New software removes DRM protection in seconds

Digital Rights Management (DRM) simply doesn’t work, and it makes media play on external devices a huge hassle. I would certainly be in full support of a system that worked; a system that would not prohibit media play on particular, external devices, or expire after a given length of time. A new software, SoundTaxi V2, changes all that.

Ramka announced today the second version of their highly popular windows-based software for removing copy restrictions on downloaded media. SoundTaxi Version 2 allows users to play downloaded music on any device, without having DRM compatible hardware, and it’s substantially quicker than its predecessor.

Released first in 2005, SoundTaxi’s conversion method allows users to play DRM protected music and audio books while recording them simultaneously.


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Drastic software piracy

The author of the Mac program "Display Eater" got tired of piracy, and said that he coded the program such that if it detects a pirated version of itself, it'll destroy files from your home directory. It was all a hoax to scare people into buying the real version.

This turned out to be a major mistake and a PR catastrophy. As the developer explains in this statement on his home page:
People started buying multiple keys, which I never intended, and when the protection was in place, people who did not even know they had committed piracy or what piracy was were left in the dark. Legitimate and prospective users started fearing the program, which I never imagined.

A reporter called me today, and suggested that I make it free, and or open source. I plan to do both. Once the code is cleaned up, a GPL'ed version will be released.


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