Re: Caveat Lector: Beastie Boys Evil

["Jonas Mixter" <jonas.mixter () jamtport se>]

> An unsubstantiated comment indicates that the DRM is _not_ present in
> the US and UK versions of this release.
>
> Does anyone know if the DRM malware used in this case is of the
> driver-installer type that can be defeated by holding down the Shift key
> when loading a CD into the drive?
>
> I don't know if this applies in this particular case, but I have heard
> reports that Philips will not allow DRM-choked releases that don't
> comply with the CD standard to display the 'Compact Disc Digital Audio'
> logo.  This is no guarantee, but a disc with the logo should be less
> likely to be hobbled in this way than one without.
>
> A good means to express consumer power is to ask your retailer about
> their returns policy in these cases, and to make a return if you
> encounter one of these discs.

I recently bought the new album with Kraftwerk and found (after I recieved
the cd) that it was copyprotected. I couldn't copy it to my MD-player
(digital that is, analog shouldn't be any problem) nor use it in my
computer. I wasn't able to rip it to my harddrive, and the player that is
embedded on the CD didn't work either.

The intresting thing is that this CD didn't carried the 'Compact disc
digital audio'-logo anywhere. And the medium for the audio wasn't called CD
anywhere, not on the disc itself and not in the booklet.

I contacted EMI/Virgin about this and their Swedish department actually
recommended me to return the disc and order it from the UK or USA!
The representative kindly wrote in his e-mail to me that the DRM wasn't in
use in UK or US yet and that I could order it over the Internet...
I returned the CD to the Swedish store I bought it from with a reference to
my e-mail from EMI.

Best regards, Jonas Mixter