Give Me Back My Digital Rights!

最新推荐文章于 2022-02-27 15:46:05 发布

happmaoo

最新推荐文章于 2022-02-27 15:46:05 发布

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文章标签： Linux Office Access UP Gmail

Sony BMG Music Entertainment has been targeted in a class-action lawsuit in California by consumers claiming their computers have been harmed by anti-piracy software on some the record company's CDs.

The claim states that Sony BMG's failed to disclose the true nature of the digital rights management system it uses on its CDs and thousands of computer users have unknowingly infected their computers, according to court documents.
The suit, filed Nov. 1 in Los Angeles Superior Court, asks the court to stop Sony BMG from selling additional CDs protected by the anti-piracy software and seeks monetary damages for California consumers who purchased them.

The suit claims that around June 2005, Sony BMG began to issue some CDs that install digital rights management software that continuously monitor for rights problems, depleting a computer's available resources. The suit says the technology cannot be removed without damage to the system and that Sony BMG does not advise consumers of the existence or true nature of the program.

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Companies that care?: Three of the world's biggest electronics companies -- IBM, Sony and Philips -- have joined forces with the two largest Linux software distributors to create a company for sharing Linux patents, royalty-free.

The Open Invention Network, as the new firm is known, could mark a breakthrough in resolving how to protect vendors and customers from patent royalty disputes resulting from freely shared Linux code.

If OIN's approach to managing intellectual property wins acceptance, it could overcome a big stumbling block to wider corporate adoption of Linux and pose challenges for major opponent Microsoft (MSFT), which has argued that relying on "open source" software poses legal risks.

Market researcher IDC estimates that the worldwide Linux business will grow 25.9 percent annually, doubling from $20 billion this year to more than $40 billion by 2008.

Patents owned by OIN will be available without payment of royalties to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against others who have signed a license with OIN, when using certain Linux-related software. 

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Digital dream come true: France's Thomson unveiled a deal with Hollywood studios to accelerate the deployment of digital cinema systems in North America.

Thomson will install at least 15,000 digitally equipped screens in the United States and Canada over the next 10 years, generating some $1.5 billion in revenue.

"It's a deal with seven studios that make over 75 percent of the American Box Office. It opens Thomson many opportunities for its three divisions," chief financial officer Julian Waldron told a conference call.

Thomson said in a statement that its services division had reached digital cinema usage agreements with DreamWorks (DWA), Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures (GE) and Warner Bros (TWX).

In addition, Thomson said it was in late-stage negotiations with Twentieth Century Fox (NWS), New Line Cinema and the Weinstein Company and expects these studios to be part of the initial deployment.

DreamWorks, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. have already agreed to use digital projection systems from Thomson's technicolour digital cinema on 5,000 screens in the United States and Canada as early as the first quarter of 2006.

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Tree-friendly papers: The New York Times said it had signed up about 135,000 paying subscribers to its new online service that offers access to Op-Ed columns and other premium content.

The new service, TimesSelect, launched Sept. 19 and is free to home delivery subscribers. Non-subscribers can get access to the service for $49.95 a year or $7.95 per month.

The Times said it had signed up more than 270,000 subscribers to the service since it began, and that about half of them are online-only.

Newspapers are facing long-term declines in their paid circulation, and more and more advertising dollars are moving from traditional print outlets to the internet. The Times and other newspaper publishers have also been reporting higher revenues from online advertising at their own sites. 

So far, The Wall Street Journal, which is published by Dow Jones & Co., has had the most success in convincing users to pay for access to online editions. The Journal now has 764,000 subscribers.

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Compiled by Keith Axline. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Give Me Back My Digital Rights!

Sony BMG Music Entertainment has been targeted in a class-action lawsuit in California by consumers claiming their computers have been harmed by anti-piracy software on some the record company's CDs.T...
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