I've finally seen the evil of Vista DRM in action. | The Coffeehouse

AndyC

Popped my Star Wars Episode II Soundtrack disc in the CD drive of my Vista machine. Silly, because it clearly says on the label that it won't play on PC/Mac and XP has never been able to do anything useful with it. Vista, on the other hand, popped up a nice box asking if I wanted to play or rip the disc, so now it's added to my music collection on my WHS the way it should be!

Damn you Microsoft for all your evil DRM schemes and plotting with the RIAA and so on.... Tongue Out

TommyCarlier
I want my scalps!

What?!? Vista allows you to finally play it? Shame on Microsoft!

AndyC

In reply to TommyCarlier

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 10:20 AM

I know, it's terrible. I reckon there's a global conspiracy afoot here!!!

Bass
www.spreadfirefox.com/5years/

Nice! But sorry. Not not as nearly as advanced as what I can do. My music plays anywhere I want. It's this very new technology called "DRM-free™". In fact, my technology is the only technology available that allows music to play on the wildly successful and popular Microsoft Zune media player, and the cheap ripoff of the Zune - the Apple iPod. WOW! Revolutionary! Yeah I know, this technology is very high tech.

Currently I am a deal with Microsoft who will buy this technology after I changed the name to "DRM-free Live!™" and claimed it improves search results. But if you are able to provide me with $200 million in unmarked bills (Microsoft's offer), I may be able to pull out.

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

In reply to Bass

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 10:34 AM

Too bad not all music is available under this amazing DRM-free technology. Damn, so much for choice.

Bass
www.spreadfirefox.com/5years/

In reply to Bas

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 11:22 AM

I know right! It is too bad. But we are working on it, already Napster, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple (limited agreement), Magnatune, eMusic, and others have licensed our DRM-free technology. We are at the point where almost all music is available DRM-free™.

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

In reply to Bass

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 11:25 AM

Alas, I find that to be a gross understatement. I await that glorious day, but until then, I'll have no choice but to play my music, videos and movies on the platform that plays both the old-fashioned DRMed media and this new DRM-free marvel natively.

Bass
www.spreadfirefox.com/5years/

In reply to Bas

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 11:34 AM

Indeed it is a gross understatement! I left out dozens of other places that offer DRM-free music!

In fact, we have taken over so much of the market that one of only places where you can still get our competitors inferior technology is the dreaded iTunes Music Store. And unfortunately, even on the amazing Windows Vista platform, you have to install a ton of crapware (read: Apple software) to get a listen! And even so, you'll never be able to play the music on the amazing and completely innovative Zune media player.

There is a reason so many people and organization are choosing DRM-free™. Because DRM-free™is the only solution that will work universally on the devices you trust. DRM-free™is a trademark of Big Bass Industries Inc.

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

In reply to Bass

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 11:43 AM

ScreenGrabMac ScreenGrabPC

Screenshot with Mac (Dvd video) Screenshot with Vista Media Center (DVD video)

Try PLS

ScottWelker

Err.. umm.. feel free AndyC to stop in and see how well my Music Match Jukebox tracks play since I declined to install the Yahoo bloat ware. Very cool how they unilaterally disabled my music, declined to provide a refund, and insisted I have no choice but to install their unwanted software. :-/

I'll never again wittingly acquire DRM enabled media - unless I simply have no choice.

AndyC

In reply to ScottWelker

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 1:14 PM

I never said that there aren't DRM implementations that suck, as there most certainly are. I just found it amusing that, after all the slating Vista has got for being some kind of evil DRM tool developed in cahoots with the RIAA, it was the only OS that allowed me to not only play but also to rip a DRM'd CD.

ScottWelker

In reply to AndyC

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 1:34 PM

Ah. I see.
The sarcasm just touched a nerve. I see your point. Sorry for the knee jerk reaction. Still sensitive from touching my DRM “hot stove” :-/

turrican
Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance! - Albert Einstein

In reply to ScottWelker

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 1:14 PM

"unless I simply have no choice"

There is always a choice : Do not consume it if they don't give you the choice. That's what I do. There is always Classical music.

Smiley

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

In reply to turrican

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 4:17 PM

Which I've often found also comes on DRM'ed CD's.

kettch

In reply to Bas

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 1:04 AM

I keep a chamber orchestra locked in the basement for just that purpose. It's more true to the original way the music was enjoyed.

Maddus Mattus
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

Vista DRM is evil, that's why I use Mojave!

AndyC

In reply to kettch

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 1:10 AM

Good plan, though it might be a bit of a squeeze getting a full symphony orchestra in the back of the car. Might have to see if they can do without the oboe....

Dovella
Go Microsoft !!!!!!!

In reply to Maddus Mattus

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 1:32 AM

No get a Longhorn

Kolin1

In reply to Dovella

#Aug 5th, 2008 @ 12:30 PM

Clearly you can take screenshots when a dvd is playing in OSX, You just posted one.

Maddus Mattus
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

In reply to Kolin1

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 2:33 AM

There is more then one way to make a screenshot Wink

blowdart
Peek-a-boo

In reply to Kolin1

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 2:33 AM

And you can't take one with printscreen in Vista either. Or XP.

Yet more Dovella anti-Apple nonsense.

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

In reply to blowdart

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 4:40 AM

Actually, to my surpise I've managed to use print-screen to make a screenshot from Media Center. On XP it results in that weird black effect, but on Vista I actually managed to make a screen grab. I have no idea why it does work now.

How this makes one OS better than the other, or what this has to do with DRM, is a mystery, however.

Anyway, now if Windows 7 fixes print-screen to preserve the alpha channel when you take a shot of a single Window so that you don't ruin the glass effect, it'd be pretty much perfect.

blowdart
Peek-a-boo

In reply to Bas

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 4:52 AM

From media centre? Strange; you shouldn't be able too. Dodgy drivers Big Smile

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

In reply to blowdart

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 5:01 AM

Yeah, it's the weirdest thing. It was windowed, by the way, not full-screen. I even moved the picture around to make sure it wasn't just that transparent color showing the media player behind the window.

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

In reply to Bas

#Aug 6th, 2008 @ 5:24 AM

If you're not using Video Overlay (that "transparent color") you should be able to take a screenshot of any video source. Implenting the "no screenshots" policy of MPEG-2 is up to the application software, not the driver; your choice of MPEG-2 codec software might play a role too.