Artist Suggesting Ways Around Copy Protection 548
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."
Wow (Score:5, Interesting)
Respect to Switchfoot. Oh, and down with the record companies, who don't give a damn about the artists or their music.
RIAA Lawsuit Factor (Score:5, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Evil? (Score:5, Interesting)
The record labels ARE the bad guys, and the band themselves probably didnt have a say when their record label decided that the CD should have copy protection, right?
The artists did realize that by putting copyright-protection on their CD, the piracy of their CD would increase, and not decrease - like the record company propagates - because everyone wants to listen to their music not just on their CD player, but also on their mp3 player, car stereo, and whatnot, right?
I really salute these guys for doing that they did, by putting out these instructions. It doesnt even matter to me that this smells a bit like a PR stunt - The thing that matters is that maybe more artists will follow this example, and soon "UNPROTECTED AUDIO-CD" will be a treat, just like "Limited Edition" is today.
Re:Respect (Score:5, Interesting)
Let the artist find the balance (Score:2, Interesting)
Wondering... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:How will burning back affect quality? (Score:3, Interesting)
The article suggests in option (c) copying the secure WMA files to the PC and then burning these WMA files to a standard CD, and then use iTunes to rip the songs.
What's the quality going to be like after all this format conversion?
Re:DMCA (Score:4, Interesting)
Notice how they try to blame Apple because they only allow customers to rip to crippled (and crappy, IMO) WMA. I eventually just downloaded Exact Audio Copy [google.ca] and it ripped it just fine. Still frustrating.
Re:Nice try, but (Score:4, Interesting)
In general good, but.. (Score:5, Interesting)
It is also unfortunate when bands such as ourselves, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, etc... (just a few of the new releases with copy protection) are the target of this criticism, when there is no possible way to avoid this new industry policy.
This is bull. The artists are the original copyrigth-holder for their work. They choose to license it for publication by some record-company, or not. They are free to set whatever demands they want for this publication. (with the risk that if their demands are too stiff, the record-company will say: "no deal")
Especially famous, well-selling artists have considerable leverage. If say Madonna (more realistically, her manager or whomever representing her) walks into a record-company and say she'd like to publish her new record with them, but one of the conditions is that it be released in standard CD-format, that the company would refuse to negotiate a contract.
Artists do have a way of influencing record-companies. It may not be easy, and it may be that not all artists have a lot of negotiation-leverage all the time. But to claim, as he does here, that they have "no possible way" to influence things, is bullshit.
Re:Nice comment (Score:5, Interesting)
What's the odds that in Vista, the Autorun feature will be "improved" so that it's more like, "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"?
Re:One up for Linux and Alt OSes!!! (Score:5, Interesting)
The vast majority of their clientele will have Windows, with the CD-ROM Autorun feature switched on. The fact that the technology does nothing to prevent copying by the tech-savvy demographic indicates that they know that there is nothing they can do to prevent "cracking" of their protection schemes. They would love a universally uncrackable scheme, but they know that such a thing is not achievable. So they have settled for a scheme that nets them more money from a demographic that they can push around, and pointed the finger of blame at "those dirty smelly hacker pirates".
Re:One up for Linux and Alt OSes!!! (Score:2, Interesting)
Publicity? (Score:5, Interesting)
The artist gains from having that warm fuzzy feeling of "speaking out", and generating sales of course. They also have a shared voice with their fans, without lifting a finger.
I'm not saying they don't care, i'm just saying this could easily be a publicity stunt. It's on
Re:No Possible way out??? (Score:2, Interesting)
Not bloody likely.
Re:NOBODY WANTS IT (Score:2, Interesting)
For example, try here [richersounds.com].
Re:CDs? (Score:5, Interesting)
My main argument in returning the CD was that the CD attempted to install unknown software onto my pc without my consent when I inserted it, and said software did not come with any way of unistalling - after taking advice from geeky friends, I uninstalled this driver by reverting to the last system restore point.
Also at the time there was no indication of any copy protection on Amazon's product page.
If everyone did that, they'd soon get the message.
