[mdlug-discuss] [Fwd: WD following up]

[Garry Stahl]

The answer I got form Western Digital on the feedback that I was done
buying from them. I strongly suggest that people politely tell then
where to get off. My own reply is below the message from C. Scott.


Dear Garry:

Thank you for contacting WD and sharing your concerns. We understand
your position, and customer feedback like yours is very valuable to WD.

We think it is important to make clear that:

   1. WD hard drives and WD external drives store user content with no
      restriction on file types, as they always have.
   2. Two of our external hard drives, My Book World Edition and My Book
      Office Edition, offer MioNet software as an added value to customers.
   3. The MioNet software offers users remote access to all of their
      data and content from anywhere with Internet access.
   4. Based on WD’s respect for copyright owners, the MioNet software
      sold separately and bundled with WD’s My Book World Edition and My
      Book Office Edition storage appliances currently does not support
      sharing over the Internet of digital file types normally
      associated with copyright-protected music and video content.

You can learn more about Mionet software, which was acquired by WD
earlier in 2007, by visiting:
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/software/index.asp?familyID=200
<BLOCKED::BLOCKED::http://www.wdc.com/en/products/software/index.asp?familyID=200>

We want to reiterate our appreciation of your feedback; it will be
seriously considered for future product development. We’re studying how
legitimate rights of copyright owners may be protected while still
allowing our MioNet customers to share their own video and audio files.

Sincerely,

Catherine Scott

Western Digital

Vice President of Corporate Communications

C.Scott at wdc.com <BLOCKED::BLOCKED::mailto:C.Scott at wdc.com>



Garry's reply:

You have made it perfectly clear. I find it curious that the only
"protected" file types are video and audio formats. It would truly be a
shame if I should be a person that produces such formats for myself and
wishes to share them.

I think you have made it clear that I will be buying my hard drives from
companies that do not decide for me what files I may and may not use. Do
yourselves a favor, get out of the nanny business and make OS agnostic
hard drives.

As to the Mionet software, I am dedicated Linux user and have such
services available though remote SSH any time I wish to use them. It
came with the OpenSuse Linux package. Better still they are not crippled
as to the file types I wish to transfer.

I'll also be forwarding your reply to my user groups. Expect more feedback.


<BLOCKED::BLOCKED::mailto:C.Scott at wdc.com>


-- 
Garry  AKA  --Phoenix--  Rising above the Flames.

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