Game Copy Protection: It's 1994 All Over Again

Grok Headline matches for Game Copy Protection: It's 1994 All Over Again

Now Books Can Have Copy Protection Too

Now Books Can Have Copy Protection Too 12/10/2003 03:27 AM
While the publishing industry has always had an uneasy relationship with the photocopier, they've pretty much accepted the fact that you simply can't copy protect printed materials. That may be changing. Ricoh has announced that they've created a copier that will block the copying of confidential documents. The way it works is that when the original documents are printed, they need to include special, barely visible dots, which can be understood by the copier as copy protection. But, only on that copier. How far do you think this idea is going to go? Here's a copier that actually offers less functionality and requires people to do something extra when printing out documents, while making sure that the only copiers around are equipped with this special anti-copying technology. Otherwise, the person who tries to copy a document and can't will simply walk down the hall (or down the street to a Kinko's) and copy it somewhere else. This is like putting weak copy protection on a CD and then saying "well, the copy protection only works if you use these special CD players."

Copy Protection on the Velvet Revolver
CD? Ya Right!

Copy Protection on the Velvet Revolver
CD? Ya Right! 06/29/2004 01:00 AM

Seems some folks at Engadget bought the CD and had no troubles making MP3's on various components and operating systems. Good review for those of you that actually still but CD's [Engadget]

Misleading With Statistics On Copy
Protection

Misleading With Statistics On Copy
Protection 03/19/2005 03:18 AM
This one is just bizarre. In a recent study, about copy protection, a research firm is claiming that "consumers are not overwhelmingly antagonistic" towards copy protection. Even if this was true, it wouldn't prove that copy protection is good for business. Consumers may simply be ignorant about copy protection and what it means for them and for future offerings. However, the real issue is that the actual stats don't seem to support the conclusion at all. The study compared how many people would buy a "copy once" CD at a lower price, and found that 33% of those who don't rip CDs would buy the cheaper copy protected CD. That means 67% of those who don't copy CDs wouldn't buy a copy protected CD even if it were noticeably cheaper. That is, even though it provides no direct benefit to them (they don't rip, so why should they care), they still won't buy it. That certainly makes it sound like users are quite antagonistic to copy protection. Even those who it won't directly impact don't want it at a cheaper price. How can anyone claim this means users aren't antagonistic to the idea with a straight face when the data clearly shows the opposite?

One More Reason Why Copy Protection
Isn't The Issue

One More Reason Why Copy Protection
Isn't The Issue 04/07/2005 12:55 PM
A recurring theme over the past month or so as many folks seem to be bringing back the "content is king" meme, is that all of these broadcast content creation companies are completely missing the point. On both the inter net and on mobile phones, people are using them to communicate, not to passively consume content. The Guardian is now running an article from someone who just recognized this. He has a TV, so he doesn't really want more TV content via his internet connection. He wants to be able to c ommunicate with friends and family -- which means creating his own content and sharing other content. This is the main reason why all of these attempts at copy protection and locking up content behind walls is misguided online. All it does is make the content that much less valuable, because it can't be discussed and it can't be shared. Trying to copy protect content is thinking about how to make the internet act more like a TV -- but we already have TVs. The internet and mobile phones are about communicating and user generated content. Copy protection doesn't help anyone communicate -- it just makes it more difficult.

Apple, iPod, and CD Copy Protection

Apple, iPod, and CD Copy Protection 07/20/2004 12:45 PM
CNet reports that two of the major companies responsible for Audio-CD based copy protection methods are approaching Apple to make their CDs compatible...

Copy Protection At The Apple Store

Copy Protection At The Apple Store 03/30/2005 12:56 AM

By David Pogue, New York Times

Sony to try new copy protection scheme

Sony to try new copy protection scheme 11/11/2003 03:21 PM
Sony will be trying out a new copy protection scheme in Germany. The multisession CDs will contain DRM-enabled music files which can be easily copied to a PC

Longhorn's Copy Protection Standard

Longhorn's Copy Protection Standard 09/16/2004 03:14 PM

Hit CD with copy protection may signal
fan acceptance

Hit CD with copy protection may signal
fan acceptance 06/23/2004 08:43 PM
San Jose Mercury News Jun 24 2004 0:16AM GMT

iTunes copy protection cracked on the
Web

iTunes copy protection cracked on the
Web 12/02/2003 12:17 AM

A well-known programmer has released an application to the Web, which allows users to defeat the anti-copying measures underpinning Apple's iTunes downloading service .

