DRM troubles drive ex-Microsoft employee to Linux

A security expert who once worked for Microsoft has said he may dump the company's Windows Media Center in favor of Ubuntu-affiliated LinuxMCE after struggling with the software giant's digital-rights management software.

Jesper Johansson--a former senior program manager for security policy at Microsoft who moved to Amazon in September last year--wrote in his blog on Monday that he may drop Windows Media Center for LinuxMCE, a free open-source add-on to the Kubuntu desktop operating system, because problems caused by Microsoft's digital-rights management (DRM) software have proven so difficult to fix.

After Johansson's 5-year-old child complained that cable network Comcast's On Demand video system was not working with Windows Media Center, Johansson wrote, he attempted to resolve the problem.

"Upon inspecting the problem I found that the video would turn on, the screen would flicker for a second each of black and the video a few times, and then the Blue Screen of DRM came up. It also wouldn't play any premium channels," he wrote.

Johansson said the recommended work-around involved several convoluted steps, including installing Windows Media Player 10, which crashed, and then being advised to troubleshoot the problem with Windows SharePoint Services. A subsequent Microsoft DRM update then caused the Internet Explorer browser to crash.

Johansson said that DRM software is not only ineffective, but a waste of money that is damaging businesses attempting to use it to control the way consumers use copyright material.

"How many billions has the industry spent on DRM schemes that the bad guys break in weeks? How many perfectly legitimate users has the industry annoyed and driven away? How many lost DVD sales has it caused? How many lost sales of Microsoft's Media Center software and Windows Vista has it caused because the DRM subsystem randomly decides that you must be a criminal?" Johansson wrote.

DRM protections have done very little to stop bootleggers from hawking counterfeit software, he wrote, after witnessing a bustling trade in pirated material on a recent trip to Asia. Johansson wrote that he is now contemplating using LinuxMCE to avoid further difficulties.

Liam Tung of ZDNet Australia reported from Sydney.

[sismoc]

DRM should only be used in business to business transactions

DRM has a place in business to business transactions. But no place in the consumer world.

If data is being sold, leased or transfered from one business entity to another then DRM is a perfectly valid form of security and contract enforcement.

Within a business entity DRM has valid uses to prevent documents from unauthorized access.

But...

Leave that crap out of my house.
Don't cram it into my O/S.
Don't pour it over my legally acquired media content.
Don't handcuff me.
Don't take away my right to use things in any legal way I see fit.

[sgt.pinback]

voting with your wallet

The only downside to "saying no" to DRM and choosing not to spend your hard-earned $ for it: The industry will not recognize it and will assume the lost sales is due to piracy, and they will dump even more development into the dead DRM schemes already in place or worse, create new ones that will be short lived.

It is a double-edged sword and we (the consumer) get cut either way.

[winstein]

Microsoft's DRM is punishing consumers...

How many people know that you have to deactivate a license before you upgrade your computer or replace a Hard Drive? I didn't. After my hard drive crash, I had to call Microsoft to unlock my license. Microsoft's DRM is making the small guys to jump through hoops to prove that we are not criminals.

[WJeansonne]

What A Bunch of Hooey!

I currently use Comcast with Windows MCE with no problems and have so for a couple of years now. It must be the operator, LOL. Of course, I can't get the premium channels without a cablecard, but who cares. I'm able to record most of the shows and movies that I want. Sounds like the guy is up to a little hanky panky wanting to record premium movies or channels. Hmmmm.

[Silver_Surfer3838]

What a bunch of hooey!

@ WJeansonne: While it might be perfectly working for you, I doubt it is working perfectly for all the masses. No system is perfect. And, I also suspect, that it's not the first time that happened. You can continue with your smugness. However, there will be others that can attest to this fact sooner or later.

So, who wins? MS, of course. And the loser? The consumer--because we keep putting up with this crap from MS. But, it does not necessarily mean just MS. It's any company that puts out crappy products.

[ZoFreX]

Extrapolation

It works on your computer, therefore it must work on everybody's computers! I'm afraid the real world doesn't work like that, and interoperability (or lack thereof) is one of the key issues with DRM schemes. In addition you have committed the same thought crime as the software Jesper is using by simply condemning him as some kind of mal-user without knowing the facts.

