Pooh to RIAA: I Agree with the Veep on this One

Thanks to the SlatRat for riling me up this late in the evening, but this cannot stand. In fact, I shall Fisk it:

The RIAA has recently defended the actions of Sony BMG, as well as the overall concept of CD-based content protection. In recent comments during a university press conference, RIAA president Cary Sherman applauded Sony BMG for its response to the rootkit problem. "The problem with the Sony BMG situation is that the technology they used contained a security vulnerability of which they were unaware,"

And the problem with eating McDonalds for every meal is you get fat. And the problem with the Pinto is that it blows up. And the problem with...

Sherman said in response to a question on the matter. "They have apologized for their mistake, ceased manufacture of CDs with that technology, and pulled CDs with that technology from store shelves. Seems very responsible to me."

Well pardon me, but when one is bringing out a new product, isn't there some kind of onus on one to make sure it works, like, a little before releasing it. Look, copy protection is fine so far as it goes, but when virus-blocking software goes batshit at your chosen method, you might want to spend a little more time at the drawing baord.

Sherman also used the forum to defend the use of CD-based protection technologies overall, something that has come under attack following the rootkit situation. "There is nothing unusual about technology being used to protect intellectual property,"

A bland and irrefutable platitutde, but he's not finished...

Sherman underscored. "You can't simply make an extra copy of a Microsoft operating system, or virtually any other commercially-released software program for that matter."

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but is MS really the example you want to use here? Ironically, Sherman is alluding to the Sherman Act...I mean the last time Microsoft had its operating system break things on a user's machine (like, say, NETSCAPE?), I believe the Department of Justice got involved.

Continuing, Sherman also pointed to relatively lax usage rules compared to other industries. "The music industry has been more permissive about copying of its copyrighted product than virtually any other industry. How many burns are you allowed of a movie? None. How many of a videogame? None. You get the idea." The comments were made on Friday.

So because some people have pirated music, it's a good idea to punish those who actually bought your crappy Ashley Simplson bullshit, and are unable to defend themselves...This is a bit like a Salem trial. If your computer breaks, our bad, you weren't one of the ones we were after. If it doesn't, well then SHE'S A WITCH...BURN HER!

Sorry to quote VP Cheney twice in one week, but Mr. Sherman, the RIAA and especially Sony, Go Fuck Yourself.

Update (via LawGeek): A parody/villification site has been set up naming itself Sory Electronics. Apparently, I'm not the only one who's mighty peeved about this. Something tells me that the plaintiff's bar smells blood in the water here...