The application, QTFairUse, removes the digital rights management ( DRM ) layer from the target sound file, using a QuickTime stream, leaving the music untouched and capable of infinite copying.

Based on the name and Web commentary, the goal of the hack is to promote the creator's notion of fair use . Some suspect a Windows iTunes version is on the way .

CD Copy Protection Case Goes to Court

CD Copy Protection Case Goes to Court 01/05/2004 08:35 AM

Notes and Tips: CD Copy Protection

Notes and Tips: CD Copy Protection 01/27/2004 11:30 AM
Chris Sansom shared his experience with one of the non-standard, copy-prevented CDs that are becoming more common.

Microsoft Unveils New Copy Protection

Microsoft Unveils New Copy Protection 05/03/2004 05:18 AM
Continuing efforts by the content industry to make sure people can do less with content than they could before, Microsoft is releasing new copy protection technology today. It still amazes me that an entire industry could be so focused on preventing people from doing what they want. In other news - just not reported yet - it's likely that plenty of people have already figured out how to break Microsoft's new copy protection scheme.

Sony's New Nagging Copy Protection

Sony's New Nagging Copy Protection 06/17/2005 03:38 PM
Slashdot Jun 17 2005 8:03PM GMT

Microsoft, Macrovision align on copy
protection

Microsoft, Macrovision align on copy
protection 02/01/2005 09:57 PM
Microsoft and copy-protection company Macrovision have struck a deal that will add a new layer of anticopying defenses to video content being swapped between home devices. The two companies said that Microsoft had licensed Macrovision's technology, which aims to stop people from making copies using analog connections between devices, such as those that typically link a set-top box to a television. The deal could make it harder for consumers to make permanent copies of TV shows and movies without permission, if they use computers running the Windows operating system. It should also help convince movie studios and other content producers to release their products in new ways online, the companies said. "We think that long term, the studios will offer more interesting products over the Internet using this technology," said Brad Brunell, Microsoft's general manager of intellectual-property licensing.

Microsoft Debuts CD Copy-Protection
Software

Microsoft Debuts CD Copy-Protection
Software 03/20/2003 01:05 PM
Microsoft has released a new digital rights software package intended to stop unauthorized duplication of copyrighted CDs and DVDs. Called the Windows Media Data Session Toolkit, the software is geared toward the needs of large record labels, which claim illicit copying has become a serious threat to the music industry.

incorporate copy protection technology
in their boxes

incorporate copy protection technology
in their boxes 09/11/2004 09:02 AM
TiVo, ReplayTV Agree to Limits .. Silicon Valley Mercury News

siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/9616558.htm
track this site | 6 links

Year in review: Copy protection goes
mainstream

Year in review: Copy protection goes
mainstream 01/03/2004 03:37 AM
Hackers and critics kept up their opposition, but consumers and businesses began accepting digital rights management.

Building the AACS Next-Gen Copy
Protection Scheme

Building the AACS Next-Gen Copy
Protection Scheme 01/04/2005 03:26 PM

Nokia Says Its N-Gage Copy Protection
Hacked

Nokia Says Its N-Gage Copy Protection
Hacked 11/13/2003 06:30 AM

Philips, HP copy-protection ready for
new FCC rules

Philips, HP copy-protection ready for
new FCC rules 01/05/2005 04:37 PM
LAS VEGAS - Philips Electronics and Hewlett-Packard have developed a Plus-format DVD copy-protection system that allows the recording of digital TV broadcasts under the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) broadcast-flag regulation that takes effect in July, the companies announced Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Products that include the new technology will be available soon.