Personally, I know a fair few people who have or have had problems with DRM systems, from being unable to play content (4 On Demand won't work full stop on one of my pcs for no apparent reason, for example) to losing access to their music collections through not understanding how Windows Media Player has DRM'd music they ripped.

I pride myself on being able to rip any music cd, dvd, or computer game, and so far very few DRM services have managed to stop me. It does appear easier to misuse the content than to use it as a legitimate consumer, which is entirely backwards to its alleged purpose.

[Penguinisto]

Well, let's see...

[i]"It must be the operator, LOL."[/i]

Well, the guy featured in the article is a guy who has prolly forgotten more about the Windows OS than you could ever hope to know in your lifetime, and then there's you...

...who would one believe first?

/P

[Understarsidream]

Hooey my patooty...

Just because it works on your system doesn't mean it works on
everyones. There are hundreds of drivers, possibly thousands, and
other software/hardware issues that could cause interoperability
problems. I had so many problems with MS DRM issues to the
point I won't use any MS player if I can help it.

And as far as your nasty little comment about posting under a
handle.... we would know that's your real name... how?

[`WarpKat]

The Cost of...

It appears that most major companies have spent so much money to say, "This is what it costs us when we encounter something BAD where someone ELSE is at fault."

Surprise!

But has anyone bothered to measure the cost of incompetence of a company's actions that go against the fundamental use of purchased product?

I honestly would like to see whether or not the cost of company incompetence can be measured the same way companies measure things like the cost of piracy or the cost of counterfeit merchandise.

Of course, you won't see any company vying to pay for a report on their own incompetence, will you?

Surprise.

[twitchell414]

SEC compliance

As long as they are a publicly traded they are subject to SEC compliance, which includes due diligence reporting. That would cover things like incompetence.

[MaLvaDo39]

Get a Mac already

and end your dark ages of computing with Windows.

[Rasks]

Irrelevant Zealotry..

What the hell does Apple have to do with anything related to this story.

The Mac doesn't even have a Media Center/DVR component to speak of that isn't tied to the iTunes service.

I like how you assume that macs are the end of the dark age of computing when they don't even have any type of error reporting or logging mechanisms and after 5 minutes with Apple Support resulted in "Reinstall the OS to fix this problem".

End of the dark ages indeed.

[ethana2]

overpriced hardware, Linux > OSX anyway.

I don't have money to throw out the window. If I did, I'd get a new mainboard and stream coprocessor, and probably donate the rest to WINE developers.

On the other hand, if you were to donate all the money to me that I would need to do so for that purpose, I would get a mac, I suppose. But yeah, I'd still be running Linux. PPC or x86? I'm fine with either.

You of course wouldn't make an offer like that-- but if anyone needs any help migrating to Linux, I'll give you all the help I can- I promise. [e-mail] -- and I _will_ make good on that.

[3rdalbum]

Doesn't make sense

Disenfranchised DRM victims should switch from Windows Vista, which includes HDCP and product activation, to Mac OS X Leopard which will also include HDCP and requires your phone to be locked to one network. If your iPhone does not have the "genuine" firmware, subsequent software updates will bring it back to "trusted" state.

Yep, that's a worthwhile switch...

[Buzz_Friendly]

Nonsense

When Apples will stop DRM'ing the entire operating system so I can run it on the hardware of my choice. Then we can go back to opening iPods to other music services OR open iTunes to all MP3 players and then there the iPhone thingy.
Until these major DRM issues have been solved then there may be a grain of truth to what you speak until then your just misinformed.

[SeizeCTRL]

dark ages???

let's compare software to software and hardware to hardware and see which OS is still in the dark ages.

[cohaver]

dont use net 2.0 or net 3.0 from microsoft

it tracks DRM over the net what is hidden in those updates and why the people that find them get kick backs from DRM companies

[devoaz]

What the...

Man, do you believe everything you ready on the internet? That has to be one of the most ignorant comments I've read in a long time. I'm no fan of DRM, but really - .NET sending out secret, embedded DRM information over the internet to "DRM companies"? Spare me your paranoid conspiracy theories.

