therienne posts about the Sony Rootkit Mess here:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/therienne/16815.htmlI accidentally installed the SunComm crap on my PC a few months ago, and y'all, it took
renenet all night to figure out how to get it off and I still don't know if all of its components are removed. The CD that was responsible for that was the supplement to the "Elizabethtown" soundtrack "Songs from the Brown Hotel" - I bought it in part because $1 would go to a Louisville domestic violence shelter and it had a cover of "Kentucky Woman" that I had to own.
And I just wasn't aware of what was also contained on the disc until it was already installing itself in my system (and I don't have auto run selected on that drive either - I wasn't paying attention and I actually ran the program myself. I blame slash for distracting me).
The kicker? After I (hopefully) was able to get that bugger off my system, it wasn't difficult at all to rip the CD to mp3s. Not only was the program intrusive, it was also kinda stupid. It was kind of like my last boyfriend. Oh, hell - all my boyfriends (I have bad taste in men).
Now I find myself wanting to write an angry letter to
someone because I buy a lot of CDs.
A lot of CDs - I quit buying comic books and I renewed my library card and I watch most movies on inDemand now - but I have not and will not cut out my CD addiction because it brings me entirely too much joy. And there is one particular CD that I have been looking forward to purchasing since this summer when I learned its release date: My Morning Jacket's "Z".
And as much as I want to support these guys and as much as I would
love to do a pimp post for them - it won't happen. I refuse to spend money on a CD with the XCP or SunnCom software. WHICH SUCKS! Cause I really want to listen to this CD and think about it and play it back to back with "It Still Moves" and figure out what has kept me distanced from their sound (with the exception of "Mahgeetah" which touches me deeply) and if that has changed or if I can get closer to the new stuff and I can't and goddammit! Sony is
thwarting my good and honest music geekery.
So fuck them, I say. As much as I want to geek out over MMJ? I can instead become deeply involved with The Driveby Truckers and Laura Veirs and The Weakerthans and I hear tell that Nine Pound Hammer reunited and did the "12 oz Mouse" theme for Adult Swim and that is damned cool cause they record in my freaking home town. And if all else fails? There is always Nashville Pussy.
And maybe Richard Ashcroft will release something soon. I just hope to god he isn't signed with Sony BMG.
::sadly backs away from The Staple Singers holiday purchase::
ETA: Awww, now I feel bad for MMJ - it appears they never authorized this crap on their CD and it is hurting their sales and poor guys. Also? Sony hates your iPod. I don't have an iPod, but I long for one like Maureen Dowd thinks I long for a man.
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2005/10/drm_crippled_cd.html::considers sending check to Jim James' momma if she will get me clean copy of CD::