EMI admits CD copy protection
compatibility problems

EMI admits CD copy protection
compatibility problems 02/13/2004 09:18 AM
Fix coming in April

Sony Music Testing New Copy Protection

Sony Music Testing New Copy Protection 11/11/2003 08:13 AM
RandyOo writes "According to this Reuters article, Sony Music is about to start testing a new type of 'copy protection' in Germany. It looks like they'll be ...

Suing The Music Industry For Copy
Protection

Suing The Music Industry For Copy
Protection 01/05/2004 04:55 AM
A Belgian consumer watchdog group, Test-Achats, is now suing some of the big record labels for installing copy protection on their CDs. The article is a little unclear on what legal basis they seem to be suing - but it sounds like it's one of two things (or possibly both): (1) the CDs are not clearly labeled and don't play on certain equipment, meaning that they're defective or (2) by adding copy protection, the CD takes away the rights of users to make personal copies. While I do think copy protection is a costly and pointless tool used by the recording industry, I'm not sure there's much of a case here (other than - perhaps - on the labeling issue). I don't think there's any legal reason why the industry should be prevented from putting copy protection on their CDs. I just think it's a bad business decision that will add to the cost while making the product worse for consumers. However, if the industry wants to shoot itself in the foot, that's completely up to them. Update: In related news, a consortium of big name players in the tech world are trying to come up with a new copy protection scheme that they say will work. It's designed to allow for limited copying and sharing, while also taking into account the fact that most people want their content to be portable. Of course, like every other content protection scheme it will be broken very quickly - and thus, will only inconvenience legitimate users.

brain-dead DVD+RW "copy protection", or
occam's coincidence?

brain-dead DVD+RW "copy protection", or
occam's coincidence? 11/18/2003 11:36 AM
I have purchased two USB DVD writers - one a Freecom FX50 DVD+-RW and the other an HP DVD300e. Both drives, after initially working, failed to operate after burning a DVD.

A report on CD Freaks is making me suspicious as to what is going on.

Anyone else with similar experiences, or any clues?

Offering Incentives To Get People To Buy
Into Copy Protection Experience

Offering Incentives To Get People To Buy
Into Copy Protection Experience 11/10/2003 11:01 PM
The latest company to jump on the CD copy protection bandwagon is Sony who will be selling new CDs with copy protection in Germany. They say, though, that they're offering this CD with added incentives to make people want to buy it. This is a little bit good, but mostly very bad. The little bit of good is the slow realization that if you're selling music on CDs, you've got to add additional incentives with it to make it worth buying the actual CD. This Sony system is offering access to bonus songs and concert tickets - but only if you have the CD. The rest is all bad. The copy protection makes the value of the CD go way down by taking away the many uses that people expect to get from their CD. To listen to the music on a computer, you have to use Sony software or Sony music players. Instead of using standards that everyone agrees on, here we have yet another different standard and different format for music. This is making life much worse for the consumer by setting up a world where you have to make an early bet on which company you want to supply your music and then live with it for the rest of your life. If the incentive to buy the CD is access to additional access or materials, then why not do that separate from the copy protection?

Sony preps updated CD copy protection
trial

Sony preps updated CD copy protection
trial 11/11/2003 08:11 AM
Carrot as well as stick this time

Controversial StarForce Copy Protection
Creators Quizzed

Controversial StarForce Copy Protection
Creators Quizzed 08/19/2004 04:06 AM

"Belgian watchdog sues record biz over
copy protection"

"Belgian watchdog sues record biz over
copy protection" 01/04/2004 09:40 PM

Mobile Alliance Lines Up Copy Protection
Patents

Mobile Alliance Lines Up Copy Protection
Patents 01/06/2005 06:52 AM
The Open Mobile Alliance, which has been working feverishly on a copy protection standard for mobile phones has announced that they've gotten past one major hurdle: getting all the various patent holders to pool the patents. What this means is that this standard is likely to move forward on mobile phones, as it has pretty widespread industry support. Of course, that doesn't mean it's really good for anyone. While some say that this copy protection will make companies more comfortable releasing content, that's a total red herring. If there's demand for the content, it'll find it's way to the device. Copy protection won't actually "protect" any content. It will still get out there. However, it will make life more difficult for legitimate purchasers of content who will be annoyed to find they can't do what they want with the content. If anything, all this announcement really means is that we'll all be paying more, because everyone is going to have to pay royalties for these newly pooled patents. So, let's see... the content isn't actually protected and still gets copied for unauthorized users, consumers have fewer rights to do what the want to do with the content they actually acquired legitimately, and everything costs more. Sounds useful.