[LuvThatCO2]

Hey, I dumped Linux the other week - write about me now!

After giving it another go, I dumped linux for Windows XP the other week. I think you should write an article about me.

Anyone thinking 'Ubuntu' or other linux distro is a suitable desktop replacement is just kidding themselves. For starters, the font selection and rendering was horrible. And then I had to spend an inordinate amount of time looking for a decent programmers editor with ssh support (settled for Komodo) and some other basic programs. And while evolution might be a functional email client, it kept dissappearing on me. Not crashing - but simply, and randomly, dissappearing when you used its menus.

Gnome is greatly improved from years past, but still has a way to go.

All in all, while you CAN use linux on the desktop, I cant see any actual reason why I'd want to. Not when compared to Windows or even OSX. Now, if one is so conditioned to hate Microsoft as an almost religious statement, then yes, you might think Linux is a suitable replacement. But you're only fooling yourself.

[ColdMast]

Breath some oxygen.

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://jaganath.wordpress.com/2006/07/16/ubuntu-install-log-6-finally-os-x-like-font-rendering-in-linux/" target="_newWindow">http://jaganath.wordpress.com/2006/07/16/ubuntu-install-log-6-finally-os-x-like-font-rendering-in-linux/</a>
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.isolationism.com/2006-12-27/font-rendering-on-linux/" target="_newWindow">http://www.isolationism.com/2006-12-27/font-rendering-on-linux/</a>
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.press.redhat.com/2007/05/09/liberation-fonts/" target="_newWindow">http://www.press.redhat.com/2007/05/09/liberation-fonts/</a>
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.news.com/Microsofts-forgotten-monopoly/2010-1032_3-6085417.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.news.com/Microsofts-forgotten-monopoly/2010-1032_3-6085417.html</a>

haha
you tried Linux.
now it only a matter of time before you go back to it.

[ethana2]

I'd like to see--

how you ran into so many problems. I switched to Ubuntu, and I prefer it to Windows.

Bug reports ++
Feature requests ++
-- Pointless ranting

[RJ59]

Dumped "linux" ?

What were you using? Ubuntu? I agree, it sucks. If you haven't tried it yet, take a live cd of PCLinuxOS for a spin. INMHO, THE best desktop replacement distro available.

[djGentoo]

Well, in that case...

Why am I using Mint and XFCE as my main desktop? I haven't used WinXP as my main desktop in 2 years, and I haven't looked back. I don't dual-boot. So, yeah... I'd say Linux could work as a desktop.
And if you think I'm a geek, you might want to rethink saying "anyone" in that last comment.

[TomSp2000]

Linux vs Windows

The obvious solution is to use STABLE email clients, browsers, etc. - which is NOT possible in Vista (see original article) - such as the Mozilla family (Thunderbird, Firefox, SeaMonkey, etc.). Most third-party media apps are available for *NIX platforms, after all. No reason to send ANY $$$ to Redmond. Or, as someone else posted - Buy a Mac.

[The_Palemoon]

Ubuntu is not a good Linux distro, despite all the hype! Gnome is not a good desktop either. I suggest you try other distros / desktops before making such comments.

I dumped XP long ago and haven't looked back! I do programming and web development. There are plenty of good IDEs out there under KDE. There is also Gambas, which is similar to Visual Basic. I do video editing and digital photography, as well as music making under Linux. I have done some desktop publishing as well. Everything I did under XP I can do under Linux...and more!

I'll agree, with some setups there are issues with fonts and the like. But, fonts CAN be added, and with a little tweaking font rendering can be fixed.

I would suggest you try openSUSE or PCLinuxOS...or even DreamLinux. And stay away from Gnome. Go with KDE &lt;4.0 or XFCE.

I don't hate Microsoft, but I do hate what they (and Apple) have done to the consumer side of computing! DRM and all its cousins are a violation to my rights as a consumer and I refuse to support it!

