
[Game code in RAM is like a film]
para 150 - Rejected. A few images in ram is not substantive copying.
[A mod chip is a circumvention device]
para 166 - No it isn't. Sony are forced to concede (with their expert on the way to the airport) that their boot code restricts backups (ie. a legitimate use) and that mod chips assist consumers
Game over