Artist Suggesting Ways Around Copy Protection

fanboyslayer writes "Switchfoot's new album Nothing Is Sound shipped from Sony with copy protection software on the CD, much to the dismay of thousands of iPod-wielding fans. The band posted a response on their official forum apologizing for the protection and detailing ways to circumvent the protection and rip their songs to PC. Switchfoot linked to open-source program CDex's download page with instructions on disabling the autorunning protection and ripping the files to MP3. Many of Switchfoot's fans have been upset by the copy protection measures, and it's nice to know the artists seem to care about the issue."

Re:Nice try, but

[QuantumG]

Cool, so if they get struck by lightning we know God is pro-DRM.

Re:Nice comment

[ArsenneLupin]

"to disable Autorun, hold down SHIFT, unless it's a copy-protected disc in which case it WILL auto-run regardless of any key-presses or registry changes you make"?

That would be great! Finally we can again make bluescreen disks which won't be defeated with a trivial press on the shift key, hehe...

Re:CDs?

[LordFnord]

Nigel Kennedy's latest recording of the Four Seasons is like this. I'm not sure why, though, because although it plays and rips perfectly on every computer I own, the only CD player in the house (crufty old Cheapsui that must be easily 15 years old) just chokes and says "No disc".

As a result, if you want to listen to this music in our front room, you have to turn on the chipped Xbox and listen to the MP3 rip through Media Centre.

I'm not quite sure what all this DRM stuff is supposed to achieve, but whatever it is it's not working yet.

Re:Good on switchfoot, but...

[BenjyD]

No, it comes in black too now.

Re:Nice comment

[Pollardito]

Maybe Sony should sue Microsoft for not giving them a good way to prohibit users from exercising their fair use rights.

they could followup with a lawsuit against the keyboard manufacturers for including not one but two shift keys

Re:Nice comment

[Tink2000]

Finding that little CD logo is becoming (actually, has become) nearly impossible to do anymore. Out of the last 50 cds I've picked up (read as: not bought) at local shops, nothing released in the last year has had it.

However, they have all had that cute little FBI logo on them.

Re:RIAA Lawsuit Factor

[Man of E]

I'm no lawyer so I may be off base here but I do think the next Slashdot headline will be "RIAA Sues Switchfoot"

Nope the next headline will be "Artist Suggesting Ways Around Copy Protection".

Re:How will burning back affect quality?

[NetFusion]

Yeah if you want audiophile quality music, buy the cd.

Oh wait..

Re:Nice comment

[Digital Vomit]

they could followup with a lawsuit against the keyboard manufacturers for including not one but two shift keys

With the stupidity levels of judges as they are today, I can actually see it working.

"Your honor, there is no question that a shift key is necessary to allow the user to quickly and easily capitalize the odd letter, but was the motivation behind the second shift button?...

Re:CDs?

[ettlz]

He did, but their response was "De doo doo doo de da da da is all I want to say to you."

So they'd organise a sting operation, then?

Re:Nice comment

[bonzooznob]

MSFT should just get a patent on the [SHIFT] key as a DRM system.
Then they can charge a levy on all Music labels.
Why not? I mean, if you Double-Click the CD Icon, you are already using patented innovative MSFT technology.
Personally, I can't wait till MSFT patents the ToasterTM.
I can see it now... (cue dream sequence)

New MSFT Toaster Vista (Corporate Office Edition) Features innovative 5 slice design, built-in Popup Blocking! and anti-toast Phishing feature! (workaround available via the undocumented [pull-plug feature]). Users will love the new streamlined interface... all the controls for each slice bay (cough tab) are on the far side of the toaster (cough, horrible IE7 tab implementation)... each slice is pre-buttered with MSFT Genuine Fudder(R) so you don't have to...

Aghh! Will these nightmares never end!

Re:Why don't they tell Sony to sod off?

[Anonymous Coward]

So not only is Sonny Bono still alive and well, he's also buying up rights to all music from Crete? The mind reels.