Corrupt CDs
CD distributors are deliberately corrupting their audio CDs so that they will not work on certain CD players. A list of reported corrupt CDs is being compiled so people can avoid buying CDs that simply don’t work. There is also an alternative list here.
Record companies are doing this to limit consumers use of their music (i.e. you have to buy the music once for your CD player and then once again for your iPOD) and secondly to try to stop unauthorised distribution of their copyrighted music. Whilst I can financially understand their motivation for the first reason and morally agree with their second this tactic will not help them. Firstly, those individuals who want to play their CD in the PC, car, hi-fi and iPOD are going to be pissed off when it doesn’t work in most their players and stop buying CDs. Secondly, those people who want to pirate music will not be stopped by these technologically pathetic schemes to limit copying. YMMV
Update 11-Nov-2005: Sony has gone one step further and put a rootkit (malicious code) on 20 of its CDs to stop you coping them with your PC. However the rootkit leaves your PC wide open to viruses; this is even if you haven’t tried to copy the CD. So if you value your computer’s security don’t put any Sony CDs in your CD drive without being sure they don’t contain this rootkit. More information on this is available from the wonderful BBC.
Update 15-Nov-2005: idiot abroad says he has found no fewer than 47 titles containing Sony’s DRM rootkit. They are spread across several sub-labels owned by Sony-BMG. Geoffrey has posted the list of rootkit-infected titles he’s uncovered so far in his blog.