Re: New CD access restriction

Hi Jim, on Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:52:46 +0100 you wrote:

> So, maybe this is a way forwards.  Corrupt audio sessions, serious
> problem.  Clean audio sessions, great, no problem.  Fooling the
> average user into installing anti-rip drivers, unpleasant, but no
> comment.  Attempted control over sharing of knowledge and code, HUGE
> problem: take to the streets.
> Any thoughts or comments on this approach?

My thoughts exactly. It's distasteful, and still avoiding the real
problem, but it may form an uneasy compromise. Certainly, unlike discs
with TOC/audio corruption, I'd be prepared to buy CDs that have a clear
audio session with no silly stuff, even if they do have data sections with
dodgy software. The only difficulty of course for people like you or me is
telling the difference...the labelling is hardly going to say "Playable
only on Windows, unless you know how to rip audio data from the audio
session"; most likely it will remain largely the same. So, when picking up
a CD, you or I won't know whether it's a "really corrupt" or a "not really
corrupt, but fools Joe Average" disc. And, as you point out, there's
always the danger that a subtle change is made to the "format" which means
that some audio-session corruption is added.

There is obviously an interesting EUCD relevance here, with respect to
providing information about how, or tools to circumvent the "effective
technological protection" (as it would no doubt be classed).
 
Tim