This is sick.

So everyone has heard about the sony rootkit. Well that is only the start of the problem. Apparently they have also decided that once you purchase a cd from them you have entered into a legal contract that strips most privilages of ownership from the purchaser.

Here are a few examples:

1. If your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your laptop when you get home. That's because the EULA says that your rights to any copies terminate as soon as you no longer possess the original CD.
2. You can't keep your music on any computers at work. The EULA only gives you the right to put copies on a "personal home computer system owned by you."
3. If you move out of the country, you have to delete all your music. The EULA specifically forbids "export" outside the country where you reside.
4. You must install any and all updates, or else lose the music on your computer. The EULA immediately terminates if you fail to install any update. No more holding out on those hobble-ware downgrades masquerading as updates.

That is only half of what they want out of you for the privilege of purchasing one of their products. What kind crap is this?! I purchase a lot of music, not because I am scared of lawsuits but because I have a lot of friends that are musicians and I want to contribute to the light they add to my life. At some point musicians on labels that do this kind of thing need to stand up and say that this is not the kind of company we want to be associated with.

I for one am not purchasing Sony music product until this type of intrusive behavior stops. Here is where you can find out what artists are on Sony.

It appears that plenty of good artists are on Sony. Black Sabbath, The Clash, Miles Davis... well buy old used cds if you have to, but nothing good ever came easy.

Thanks to Boing Boing for the heads up

For shame Mr. Moore - Songs & Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11