Austarion

I found this on Starquest, so instead of sending everybody there, I'll just paste it here.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=27426

Sony has started releasing CDs that install software when played on a computer. The software embeds in a way making it nearly impossible to remove. The software will cost you about 2-3% of your cpu as it checks to make sure you aren't running any programs that could copy CDs whle a Sony CD is in the drive.

The software has no uninstall feature and can disable the CD drive if you try to remove it and miss parts.

PS: think you know a lot about Windows? Read this till you feel stupid.
http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/1 ... ights.html

This is actually illegal as they are infecting other peoples personal PC's

Damn thats hardout, wonder how old the guy is or what he looks like?

just use a real operating system then :P

woody...i would check that. check their disclaimer, a company as large as this wouldnt do something like this without putting in the proper checks

It may be in their disclaimer, but regardless, it doens't make it legal.

I could put a disclaimer on one of my published GBA games, that says "Now you can only buy Halfbrick Studios games"

Doesn't make that legal. Because this is basically thought of as a Virus

my computer

right click on your cdrom/dvd drive and hit properties

click the autoplay tab

for music cds/data cds etc, select 'select an action to perform' and click 'take no action'. hit apply - you are safe.

this is extremely amateurish of sony and i cant wait to see the lawsuit for these fucking idiots who think they can install special software on your machine without you knowing.

you heard about those cds which wont play in normal cd players and wont play on some pcs? black marker around the outside track of the cd - fixed.

fuck copy protection, ive never had a hassle with any of this bullshit cause im always one step ahead of them.

Very true Alspos, this is their copy protection solution, never install their player that includes DVD's ....
it's Sony's "Rootkit" protection software, it installs when you click yes to the player's (EULA) and if you remove it screws with your PC, you CD rom won't work, bloody bastards.....


see
http://www.grc.com/SecurityNow.htm

There are lots of other uses for the Rootkit program aswell, you can use it to mask other pograms you have running by adding $sys$ to their file name... Lots of cheating and hacking is popping up in online games, because the anti-cheating software can no longer find the programs responsible. Thanks _heaps_ Sony, you fucktards.

Their claim that you are under some kind of contract that they probably claim you gave consent to by buying the cd is questionable. I only did first year law, but I'm pretty sure for a contract to be valid, you have to be aware of it. If you are not aware of what you are agreeing to, and there is no easy way to get hold of a copy of this alleged contract, then all you have agreed to by purchasing the cd is to listen to sony's music after paying them their $30 or whatever they want for it. As far as i know, the conditions of any contract, even a simple purchasing contract, must be made known at the time of the contract, even if it's only in the form of fine print.

But as I said....I'm no expert....any contract lawyers on here?

Ahh well I just won't buy CDs anymore and get all my music from Kazaa... Cheers Sony

Have they stuck any small incredibly hard to read fineprint on any new CD's..

They might have put something along the lines of,
By purchasing this CD you will have accepted Sony's........blah blah blah etc

According to that article, the guy couldn't find the agreement on the cd, the cover, in the cd shop.... so if it's on the cd, it must be very fine print

i think what you will find is to install the software it will say that you may be subjected to the checks (the thing that everyone scrolls past and presses I AGREE because its 30 pages long). who the f installs sony shiz?

we need Bao, hes practically a lawyer. And i hear hes a sexual genius.