Belgian watchdog sues record biz over
copy protection

Belgian watchdog sues record biz over
copy protection 01/03/2004 09:34 AM
Anti-piracy protection illegal?

Copy Protection or Scumware? - Installs
Hidden Devices

Copy Protection or Scumware? - Installs
Hidden Devices 06/13/2004 07:27 AM

Copy protection to extend to multiple
but limited burns

Copy protection to extend to multiple
but limited burns 06/10/2004 09:37 AM
Bracing for America

Music Labels To Use New Copy Protection
To Prevent CD Burning

Music Labels To Use New Copy Protection
To Prevent CD Burning 06/02/2004 10:10 AM
As if anyone didn't see this one coming... The various music labels are now experimenting with new copy protection technology on (what they'd still like to call) CDs that would limit the number of times you could burn a copy of the CD. Basically, they'll now be spending more money (which will be passed on to consumers) to make sure the product you buy does less. Doesn't seem like the greatest of business strategies, but the industry isn't known for its longterm thinking. In the meantime, it will take less than a day for the real counterfeiters to get around this technology, and the only people who will actually be inconvenienced are people trying to burn a copy for fair use, who will suddenly find they can't do what is perfectly legal to do.

Microsoft Talking To The Recording
Industry About Copy Protection

Microsoft Talking To The Recording
Industry About Copy Protection 09/17/2004 02:31 PM
It looks like Cory Doctorow's talk to Microsoft about why copy protection is bad for everyone -- including the recording industry, customers, and Microsoft itself -- didn't have much of an impact. Microsoft is now in talks with the recording industry about how to build copy protection into their next generation operating system to make sure you can't actually do what you want with the music you buy. Of course, this is likely to be an expensive waste of time that will only annoy legitimate buyers by causing problems. The people who really want to copy music will figure out workarounds. The large counterfeiters will already have big workarounds, so it won't impact their business at all. The only people impacted will be people who want to do perfectly legitimate things with the music they bought, but find out they're blocked because Microsoft and the recording industry doesn't trust them.

No more mister nice guy: EMI, Sony-BMG
revisit CD copy protection

No more mister nice guy: EMI, Sony-BMG
revisit CD copy protection 06/22/2005 02:47 AM
Lack of Fairplay

Group calls for copy-protection Rosetta
stone

Group calls for copy-protection Rosetta
stone 07/20/2004 02:44 PM
MPEG founder looks for standards that let portable music and video players speak the same language.

More Stupid Copy Protection That Does
Nothing But Piss Off Legitimate Users

More Stupid Copy Protection That Does
Nothing But Piss Off Legitimate Users 07/12/2004 05:44 PM
This certainly isn't a new or unique story, but Broadband Reports has yet another story about ridiculous and pointless copy protection. The copy protection scheme, called Starforce, appears to be mainly used for protecting certain PC games from being copied. Of course, like so many copy protection schemes it does this by assuming all legitimate customers are criminals. Not only that, but it installs itself without letting you know (not even in the EULA), hides itself on your PC, slows down the PC, causes all sorts of other problems and errors, and is nearly impossible to remove -- even after the protected application has been removed. In other words, it's just as bad as some adware/spyware out there -- except that it's screwing things up for legitimate customers who actually went out and bought the games in question. As the article points out, every one of those games is available in a cracked version online, so this "copy protection" scheme doesn't actually prevent copies. It only serves to anger legitimate customers. Why is anyone using this product on their software?

Group calls for copy protection Rosetta
stone

Group calls for copy protection Rosetta
stone 07/20/2004 04:15 PM
MPEG founder looks for standards that let portable music and video players speak the same language.
Grok Description matches for Game Copy Protection: It's 1994 All Over Again
GrokA matches for Game Copy Protection: It's 1994 All Over Again

Game Copy Protection: It's 1994 All Over Again

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