[impurist]

DRM should be outlawed

DRM has the sole purpose of maintaining corporate music industries stranglehold on artistic expression and pushing a lack of choice to consumers.
Ultimately MS think the same way, they have a stranglehold on the desktop OS market and they will do anything to keep it that way.
I for one am angry with Apple for putting a region locked DVD device in my MacBook Pro.
Ultimately this just promotes piracy.
If I cant watch a legally rented or purchased DVD
on my laptop, then I am far more likely to download an illegal torrent.

The industry needs to WAKE UP and STOP this ludicrous waste.
Boycott MS

[joel_wilder]

shows what you know!!

No, he is right the same thing happened to me. I HATE DRM!!!! I will be switching to Linux as well.

[Mystiks2]

The Problem is ...

not related to cable companies at all, it is between the content
provider and M$' MCE.

In order to close the analog hole CGMS-A was introduced. It is
put in the VBI portion of the analog signal. The provider choses
the method of coping they want to allow and and puts this in the
content. This has no effect on VHS or other like forms of
recording, except it will record the CGMS-A signal onto the VHS
tape. CGMS-A has been around since 1995.

For CGMS-A to be effective the manufactures of devices must
look for it in the VBI and deny or allow the recording based upon
the permissions the provider allows.

The important issue here is there is *no* law that states the
companies must obey the CGMS-A information, wether they do
it or not is up to the manufacture of the item.

Additionally it is not illegal to remove this signal or alter it to
suit your desires, since it is not digital and does not fall under
the prevue of the DMCA.

I, as of yet, have not had any issue with a Mac (using a Canopus
Video capture box) that results in the inability to record anything
analog. However using my Toshiba DVR or M$ I have not been
able to record content protected by CGMS-A without first
altering the CGMS-A signal.

The Fair-Use exception allows only for time-shifting. The ability
to watch the content when you are able to watch it. As On-
Demand is already time-shifted there is no excemption for it.

Premuim networks like HBO and Showtime use the Record Once
flag, which allows you to record it once, watch it later, but not to
record again or burn off to a DVD.

The real and scary direction this is going is lost by people not
looking at which the direction is going.

I find it strange that C|NET did not add this information to the
story. The technical people, in the know, have also appeared to
not post any comments here as well.

Only the same old M$ v Linux v Apple zealots appear to be
posting. However the posts are quite humorous diversions to the
ordinary mundane rituals of my day.

[Vegaman_Dan]

A tad bit suspicious...

It seems fairly odd that a person claiming to be an ex Microsoft employee wouldn't know that Windows Media Center was meant to be a standalone unit and not meant for networking. It doesn't even come with domain support. It's a very stripped down version of the OS that is just big enough to basically drive a video card and be a DVR.

All their problems described would have been easily fixed if they had chosen Mac OSX, XP, Vista, or anything other than Media Center.

Again, this basic understanding casts serious doubt about this person's credibility.

[amasuriel]

Not really true

While I do think it's weird that an ex-MS employee doesn't seem to know the basics of troubleshooting, the rest of your point seems irrelevant and incorrect in some places.

"Stripped down OS"...not really. They took away Domain support and credential caching because fast user switching (which is required for media extenders like the X-Box) can't work with them active. Otherwise it is XP Pro.

I'm also not sure what you were driving at saying it was not meant for networking; networking had nothing to do with his issues.

Last, OSX and XP can't interface with your cable connection and Vista has way more DRM (and problems with it) than MCE. So no, his problem really wouldn't have been solved by using any of those.

On a side note, part of the main thrust of his post was that DRM doesn't deter actual pirates with any great efficiency, and that they likely spend almost as much of more cash on faulty DRM and in lost users than they lost to piracy.

[Penguinisto]

Actually:

[i]" Windows Media Center was meant to be a standalone unit and not meant for networking."[/i]

Not true:

"With support for new set-top Media Center Extender network devices, you can now use MCE 2005 to access files on your PC from displays in the other rooms in your home--the TV in your bedroom, for example; each MCE 2005 PC can support up to five Extenders, over wired or wireless networks. Plus MCE 2005 also now supports dual TV tuners, which means you can watch one channel while recording another."

from: <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/microsoft-windows-xp-media/4505-3672_7-31138402.html" target="_newWindow">http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/microsoft-windows-xp-media/4505-3672_7-31138402.html</a>


So, err, you were saying?