Re:No Possible way out??? (Score:3, Interesting)
The problem is that he has a contract with both a record label and an agent, and the agent is fucking him over. Unfortunately, he can't do anything about it until his contract expires - which it does, soon.
After that, he's got a guy lined up to give him and another member of the band (the only two who aren't restricted from leaving) a contract on another label, complete with a 11k/month salary and various other benefits.
It might not be enough to live off indefinately, but it's certainly enough to compensate them for their time. Artists shouldn't be allowed to eat off their art indefinately; they need to keep innovating and improving, just like the rest of us. A good example of this is, I think, Greenday. Their sound has matured quite a bit, and now they're not teen punkers but fairly mature adult artists.
Why don't they tell Sony to sod off? (Score:5, Interesting)
Yeah, while still taking Sony's money and saying that it is "impossible" to change the system, and therefore supporting its continuation.
Let's be honest here. They don't WANT to change the system, because they like Sony's cash too much.
If they were genuine about being pro-fan, there is a hell of a lot that they could do about the situation.
For a start they could tell Sony to sod off with the copy protection, or they'll go with another publisher. If Sony threatens them with litigation on the basis of the contract signed, then get together with other artists in the same situation and run a class action on the basis of such contracts being in restraint of trade.
Sony (and other labels) are just distributors and promotors in this day and age when you can have a billion-track studio at home for peanuts, and hire in your mastering experts for a session. Yet, the labels want to own it all, for eternity. Bollocks.
It's time that bands did something about it, or be branded money-grabbing hypocrits. The power to bring down the system is in their hands. Currently the majority just have no interest in using that power and getting rid of the old machine.
Re:Nice try, but (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:In general good, but.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Not all. Most of them are under long-term contracts. Remember Prince? He didn't even own his own stage name.
Re:CDs? (Score:4, Interesting)
This is actually a good point. Did the grandparent contact the Police?
Re:Nice comment (Score:5, Interesting)
They did give up all their principles, if they ever had any, when signing for Sony. You're either part of the problem or part of the solution.
This is the same logic that Bush used. You're either with us or with the terrorists. It's just fallacy. Empty rhetoric. It just sounds good.
Sony are not a "problem" they're a symptom. They're a company, created by commerce-based culture. If they go under, another company will form to take their place. Your problem is with the system that created them.
Also, comparing a bunch of entertainers to mother Theresa and Gandhi is downright laughable, and only serves to reinforce my perception that these guys are some sort of PR hoes.
Why? They're just human beings in the pubic eye. Look at Bob Geldof. He's an entertainer and he helps people. Just because you have them categorised into neat little boxes doesn't mean they have to conform to your definitions.
Oh, and good_press != heaven so there goes the rest of your argument. Go get some sleep, fanboy.
I'm going to ignore your childish insults and explain again.
You are *assuming* that these musicians are doing this for PR reasons. If they are doing that then, although your label of "karma bitch" might be valid, you have to apply that label in some places you might not expect in order for you critisism to be consistent, and hence for you not to be a hypocrite.
For example, the Catholic church (amongst many others, I apologise for using the easy target) preaches that if you don't follow their ways you will go to hell. It follows that people become Catholic to avoid going to hell. So, a catholic who performs a charitable act could be said to do so under the threat of hell. The same label of "karma bitch" could be applied, it's just that the reward comes in the afterlife instead of at a celebrity record launch.
Personally I disagree with your label of "karma bitch". I think that performing charitable acts in your own interests is perfectly acceptable. In fact, think that performing charitable acts is actually usually in your own interests, even if it's only to satisfy your conscience or to appear generous.
Re:NOBODY WANTS IT (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Nice try, but (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Wow (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Another way to circumvent the copy protection.. (Score:2, Interesting)
--pete
Re:Nice comment (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Wow (Score:3, Interesting)
Again, not in any country I know of. Many places now have laws that make circumvention of copy protection mechanisms a crime in its own right, regardless of whether you would otherwise be allowed to copy the material. This is why things like the DMCA and EUCD are such bad law: they created a loophole through which fair use exemptions could be eliminated.
