Marisa Monte’s DRM problem
p2p news / p2pnet: EMI’s releases of Infinito Particular and Universo ao Meu Redor, two new CDs from Brazil’s Marisa Monte, are so polluted with DRM CRAP that they’re virtually useless.
EMI is a member of the international Big Four Organized Music cartel, the others being Sony BMG (Japan, Germany), Warner Music (USA) and Vivendi Universal (France), all of whom are currently being sued and are under federal and state investigation in the US for download price fixing, among other things.
Monte’s can’t be uninstalled and users have to "agree" to a contract that, "isn’t published in Portuguese," says Ronaldo in a BoingBoing post.
"Even if you disagree, the malware is installed," it goes on.
"The DRM blocks you from playing the CD on Linux and MacOS, and from loading it onto an iPod. This, just as the Brazilian government has launched a Computers for All initiative to distribute 1,000,000 Linux PCs, seems particularly contemptuous of the Brazilian people."
The post includes a blow-by-blow from Ronaldo, and also a comment which points out that ISOhunt is worth a look, together with the warning:
"Before you click on ISOHunt, read this, from Malke: "IsoHunt tries to install Winfixer on a Windows machine. Since I know you use an Apple and I use Linux, it wouldn’t affect us, but even here on Linux using Firefox with popup control, I got three popup window attempts to install Winfixer on my machine. Winfixer is really nasty malware (I do computer tech support/repair for a living and that’s how I know about this) and will seriously mess up Windows users’ machines."
Rumours are circulating that Thomas Hesse, head of Sony BMG’s root-kit DRM scandal-plagued global digital business, is now working for EMI.
Hesse described the Sony BMG effort to plant CRAP onusers’ computers without their knowledge as a "slight’ problem. He also said, "Most people don’t even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
Also See:
CRAP – Tired of C.R.A.P.?, March 14, 2006
BoingBoing – EMI releases Brazilian DRM CDs that totally hose their customers, March 24, 2006
why should they care – Sony BMG tries to minimise scandal, December 10, 2005
March 26th, 2006 at 2:24 am
WHY should they (people) care???? Isn’t there enough crap floating around on the net already without buying a cd and installing some more uninvited crap on to your computer????? WHY should they care???? What planet is this guy living on!!!!
March 26th, 2006 at 2:25 am
Planet Dumbass.
March 26th, 2006 at 3:25 am
I clicked on ISOHunt. The only thing that tried to install in Internot Exploiter was Flash 8. No Winfixer. Opera ignores the popups altogether.
Methinks someone is a shill for the industry.
March 26th, 2006 at 5:15 am
Most people don’t really know what a trojan is… do they care that they could be installing one? Of course?
March 26th, 2006 at 5:15 am
Most people don’t really know what a trojan is… do they care that they could be installing one? Of course?
March 27th, 2006 at 1:57 am
erm, uhm…
how exactly does this CRAP block me from playing the cd in linux? isn’t linux not affected by CRAP since it does not blindly run every autorun.inf in reach?
please enlighten me…
March 28th, 2006 at 12:02 am
READ the other story links to find out more about it.
March 28th, 2006 at 12:05 am
nuff said