/P

[kojacked]

DRM has a car?!?!?

When did DRM learn to drive? Who the heck gave him a license? Oh that's right the good ol' U.S. Government via pressure from folks like the RIAA &#38; MPAA.

I'm just glad DRM knew the way to Linux and didn't get lost along the way through Cupertino!

BTW folks DRM Microsoft. RIAA &#38; MPAA = DRM (and all three must die just like SCO)

This guy had a bad round with updates. That doesn't mean DRM = Microsoft.

Come to think of it I've never had any problems updating any of the Linux distros I've ever used! ( Ok I'm lying here... :) )

Does Microsoft even sell digital content such as music and movies?

Enjoy your bashing!

[Sumatra-Bosch]

DRM: Get Used To It

Vista and all subsequent Windows editions will be only incidentally operating systems. First and foremost they are and will be DRM systems through which MSFT hopes to create a chokepoint between consumers and the media companies through which they'll abuse and exploit both sides. Before a Windows PC in the home just meant annoyance, wasted time and despair at incompetently designed software. From here on out, it's like having the Mansons or the creature from Alien over for dinner.

[menotbug]

5yo shouldn't be watching TV

Sigh.

[Julie Allen]

Yeh right

Let's see when I was 5 years old I started watching Star Trek (yes the first one in the 1960's) which led me to become interested in Astronomy and Science which led me to pursue a Science degree in my 20's and in turn I became a Health Care Professional who has helped saved lives.

TV is a really bad thing *eyeroll*

[Ted Miller]

The Evil Empire Begins to Crumble

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

Crumble, Crumble, Crumble

Goodbye Microsoft, Hello Linux!!!

[t3st3r`]

DRM punishes legal users, not pirates.Reverting normal users to pirates.

It's simple! DRM punishes legal users so they're annoyed and have to switch to piracy anyway.Then they are out of law.So MS and other media mafia can safely apply racket.They're telling "we'll sue your ass or pay us some few thousands $ so we do not sue you".Actually this is form of racket and should be illegal.And yes, you're paying not DOLLARS but THOUSAND of dollars per audio track or film then.Kinda incredible form of making moneys.Can you make morons to pay $1000 per film?Yes!Just make it's legal use impossible and sue 'em all when they're out of law.They will afraid to resist anyway. So, here it goes.Law fails to protect consumers, so you have no choice but either get f**ked up for your own moneys or do not buy anything and maybe reverting to piracy.I guess it is acrually a GOOD idea to start antutrust investigations.Where to an anti-monopoly committee looking for?Are they blind?

[slackwarerobert]

Piracy?

You can't break the law downloading what you already bought. If you buy a movie/song and can't play it, then download a bootleg version that will play,
You haven't broken the law since you have paid the artist his royalties.

[diggmediggyou]

Why made this decision?

I guess there are few reason for a person to leave their current job and join to other job. But i don't know what's he motive here.
Linux is an open source and a lot of things can learn. No doubt he will made this decision.

[JohnMcGrew]

The market will prevail; it already has

The industry will recognize it, or it will die and be replaced by one that does.

But don't believe me. Look at history. After the advent of cheap CD burners, the Internet, and MP3 players, it was said that the record companies would never sell music over the Internet. And yet the success of iTunes and other services a few years later proved that wrong.

Now complex and unworkable DRM schemes are making the next generation of products (Windows Vista, for example) completely undesirable to consumers. Sooner or later, the industry will have to change because nobody is going to buy hardware and software rendered so useless.

[SeizeCTRL]

Why is this a news worthy story?

Is it because of the DRM issue or is it simply because some ex Microsoft employee is considering switching to Linux?

If I drop Windows to go Linux, will c|net do a story about me? "MCSE guy ditches Windows for Ubuntu" Seriously, this is a pointless filler story because some guy couldn't record dirty movies from Cinimax and he's upset ;) The fact he once worked at Microsoft is the only real reason why this got front page news... What if the guy worked at Apple and was a video editor and decided to switch from Final Cut to Adobe Premiere? Would this get the same level of attention?