Sony Learns Nothing! Let's Hear It For 'Em!

And after all this? You still don't get it, kids?

The film industry is well aware of their vulnerability to digital downloading and piracy. It's only a matter of time before it sinks to the same pit as the music industry. Haven't they been taking notes? Apparently not.

"It appears that Sony's (NYSE: SNE) zeal to prevent pirates from copying its media products has backfired again. Consumers are now up in arms because copyright protection included on the discs prevents several of the company's DVDs from working in some players.

According to techie sites like Wired, Engadget, and ZDNet, DVDs of the movies Casino Royale and Stranger Than Fiction -- which utilize ArccOs DRM (digital rights management) technology -- won't play in some DVD players from RCA, Toshiba, Phillips, Harman Kardon and, you guessed it, Sony. Worse, some reports claim that the discs lock up the affected players and jam them shut. According to Wired's blog, Sony has shrugged over this, blaming the manufacturers for not updating their firmware."

Their own DVD players? Come on, Sony. First of all don't blame it on the manufacturers if your DVD players can't even manage this DRM technology. Wonderful business model: get both manufacturers and your customers pissed. Basically what your saying is consumers should get new DVD players every time you apply a new, ineffective DRM technology. You alienate the purchasers who are willing to spend the money on your DVDs and have no intention of pirating. The others who buy the DVDs to copy and spread are, at this point, are uncommon but keep updated on DRM cracks. There hasn't been DRM that hasn't been cracked yet, and it's doubtful it'll happen anytime soon.

Film industry, learn from the music industry. Come up with something else, because you're continuously throwing away money and betraying the loyalty of your consumers. I understand it's not the easiest thing in the world, but think long-term. Save it while it's still salvageable.

Also, does this mean Sony is further from getting rid of DRM on their music than we thought after the whole EMI thing? Stupid.