Sony Roots Out the Root Kits

Sony announced they are discontinuing the production of CDs with their rootkit DRM software. I've been following this story since Mark Russinovich first posted it on his blog. Those guys at Sony sure seem like a bunch of weasels to me. If you don't know what I'm talking about allow me to summarize:

1. Sony might have installed secret hidden software on your computer without your knowledge.
2. Mark busted them on it.
3. Sony downplayed it.
4. Some mailcious software was discovered which takes advantage of the huge securty holes opened by Sony's software.
5. Sony doesn't know what all the fuss is about but agree to release an uninstall progam.
6. Turns out it's eaiser to file a tax return than get Sony to cough up access to the uninstall program.
7. Mark busts them on trying to make it hard for users to uninstall.

Read all about it at Mark's blog. His first post about it is a good place to start. Let the lawsuits commence!

Some are now predicting the death of Sony. I'm predicting that some programmer out there will be mad enough to write some really malicious code directed specifically at Sony. Sony? Don't piss off the geeks of the world.

Most viri are written by young programmers power tripping on what they can do with their new skills. I've been developing software since the 1970's and let me tell you, if someone like Mark Russinovich, with his uber skills, wrote a virus (not that he would) that targeted my servers for destruction, I'd be scared. Really. I just bet that somewhere out the in the big wide world... Sony's pissed off the wrong programmer. Sony? Are you listening? A little heartfelt contrision might be a good thing for your survival.

As for me... I won't be that programmer. I came to the same conclusion a long time ago, that former Apple exec Mike Evangelist recently has. "From this day forward I will never spend a another dime on content that I can’t use the way I please." So, no root kits for me. No DRM. Nada. I found that paying for music resulted in nothing but hassle with the purchased product. It's like you could either buy a car that you can only drive during the day and then only on the small two lane roads or get one for free that can go anywhere, anytime. Those that pay are getting a inferior product. A product that companies have spent lots of time and money to purposly cripple for their customers. You know what? I have enough music. I don't need any more. I can live a long happy life without music Nazis.

UPDATE: Sony's Hot Water Gets Hotter