[Dixielandjazz] RIAA threat and Sony bigger threat

[ROBERT R. CALDER]

A couple of years ago I was sent some sonycolumbia CDs for review, with legal threats and software which (rather than my installed stuff) played the CD, which could I found by accident also be played by my own software. There was actually some reference to anyone who bought these CDs being able to burn, toast or otherwise reproduce a limited number of copies of any of these CDs. This might seem to have been an advance on banning, but I never tried. 

What Sony apparently did not know was that the complex software also installed a software device which which had more applications than were intended. Once some interloping viruses, spyware  etc. had slipped aboard a computer they could interact with this device and hide themselves.   Ouch! 
CDs which download anything on to my computer I now review with some inconvenience by playing them on a separate player. But I had put one of these things into my computer, and when I booted up I kept being told that a certain operating file was missing. I searched for this, and I found in my security system two files with the name of the one missing. 
While I don't know whether this interloper was a by-product of the sony software, I use my computer for non-musical paid work, and wonder how many working hours I could sue sony for if it was!  The problem disappeared when I replaced the security system, but then it recurred.  At which point a friend offered me the one I am now using. Phew!  
  
       
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