You might wish it to be different -- and I'm sure you would not be alone -- but wishing does not make it so, and I'm afraid shouting all over Slashdot in bold capitals that it is just makes you sound ill-informed.
The thing is.... (Score:3, Interesting)
Wonder how long..... (Score:3, Interesting)
Guess that'll shoot to hell their insistence that "it's all for the artists!", though, huh?
Re:Nice comment (Score:5, Interesting)
same idea as spyware.
i've got a question, though (being as I don't use windows and I've had the opportunity to rip several protected CDs for other people)...
One of the main problems with windows, in terms of reasons for lack of stability and the like, is that there is so much crap being installed on a regular basis (spyware, adware, and not to mention actual real software), what's to stop all this crap from conflicting and bringing down the system?
at my job, they just locked down all of the windows computers. Software cannot be installed without an administrator password. hell, you can't even look at the built-in calendar without loggin in as an admin (doubleclick the time in the taskbar).
how are office peons supposed to listen to music, now?
this also brings up another issue. Earlier on slashdot, there was an article about the 6 stupidest ideas for security. the author proposed a whitelist for executing software on a machine, rather than a blacklist. Having audio CDs require installation of software just to listen to music completely shatters his idea of keeping a clean system. Suddenly, you go from knowing exactly what you need to run (excel, word, minesweeper, adobe reader, etc) to saying "sonydrmdaemon32.exe? columnbiaprotect_win32.exe... wtf is that crap?"
I can see it now. in 2 years when nearly every audioCD comes with their own flavour of software DRM, the next wave of security exploits are going to involve that software.
the future looks pretty dark.
Re:Conditioning the public (Score:2, Interesting)
It is not trivial to circumvent for many of the "average" consumers, though.
The point of this type of DRM is not to prevent "piracy." The point is to create a situation where the "average" consumer, frustrated by their inability to copy their just-bought cd to their flashy mp3 player, turns around and buys the cd -again- from an online music source, like iTunes. This way Sony gets to make double the money on the same songs.
Sony knows that a "pirate" will know how to circumvent DRM like this. Sony also knows that the average human being is not a pirate. What Sony is banking on is that enough average human beings won't know or won't take the time to learn how to circumvent this DRM. Sony hopes these people will just roll over and pay them even more money just to play songs they have already purchased.
Who's setting up the PayPal defense fund? (Score:3, Interesting)
The best analogy I can come up with is this: A Microsoft exployee working on Windows XP discovers that Windows Genuine Advantage is about to be implemented and posts instructions on how to circumvent it. Microsoft is feeding him and his family, Sony is feeding Switchfoot and its members' families. The Microsoft employee and Switchfoot both gave up rights when they signed their respective contracts.
As stupid and unjust as it may seem, Switchfoot has set themselves up for a major lawsuit.
Or.... Maybe it's just a conspiracy.
1. The RIAA told Switchfoot to post the story so they would get sued.
2. The RIAA sues Switchfoot to "prove" bypassing DRM is illegal.
3. Switchfoot's lawyers intentionally do a horrible job presenting their case in exchange for an RIAA pay off, and the RIAA wins.
4. Precendent now says that bypassing the DRM on these discs is illegal.
5. People are scared to post instructions on bypassing any form of DRM.
6. Profit!
Re:Wow (Score:3, Interesting)
Comment removed (Score:3, Interesting)
Actually (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Why don't they tell Sony to sod off? (Score:4, Interesting)
In fact, the fact that they are nice and trusting is probably what allowed Sony to sneak this under their radar.
Re:Home Recording Isn't The Answer (Score:3, Interesting)
Oh yes it is (good enough), in fact it's vastly better than required. You obviously haven't heard any home studio demos recently.
Pretty much anything you make yourself with modern equipment can be turned into a smash hit by a pro mastering engineer. They're the only people worth their weight in gold, apart from the artists.
If the studios and labels died tomorrow and were replaced by entirely separate mastering co-ops, CD+packaging contractors, and promotors working on a small commission basis, it would be no loss whatsoever, and a huge gain for the musicians' profits. No cartels tying artists into serfdom, just competing service providers.