Comments on: Sony BMG Offers Unprotected CDs, MP3 Files in Exchange Program http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:58:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Fracture http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5584 Thu, 24 Nov 2005 00:14:24 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5584 Quote: All Sony did was provide a legal remedy, not an apologizing outreach or compensatory gift. Ah, you may have something particularly important there. Anyone who accepts the SONY CD may find themselves excluded from any further remedy. No doubt there will be a click-through EULA with 20 pages of fine print to get your replacement... Quote: All Sony did was provide a legal remedy, not an apologizing outreach or compensatory gift.

Ah, you may have something particularly important there. Anyone who accepts the SONY CD may find themselves excluded from any further remedy. No doubt there will be a click-through EULA with 20 pages of fine print to get your replacement…

]]> by: Mat http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5536 Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:19:14 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5536 So where is the "nice gesture"? I disagree with the article as well. The customers originally thought they were getting an audio CD, presumably one that they could use to put the tracks they purchased on an mp3 player. Now Sony, the nice guys, are giving them CD's with the wav and the mp3. Other than ripping it for them - which really isn't worth much - I see the customer getting essentially what they were paying for in the first place. When compared with the tumult and damage caused by their CD's, I'd say the favor of a rip "on the house" doesn't come ANYWHERE close to being repentant, nor showing good faith. All Sony did was provide a legal remedy, not an apologizing outreach or compensatory gift. So where is the “nice gesture”? I disagree with the article as well. The customers originally thought they were getting an audio CD, presumably one that they could use to put the tracks they purchased on an mp3 player. Now Sony, the nice guys, are giving them CD’s with the wav and the mp3. Other than ripping it for them - which really isn’t worth much - I see the customer getting essentially what they were paying for in the first place.

When compared with the tumult and damage caused by their CD’s, I’d say the favor of a rip “on the house” doesn’t come ANYWHERE close to being repentant, nor showing good faith.

All Sony did was provide a legal remedy, not an apologizing outreach or compensatory gift.

]]> by: Andy http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5379 Sun, 20 Nov 2005 20:04:19 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5379 "..I have to say, this is the first story I read with Sony BMG in it, where I actually thought, 'well, that’s actually a decent offer.'" Sorry to disagree. Giving a disc with the music on it when a customer paid for, unsurprisingly, a disc with the music on it, doesn't strike me as much of a decent offer. “..I have to say, this is the first story I read with Sony BMG in it, where I actually thought, ‘well, that’s actually a decent offer.’”

Sorry to disagree. Giving a disc with the music on it when a customer paid for, unsurprisingly, a disc with the music on it, doesn’t strike me as much of a decent offer.

]]> by: Fracture http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5377 Sun, 20 Nov 2005 18:19:54 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5377 Needless to say, I've lost all trust in Sony. Anything they say and do is suspect. In this case: unprotected does not mean untrackable. I'll be amazed if the MP3's don't include unique signatures. Even if they don't, they'll spin it for gains: "Look, we gave out this MP3 in good faith. Now it's on the internet! Gasp! Our sales have dropped. Our loss in profit is purely due to illegal copying! Give us better DRM that people won't notice! What boycot? There's not boycot! Nothing to do with anything." Needless to say, I’ve lost all trust in Sony. Anything they say and do is suspect. In this case: unprotected does not mean untrackable. I’ll be amazed if the MP3’s don’t include unique signatures.

Even if they don’t, they’ll spin it for gains:

“Look, we gave out this MP3 in good faith. Now it’s on the internet! Gasp! Our sales have dropped. Our loss in profit is purely due to illegal copying! Give us better DRM that people won’t notice! What boycot? There’s not boycot! Nothing to do with anything.”

]]> by: John Corliss http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5334 Sat, 19 Nov 2005 10:06:46 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/2177#comment-5334 Because of the way it took action on the part of the U.S. government to get Sony to stop dragging their heels on dealing with the rootkit issue, I for one will never trust Sony again or purchase another one of their products. I will also be keeping an eye out for any attempts on their part to sell products under an alias. As far as I'm concerned, Sony cut their own throat. Bye bye, Sony... Because of the way it took action on the part of the U.S. government to get Sony to stop dragging their heels on dealing with the rootkit issue, I for one will never trust Sony again or purchase another one of their products. I will also be keeping an eye out for any attempts on their part to sell products under an alias.

As far as I’m concerned, Sony cut their own throat. Bye bye, Sony…

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