Nickname: fredmen

Review: I am writing this on the day after the announced legal settlement involving Sony-BMG and their actions regarding the cd XCP spyware. I must say I am disgusted with the scope of the settlement (it should have been much more painful) and especially with Sony-BMG's roles with this whole spyware mess. After watching this saga play out over the last 2 years, I am encouraging consumers to join me in making Sony "pay" for assuming they have the right to load software on paying, unsuspecting custmer's computers as they see fit. I have no less than 15 Sony products in my home right now, from HD televisions to camcorders. Not only will I never purchase another Sony electronic product or CD, I will actively campaign against others purchasing Sony products because of the conpany's action with the unauthorized tampering of consumers' computers. This is the only real way to send a message to Sony and other companies that believe they have the right to take advantage of consumers.

Date reviewed: Jan 30, 2007 7:55 PM

Nickname: Enrico Suarve

Review: Most of the posts here I agree with fully (especially those that say Sony should be treated in the same manner as any pubescent worm writer). However, I think Sony may have missed the point slightly. They just made it unsafe and scary buying CDs. What message does that send to the thousands of kids downloading illegal copies or buying legal ones? Download an illegal copy and your PC will be OK. Put a legal copy in your machine and it may go bang? Are they actually trying to kill off their market?

Date reviewed: Dec 12, 2005 4:04 PM

Nickname: Former Sony Customer

Review: Once we were Sony, The one and only We made Betas and TVs With quality for all to see We fought for the consumer's right To record in broad daylight We had employees that were bright They'd create products throughout the night. Now we are Sony The one that's lonely When you buy CDs from us They come with free viruses And when you connect online We'll send you one sometime

Date reviewed: Dec 12, 2005 8:04 AM

Nickname: Mark C

Review: I'm sorry. I am amazed at how everybody found this to be news in early November. I had tangled with this DRM in mid-September and sent both Microsoft and Norton AV samples. They Microsoft finally told me where the ARIES.SYS blue screen fault originated and I started to complain to an unrepentant Sony. I am one of the 223 people who were "allowed" to remove it from our systems, only to find we were merely updated to new versions on Sept. 23.

Date reviewed: Dec 9, 2005 3:49 PM

Nickname: Dixter

Review: This is truly ourageous. A criminal act that should be punished. I for one when, purchasing CDs, will look for the Sony BMG name and then I will not buy that product. Furthermore, I will endeavor to notify the performer whose performance I refused to purchase of the reasons for my refusal.

Date reviewed: Dec 7, 2005 3:35 PM

Nickname: darkonc

Review: In any case, you can bet that Sony tested this software before they put it on their CDs. They may not have known the technicalities of how it did what it did, but they clearly knew what the end results were -- and they liked it enough to pay big money for it. They also convinced the larger spyware companies to keep quiet about the kit (possibly with a deft application of their chequebook). Why would they talk to the virus companies if they didn't think that this thing would at least be seen as hostile by virus companies? (I would _love_ to see their communications!) They are very, very culpable in my mind.

Date reviewed: Dec 6, 2005 9:16 AM

Nickname: arf_arf

Review: The real issue is not the fact that this rootkit could be manipulated by a virus into hiding the virus from scanners, nor that it introduces a security vulnerability into the system. The real issue is Sony's massive disregard for common law property rights. I acknowledge that their CD contains their intellectual property and that they have a right to protect it. But the notion that having played their CD once on my computer gives Sony the right to sieze control over my computer's CD player forever afterward is as facetious as it is blatantly false. Sony are undoubtedly guilty of a massive case of trespass to chattels in the way they have designed this software. I am truly appalled at the scale of their hubris and arrogance. They take control over my property in an attempt to increase their income. This is a protection racket, nothing less, and I would want to see Sony executives prosecuted under RICO laws and imprisoned for this crime.

Date reviewed: Dec 6, 2005 1:20 AM

Nickname: EnderW

Review: So far, I think everyone is missing the obvious. It was Sony and the RIAA that asked for, and got legislation and favorable Court rulings saying that they had a "right" to plant viruses and even destroy the computers of those they suspected of illegally copying software. Such a short memory the public has, even though this happened in the past few years. This was intentional on the part of Sony, or they wouldn't have fought for the right to do so in recent years in Congress as well as the Courts. One cannot deny the plain truth that they asked for and received permission to plant viruses and "destroy computers" belonging to suspected "pirates" [even if Jonny gets a track from Susie at school and decides to listen to it on Daddy's computer]. This was intentional, and they have been signalling their INTENTIONS for three years.

Date reviewed: Dec 5, 2005 9:47 PM

Nickname: NightOps

Review: In regards to the question about rootkits on Sony hardware, I can simply say that my Vaio laptop does not have any rootkits on it. The videos and pictures that I just finished taking with a Sony digi8 camcorder bought 3 weeks ago does not have any rootkit information on it, nor does the digital camera from Sony that my parent's purchased about 1 month ago. However, I would keep my eyes peeled.

Date reviewed: Dec 5, 2005 3:17 PM

Nickname: Stabicron

Review: I should note that DRM is not limited to Sony alone. In fact, it was Microsoft that came up with the idea. Also be wary and watch for Microsoft to change the name of DRM to something else. It will still be DRM, but under a different name, likely with cryptic language that is intendted to throw most people off to what it really is now that the evil of it has come to light. They have pulled maneuvers like this many times in the past.

Date reviewed: Dec 3, 2005 5:47 PM