Last year, I complained about DRM and not being able to rip an audio CD that I purchased for my own enjoyment. I do not share via P2P. I am not a criminal and don't appreciate being treated like one.
A few months ago, I learned that you can avoid the DRM software on audio CDs by not allowing the audio CD hybrids to auto-play in Windows. Thus the DRM code is not loaded and the CD can be ripped normally. I was pleased. However, I was still bothered by the fact that this DRM software is installed silently and there did not seem to be a way to detect, find or remove it.
I was therefore pleasantly suprised to read about Sony/BMG releasing a patch that will make their DRM software visible. Once it was pointed out, the DRM software called XPC really does exhibit the characteristics of a virus: "Rootkit software uses a variety of techniques to gain access to a system and then cover up any traces of its existence so that it cannot be detected by system tools or antivirus software." Sounds familiar. Just a few days ago I was warning about rootkits spreading via AIM, and here we have rootkits in our own CD collections. Yikes!
I guess now my question is: "What's the point?" Not only is it easy to prevent the DRM software from being installed, but now you can make it visible and remove it. So why bother including it at all? All it takes is one person to rip and upload. Doesn't this just go to show that the answer to piracy is not fancy tricks with the technology? And hasn't iTunes already proved that to some extent?
At least I don't have to feel like I'm being treated like a criminal anymore. For now, that will have to be enough.
Rootkit in and of it's self isn't anything bad. It's just a way of hiding the software from being viewed by the average (or even above average/savy) computer user. Having something be a rootkit isn't the same as something being spyware or being a trojan or a virus. And the thing spreading through AOL IM wasn't "a rootkit" exactly, it was a virus that used a rootkit to hide it's self.
but ya, it's super lame of sony.